Deadpool & Wolverine

“Maximum effort,” the mantra Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) drops in before slicing and dicing the bad guys – and maximum effort is what this film gives. Far from the rushed and underdeveloped yet overcomplicated movies Marvel has been churning out for the past few years, Deadpool & Wolverine truly gives fans something to get excited about.

Mix one love-hate relationship, two iconically dressed and morally questionable superheroes from different timelines, and a whole medley of 90s and early 2000s pop hits, including NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye, Like a Prayer by Madonna, and a sprinkling of Avril Lavigne, and you’ve got yourself a bloody road trip full of meta humour and Hollywood gossip.

Reynolds pops his MCU cherry with a bang, taking breaking the fourth wall to the max and refusing to refrain from the X-rated content the franchise is known for – don’t hold your breath for this ride appearing at Disneyland anytime soon. The Time Variance Authority make a reappearance after forming the backdrop to Loki’s spin-off series. Mr Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) takes the timelines into his own sinister hands, as Deadpool fights to save his world and Wolverine hopes to change his. Charles Xavier’s evil twin, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), also emerges as a mind-melding villain with malevolent intentions, amplifying the stakes of their battle and adding a chilling layer of psychological menace.

Although disheartened after being rejected by the Avengers, and previously turning down joining the X-Men, this is exactly what gives Deadpool the edge as Marvel Jesus. It is this separateness and isolation from established superhero groups that allows him to constantly bend and manipulate the timeline, giving us some unbelievable cast cameos whilst ridiculing the tangled mess the multiverse has become – something that simply wouldn’t be possible any other way.

In a bid to find his own team, Deadpool collects the rejects and builds his own family. Although nothing new, this third instalment continues his arc as the imperfect hero, the unedited and uncensored good-ish guy. Speaking of which, although X-Force didn’t quite work out, we see the return of Peter (aka Rob Delaney, aka Sugar Bear), back by popular demand. It’s a shame we didn’t see more of Delaney, as whenever he’s on-screen, he delivers some hilariously random material.

Raising people from the dead is now just part of the daily routine for the franchise. After his near-perfect exit seven years ago, fans were nervous about his return feeling cheap, but Hugh Jackman effortlessly falls back into the character that defined his career. Jackman managed to convince audiences that the Logan we’re seeing isn’t the one we lost in James Mangold’s 2017 film, but one who has fallen from grace within his own universe, wallowing in drunkenness and self-loathing. His character, however, is still deeply ingrained with a sense of buried hope and underlying heroic-ness, giving us a Wolverine who has to once again work to earn his badge as a superhero and worthy X-man. Jackman impressively delivers a moving and tormented character in a film which doesn’t go 30 seconds without a dirty joke or reference.

This movie was made for the old-school X-Men comic fans, as well as religious watchers of the earlier Avenger movies. Deadpool & Wolverine will undoubtedly rekindle enthusiasm from nerds globally (this writer counts herself among this group), and seems to have ignited an excitement for the MCU, which has been struggling to reengage with audiences following the monumental success of Avengers: Endgame. It’s no overstatement to declare this movie has changed the history of the MCU, with the reanimation, development and addition of characters. “MCU is back!” shouted an eager audience member as the credits rolled. Director Shawn Levy might have just provided us with the jump-start the Marvel film franchise needed.

Olivia Gardener

Deadpool & Wolverine is released nationwide on 25^th July 2024.

Watch the trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine here: