Deadpool and Wolverine Movie Review: Being a Marvel Cinematic Universe fan hasn’t been easy since Avengers: Endgame. Apart from Spider-Man: No Way Home, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the post-Endgame phase has left many OG MCU fans disappointed. So, I walked into the theater with some hesitation about watching Deadpool and Wolverine. But now, two hours later, I can confidently say that Marvel is back, baby! And it’s all thanks to Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and director Shawn Levy.
Marking the X-Men’s first Marvel Studios film since Walt Disney Studios took over Fox Studios, Reynolds and Jackman truly celebrate the history of the X-Men world while embarking on their next steps on screen.
Much like Deadpool 2, Deadpool and Wolverine is packed with meta jokes. It’s clear Reynolds took it upon himself to make a memorable entry into the MCU. The film delivers punchlines one after another, leaving you laughing, screaming, and even emotional at times. Reynolds doesn’t keep these standout lines to himself; he shares them with every cast member and cameo, making each character memorable.
While a lot of time was spent developing the dialogues, it feels like the makers spent a little less time on the script. Deadpool and Wolverine also lacks depth in its plot. Although it doesn’t hit in the first half, the issue becomes more apparent in the second half, especially when the focus shifts to Wolverine. Given Wolverine’s history and fans’ emotional investment in the character, the lack of depth becomes noticeable. I wish a bit more time had been spent on his arc.
The film also doesn’t offer room for major futuristic theories, something that I was expecting. It will come as a disappointment to the MCU Reddit.
Cinematographer George Richmond as well as editors Dean Zimmerman and Shane Reid also deserve to be applauded. They keep you hooked through the various scenes, landscapes and stories from the start to the last minute of the post credit. But the bigger shout out to Rob Simonsen for putting together such an insane score. From placing NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye to the surprise hit of Avril Lavigne’s I’m With You, the song placements will crack you up.
Hats off to the action directors as well. There are three action scenes that show Jackman and Reynolds in their best superhero avatars.
Shawn Levy might have not put together the perfect Deadpool film but man, he does a true fan service to Marvel fans — of MCU and the X-Men world — in all its glory. The MCU has been missing this for a while now. It felt good to walk out of a Marvel film after a while.
Bottom Line: Don’t miss Deadpool and Wolverine for a nostalgic celebration of X-Men and the MCU’s glory days. PS: Some of the cameos will leave even Reddit guessing.