At the heart of the cameo-fueled Deadpool & Wolverine is a wild send-off and love letter to the Fox-era Marvel movies of the 2000s and its forgotten characters.
Related: 5 Things You Need To Know Before Watching Deadpool & Wolverine
Spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine ahead
A lot has been said about how the MCU post-Avengers Endgame relies too heavily on nostalgia and throwbacks to remind audiences of the magic of the cinematic universe. It’s a trend that continues with Deadpool & Wolverine. Though, unlike other past attempts (*cough* Multiverse of Madness *cough*), this film pulls it off to make it go beyond just food for the fanboys. In as much as Deadpool & Wolverine serves as the duo’s introduction to the MCU, the movie also closes the chapter on Fox’s era of Marvel movies and films that came before the dawn of the MCU.
While it isn’t perfect, Deadpool & Wolverine tells a story of broken and forgotten people finding their purpose once more through some pretty sick action scenes, cameos, and irreverent comedy. Below, we break down what we liked, and didn’t, about the threequel.
DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE HAVE A GREAT BROMANCE
As the stars of the movie, a lot is riding on Deadpool and Wolverine. And luckily, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman don’t drop the ball. Reynolds is still as confident and quick-witted as ever as the Merc with a Mouth. Jackman, meanwhile, proves that he’s still got it as he captures Logan’s gruffness while also bringing in this weariness stemming from his failures in his universe. Together, they make for a dynamic duo and an embodiment of the enemies-to-friends trope as they go from bickering outsiders to friends who find their renewed sense of purpose.
THERE’S SOME EPIC ACTION SCENES
With its R-rating intact, Deadpool & Wolverine doesn’t skimp on the violence and gore we’ve come to know from the series despite its new home. But more than just an excessive amount of blood for violence’s sake, many of the action scenes here are really entertaining, especially when viewed on the biggest screen possible. Some highlights include Deadpool and Wolverine’s overnight fight in the Honda Odyssey and the duo vs. the Deadpool variants soundtracked to Like A Prayer by Madonna and shot like the one-take hallway fight scene in Oldboy. The action is giving as Deadpool, Wolverine, and the other characters are given the time to shine.
IT’S A TRIBUTE TO THE FOX AND PRE-MCU MARVEL MOVIES
Let’s get this out of the way: there are a lot of cameos here, some with more screen time than others. But Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t include these characters just to get crowd reactions ala Endgame. It goes beyond simple fan service to serve as an homage to the Marvel movies of the 2000s, especially from Fox. Deadpool came from the Fox universe, and the movie doesn’t forget that. Sure, the studio catches strays here and there, but the movie is, at the core of it, a love letter to that time of Marvel movies.
This may just be the last hurrah for that era of Marvel, and Deadpool & Wolverine smartly avoids putting too much focus on the MCU heroes to give more forgotten characters the spotlight. Johnny Storm, Elektra, and Blade all make appearances here. Even Channing Tatum as Gambit from the canceled Gambit movie is here.
Admittedly, there is a conversation to be had about this heavy use of nostalgia instead of implementing new ideas. The Marvel faithful will appreciate these cameos, but less so for casual viewers. But it also shows how Deadpool & Wolverine is a lot more for Fox than it is for the MCU. Adding to this homage is a montage of behind-the-scenes clips from the Fox Marvel movies played during the credits. Before Deadpool and the gang go to the MCU, they first give the Fox era of Marvel one last time to shine.
IT HAS A POIGNANT MESSAGE OF FORGOTTEN PEOPLE FINDING THEIR PURPOSE
At the heart of Deadpool & Wolverine is a story of finding your purpose. Sure, we get the cameos, big action set pieces, 4th wall breaks, and more. But the film also doesn’t stray away from its themes of brokenness, being lost, and renewed motivations. Wade, working as a used car salesman, feels like he’s lost everything and doesn’t have it in him to be Deadpool anymore.
Wolverine, meanwhile, is a broken man who let down the X-Men. Throughout the movie, the two find that drive to be who they are and even become friends at the end. Even the Fox Marvel heroes add to the narrative themes with Blade and Elektra talking about getting the ending they deserve. TBH, these cameos make sense thematically and on a more meta side as characters no longer part of the MCU. This is for the underdogs and misfits to remember that they actually matter.
CASSANDRA NOVA SUFFERS FROM THE MCU VILLAIN CURSE
Emma Corrin deserves her flowers for her portrayal of Cassandra Nova. She plays the villain with this almost whimsical and childlike wonder like she’s having fun being bad. The movie also doesn’t hide how OP Cassandra is, with cool powers that can end the best of them in a snap. Her powerset, and the character as a whole, is a fit for the R-rating of Deadpool & Wolverine.
But sadly, she isn’t immune to the MCU villain curse where their compelling nature is brought down by an evil plan that boils down to either taking over or destroying the world. When she reveals her scheme at the end of destroying every timeline and just leaving The Void, it is more been-there-done-that and less terrifying. Cassandra Nova had potential, but her resolution felt a little too familiar and generic.
THE FINALE FALLS A BIT FLAT
The scene of Deadpool and Wolverine fighting all those Deadpool variants in the third act was *chef’s kiss*. But what happened next was anything but. Sure, the choir version of Like A Prayer was epic, but when you think about it, the finale boils down to Deadpool and Wolverine crossing the streams and Cassandra Nova getting blown up.
With how powerful Cassandra is shown in the film, it’s a bit questionable we have no final fight or that she gets defeated just like that. Granted, the filmmakers probably wrote themselves into a corner trying to find a way for the heroes to defeat Cassandra given her powers, but the finale could have been a lot more exciting and less meh. At least we get the family back together at the very end.
At the end of the day, people can and will debate if the MCU got its mojo back and if multiverses and cameos have been the downfall of comic book movies as of late. But you can’t take away how Deadpool & Wolverine gives the Fox Marvel movies a proper send-off tied to a message of characters who no longer matter rediscovering their meaning and purpose. This film is for them, and that’s commendable. To do all that and more in a fun and adrenaline-fueled ride is not a bad way to spend a Saturday night.
Deadpool & Wolverine is currently showing in cinemas nationwide.
Photos courtesy of Disney
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