Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) – Written Review

Ryan Reynolds is back as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman comes out of Wolverine retirement to deliver a film more focused on nostalgia than anything else.

Plot Summary

Disney buying Fox has left the various Fox franchises and their heroes’ universes in question. Deadpool seems to be the only one the TVA thinks is worth saving from 20^th Century Fox’s timelines, but while the idea of joining the sacred Disney MCU timeline and potentially becoming an Avenger excites Wade, his friends being expected to disappear like someone used the Infinity Gauntlet again doesn’t sit right with him.

So, the hope is, with finding a Wolverine, the anchor of Deadpool and the X-Men’s Cinematic Universe, maybe Deadpool can keep his timeline from going offline and fading out as so many of his peers seemingly have done.

Noted Cast and Characters Of “Deadpool & Wolverine”

Ryan Reynolds As Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool

When the movie begins, Wade isn’t in a good place. He and Vanessa are no more, he finds little reason to be Deadpool after being rejected for the Avengers and has resigned himself to being some form of immortal yet ordinary. That is until the TVA pushes the idea he is special, and this reinvigorates him to put the suit back on and live up to the expectations of the decision made at the TVA.

• The actor is also known for their role in “IF.”

Hugh Jackman As Logan aka Wolverine

Though “Deadpool & Wolverine” has a handful of variations on Wolverine, the one it settles on is a Wolverine who is down on his luck, the last of the X-Men, and who is waiting for the day he can die as Wolverine did in “Logan.”

• The actor is also known for their role in “The Greatest Showman.”

Emma Corrin As Cassandra Nova

Charles Xavier’s fraternal twin is perhaps one of the most powerful mutants around. However, just as Charles sensed evil in her within the womb, so did the TVA know she would be devastating if allowed to exist in any timeline. Hence, she, and many others the TVA deemed to mess with how they wanted fate to play out were sent to the Void.

Dafne Keen As Laura aka X-23

Alive, thanks to her version of Logan, aka Wolverine, Laura is now in the Void and part of a resistance movement against Cassandra.

• The actor is also known for their role in “His Dark Materials: Season 2.”

Channing Tatum As Gambit

Gambit has been in the Void so long that his origin story is pushed to be more of an embedded memory than something he remembers living.

• The actor is also known for their role in “The Lost City.”

Wesley Snipes As Blade

The legendary vampire hunter also exists in the Void, and with Laura, Gambit, Elektra, and Johnny have been trying to figure out a way to defeat Cassandra, never mind escaping the Void.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Cut Throat City.”

Chris Evans As Johnny Blaze

Johnny Blaze, the most vocal member of the Void Resistance, gives Deadpool a run for his money with the vulgar things that come out of his mouth at any given time.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Ghosted.”

Tyler Mane As Sabertooth

Sabertooth is Wolverine’s brother, and he pretty much fights on sight.

Jennifer Garner As Elektra

Elektra isn’t given much, if any, backstory beyond it being acknowledged that in her world, Daredevil is dead.

• The actor is also known for their role in “The Adam Project.”

Morena Baccarin As Vanessa

Vanessa is who Deadpool sees as the love of his life, but she sometimes struggles to be this as Wade finds himself unsure how to move forward in life, feeling he lacks purpose.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Spy.”

Content Information

• Dialog: Cursing
• Violence: Gun Violence, Gore, Blood, Torture, Notable Fight Scenes
• Sexual Content: N/A
• Miscellaneous: Depiction of Corpses, Body Horror, Drinking

Review

Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)

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Highlights

Laura and Logan’s Reunion

While there is this push to have Hugh Jackman tap into Logan’s usual self-loathing, it doesn’t hit when they try to up it and make it into something meaningful. However, seeing Laura with Logan again after all these years? That creates so many memories of their last encounter, and hearing how her Wolverine allowed her and other kids to grow up, to see her want to say thank you but know he isn’t into that sappy stuff? Oh! I get teary-eyed thinking about it all over again.

Low Points

The CGI/Visual Effects Gets Wonky When Wolverine Puts The Full Suit On

Towards the last 30 minutes of the movie, Logan puts on Wolverine’s full suit with the mask, and there is something about those scenes when Hugh Jackman has the mask on, which makes everything look off. He looks weirdly thinner and out of place. It is almost like, due to the team behind Deadpool knowing by heart how to do Ryan Reynold’s body type, they tried to replicate that for Hugh Jackman.

Which, when they realized it didn’t look right, they figured no one is going to care considering everything else happening on screen at that moment, so why fine-tune the visual effects?

On The Fence

Cassandra Nova

The issue with Cassandra Nova is the same issue that most Marvel movie villains have – they don’t deserve to be one and done. In my mind, Cassandra is the type who deserves the Loki or Winter Soldier treatment in that they don’t have their background, and inevitable demise all happen in one movie.

She is Charles Xavier’s sister, and she has this freaky power where she has to touch someone to get into their mind. It is so gross how it is portrayed as she has her hand coming in and out of orifices, yet you’d want to see it happen to more people. Add in Emma Corrin is probably only second to Cate Blanchett in presenting a formidable and engaging female villain? It’s hard not to be frustrated seeing characters like this blow-up, literally, while the MCU scrambles to find a follow-up to Thanos.

Deadpool’s Antics Get Old

Does Deadpool breaking the fourth wall make you laugh? Yes. For while a good portion of his jokes will become dated in a few years, the ones that have him hit out against Marvel? Oh, they are comical. From “Blade” being in development hell, acknowledging the downtrend the MCU has been on, to pushing the idea there was a reason there was never a Gambit movie done, based on Channing Tatum’s dialect and performance? Even as you adjust to Deadpool’s comments and looks, there are moments when he reminds you why you love the character.

But there comes a point where you are somewhere between having built a tolerance to his antics, if not annoyed. Add in the sense that everyone has become an R-rated version of themselves in terms of the cameos, and it makes what made Deadpool special and different dissipate. Including him just wanting to be some kind of hero, even if only in Vanessa’s eyes.

The Cameos Feels Like A Means To Compensate For A Too-Long Film

Is it wonderful to see Wesley Snipes as Blade, and him even comment on how he is the one and only Blade? Yes. It’s also nice to see Chris Evans as Johnny Blaze and Laura return. However, there comes a point where it feels like all the returns are just padding and aren’t really adding much to the story. Again, with Gambit, considering how many jokes there are about Tatum’s performance, specifically how he talks as Gambit, it’s almost like this is less of a roast or sad funeral for all Fox built, but rather a showing of why it all had to die.

Though the big problem might be that while seeing Sabertooth, Elektra, and others is nice, it doesn’t compensate for how the journey often feels geared towards building up to these nostalgic moments more than Wolverine or Deadpool’s goals. I’d even say that this film sometimes depends on the element of surprise to justify its existence. Which isn’t to downplay seeing Hugh Jackman as Wolverine one more time, but it can feel like if they couldn’t get all of these members of Fox’s mutant universe, at best, Deadpool would be the new Stan Lee and just randomly pop-up places.

General Information

Film Length

2 Hours 7 Minutes

Date Released

July 25, 2024

How To Watch “Deadpool & Wolverine”

Theatrical

Distributor

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Director(s)

Shawn Levy

Writer(s)

Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, Shawn Levy

Based On Work By

Rob Liefeld, Fabian Nicleza

Genre(s)

Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, LGBT+

Content Rating

Rated R

Why Is The Movie Named “Deadpool & Wolverine?”

Beyond marketing reasons, it is because the two iconic Marvel characters team up for the first time in live-action.