‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Is Vulgar, Violent, and Fun
The following story contains no significant spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).
DEADPOOL, AT LEAST in his major motion picture form, gets a bad rap. While the "Merc with a Mouth" is best known for leading movies filled to the brim with vulgar humor and bloody violence, his first two films actually devote themselves strongly to a lead character on a journey of self-discovery.
2016's Deadpool finds its titular character searching for purpose after a terminal diagnosis and subsequent full-body scarring, and the 2018 sequel – with an increased budget and co-stars Josh Brolin and Zazie Beetz in tow – did everything the first film did just a little better, focusing on themes of found family and self-sacrifice. That signature humor, blood, and gore was, of course, all there, but they served as window-dressing for a story that dug deeper than most remember.
But those movies come from a studio (20th Century Fox) that no longer exists, in an era that may as well be the 1940s, considering how much has changed in both the real and movie world.
Now, we come to Deadpool & Wolverine, the third in Ryan Reynolds's solo Deadpool series (and Hugh Jackman's 10th film as Wolverine). The movie is tracking for an absolutely massive $360 million worldwide opening weekend – which would be the highest ever for an R-rated film. But it comes with its own questions: how will a Disney-produced Deadpool match up to the Fox version? How will Wolverine be handled after 2017's Logan, previously designed as his final film? And will any of this fit neatly into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe?
We were promised answers to all of these questions, and Deadpool & Wolverine, for the most part, tries to answer them.
It's hard to dive too deep into the plot without spoiling anything, so we'll keep things broad. Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Reynolds) is once again seeking purpose after the events of Deadpool 2 – most importantly bringing his girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), and friend, Peter (Rob Delaney), back from the dead using Cable's (Brolin, not in this movie) time travel device. In his search, he seeks out new career opportunities, including one early job interview scene that for the movie's purposes, does not go well for Wade, and, for analysis purposes, does not make a ton of sense (and the movie offers no explanation for it).
Wade then abandons life as Deadpool, instead opting to become the wig-wearing half of a car salesman team with Peter. That is until his birthday, when he's picked up by the TVA (whom Loki fans will recognise well), and taken to meet an administrative suit named Mr. Paradox (Succession's Matthew Macfadyen, excellent as usual) who tells him something vital: he's in a vast multiverse, and he can move into the "main" timeline where every MCU hero exists... but his world is dying, because its "anchor" being, Wolverine (Jackman), has died.
The movie takes off from there, as Deadpool hunts for a Wolverine from the many other multiversal worlds in order to make things right. He and his Wolvie of choice eventually end up in a place called "The Void," where beings zapped out of their main timeline go, and from there the fun and cameos just keep flowing. But this is where we have to warn you – the movie kind of flirts with the idea of crossing Deadpool's world (and other tangential Marvel worlds) with the main MCU. But a tease, in this case, is not doing the thing.
Deadpool & Wolverine has all the requisite lewd humour you've come to expect, and is by far the bloodiest, goriest, movie in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (it may also be the bloodiest, goriest Deadpool movie as well). And at its core, it keeps the same strong character-building momentum established in Deadpool 2. This isn't just a regular superhero movie – it's a buddy movie, a road movie, something of a two-hander focused on our main Deadpool, and an alternate Wolverine who's kind of a drunk and kind of a disappointment. The movie cares about these characters, and does the work to make them feel like real people with real feelings, and not just two-dimensional drawings on a piece of paper.
These have not become Reynolds's and Jackman's signature characters by accident —they're great at what they do, and as enjoyable as ever to watch on screen. Other highlights include Emma Corrin's Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier's little-known-but-very-powerful twin sister (a character who debuted in Grant Morrison's fantastic New X-Men run) who resides supreme over The Void. Corrin's handful of moments really pop; from the moment you first meet Cassandra, you kind of wish you were seeing her in every single scene. Corrin brings an energy that's sinister, fun, and sophisticated all at the same time.
We can't get too far into cameos, but know they are plentiful, and some will probably go over better than others, depending on the audience. But one in particular caught me so off guard – and was so welcomed because it was just that awesome – that it made me say "Wow!" aloud in the theatre. That was fun.
Deadpool & Wolverine is, above all else, a fun Deadpool movie. In that respect, it provides exactly what was promised; it's hard to imagine anyone who liked Deadpool and/or Deadpool 2 not having a fun time with this one. What Deadpool & Wolverine is not, though— at least for now — is an Infinity War or Endgame level game-changer. The pre-movie insinuation had been that Deadpool & Wolverine would integrate Deadpool into the MCU world, setting up not only a future for further Deadpool crossovers, but a potential "in" for future mutant or X-Men-related projects. That would, then, create a clear path forward. A path forward, however, did not become clear. We do not know where things will go, and the tie-ins to any existing lore are actually few and far between here. Instead, the movie seems to exist more as a tribute to some "forgotten" films of past Marvel universes.
One way the film could be a game-changer, though, is in its status as an R-rated piece for adults. This movie is filled to the brim with blood, guts, swearing, and sex jokes. Is it the most mature movie in the world? No, of course not. But if it turns into the smash hit it seems destined to be, that's a sign for more R-rated MCU movies in the future. In particular, this should be good news for the long-gestating Blade reboot; Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige recently suggested that film will have an R-rating, and to that we say "hell yeah."
The movie's self-awareness certainly works in its favor. At one point, Deadpool tells Wolverine 'Welcome to the MCU,' clarifying that he's 'joining at a bit of a low point.' This is a film that understands that fans of the once-proud franchise haven't been super thrilled or had a ton to be excited about of late. And as Marvel Studios's lone big-screen effort in 2024, the movie had the chance to actually build anticipation, and leave its own lasting impact. On its own merit, it does that here. Fans will have a good time, and this will be referred to and mentioned in Marvel circles for quite some time.
If getting the fans back on board is Marvel's top priority, they picked just the right character to look them in the eyes – pretty literally – and say 'we get it.' Fans will be pleased. Whether that reflects on the studio's future, non-fourth-wall-breaking efforts, remains to be seen. But for now, the MCU has landed itself a solid win, and a couple steps up on the ladder to reclamation.
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