Deadpool & Wolverine Review: Marvel’s Maniacal, Meaningful Masterpiece

In a way, cynicism and superheroes have always gone hand-in-hand. From industry-wide detractors fearmongering about the entire medium to creators wanting to inject a more pessimistic outlook, that feeling has been a springboard for both truly revolutionary storytelling and also controversial subversions. It has also been an emotional undercurrent of 20th Century Fox’s first two Deadpool movies, which barreled into the superhero movie boom of 2016 and 2018 to lampoon as many tropes and pop culture ephemera as it possibly could. Depending on your personal preference, that R-rated lampooning was either hilarious or exhausting, especially when originating from the movies’ place in the increasingly limited Fox universe of X-Men movies. With this week’s Deadpool & Wolverine, the franchise is not only firmly planted within the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Multiverse Saga,” but is the only theatrical entry Marvel Studios is releasing this year, leading fans to dream up a number of lofty scenarios of what the movie could possibly deliver. This admittedly gave me my own cynicism going into Deadpool & Wolverine, worrying that the threequel would get bogged down by its bigger sandbox and high expectations. Instead, Deadpool & Wolverine rises to the occasion in ways no one could have anticipated, delivering one of the most heartfelt, action-packed, and electrifying superhero movies in years.

Deadpool & Wolverine opens with an aimless Wade Wilson / Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) searching for his purpose as both a person and a costumed antihero. When a visit from Agent Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) and the Time Variance Authority throws Wade’s status quo into danger, he must join forces with a reluctant and jaded Logan Howlett / Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to make things right. Together, the unlikely duo embark on a wacky journey filled with surprises, violence, and the powerful threat of Charles Xavier’s secret mutant twin, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). 

That synopsis only begins to scratch the surface of what Deadpool & Wolverine offers to its audience, with nearly every sequence sounding absurd or downright implausible out of context. Yes, that does include a menagerie of cameos, the possibility of which has dominated much of the conversation and even the official marketing of the movie. It would be a disservice to even hint at the appearances that do make the final cut of Deadpool & Wolverine, because they are exhilarating to discover amid the story’s many twists and turns. They are also, thankfully, much more relevant to the plot than the recent track record of multiversal superhero stories might suggest, with other entries deploying gimmicks that ultimately landed as half-hearted, half-baked, or borderline exploitative. Instead, Deadpool & Wolverine provides space for these characters to have hilarious and often satisfying story beats amid the onscreen chaos, all while furthering the movie’s outlook on the ever-changing state of the superhero blockbuster.

That outlook is found in great abundance in Deadpool & Wolverine, in ways both goofy and surprisingly sincere. As far as the first category goes, there are countless jokes at the expense of Marvel Studios and its years of cultural dominance, many of which land more earnestly when coming from the studio itself. Outside of a handful of awkward exceptions, the movie’s larger smattering of jokes land more effectively and efficiently, in part because the script is usually breezy enough to know when to move on from or even openly criticize Wade’s latest one-liner. Sure, there is always a chance that Deadpool & Wolverine‘s jokes might become obsolete or outdated a few years from now, a fate that has arguably already happened to the franchise’s first two Deadpool entries, but under Shawn Levy’s direction, the film never solely rests on the laurels of its humor. 

Instead, Deadpool & Wolverine keeps a thematic core that tackles insecurity, failure, and loneliness at virtually every turn. While it takes a few beats for the surprisingly small-scale story to kick into high gear, those emotions certainly fuel our two protagonists, who are charting their own courses toward a future that will hopefully be a little bit kinder to them. But those emotions also seem to fuel the entire existence of Deadpool & Wolverine, as the movie argues that the ambition of breaking impossible box-office records and expanding a cinematic universe shouldn’t get in the way of telling a story that viewers actually care about. Even in a movie that will surely break box-office records, and in a cinematic universe that still continues to grow, it’s a sense of honesty that is refreshing.

The performances of Deadpool & Wolverine are equally refreshing — a feat that is especially impressive, given the fact that its two leads have been portraying their roles in some form or fashion for multiple decades. Reynolds delivers his most effortless and comic-accurate portrayal of Deadpool yet, whether he is goofily breaking the fourth wall or reflecting on his direction in life. Jackman’s Wolverine is a gruff, contemplative complement to Deadpool’s wackiness, all while further showcasing the strengths of his best portrayals in Fox’s X-Men universe. Corrin’s Cassandra Nova is one of the most grotesque and engrossing onscreen supervillains in recent memory, perfectly honoring the weirdness of her source material. MacFadyen gleefully chews the scenery at every available turn, and the returning Deadpool supporting cast is true-to-form, with Morena Baccarin’s Vanessa and Leslie Uggams’ Blind Al being undeniable highlights. 

While it is far from the most colorful or visually loud blockbuster that Marvel Studios has put out, Deadpool & Wolverine does provide a small upgrade from the largely muted mise en scene of the previous two films. George Richmond’s cinematography guides us through the film’s various massive and intimate settings, all while honoring the bright hues of the heroes’ excellently made costumes from Graham Churchyard and Mayes C. Rubeo. The various needle drops of the soundtrack are recognizable without being truly distracting, and will provide viewers with a new mental image once they hear certain songs in the future. A lot of that is thanks to the ingenious fight choreography, which delivers gruesome hand-to-hand combat that puts the MCU’s first R-rating to good use.

Amid the never-ending conversation around superhero fatigue, too many spoilers, and not enough effective storytelling, it feels rare to be truly surprised by a new superhero adaptation. Deadpool & Wolverine is such a pleasant surprise — both in its jaw-dropping elements and in the sentimental reason for those elements even existing — that it almost feels like a miracle. The movie’s handful of flaws are outweighed by its pure blockbuster storytelling and the gleeful rapport of its two protagonists. Through its no-holds-barred execution and the wildly entertaining performances of its ensemble cast, Deadpool & Wolverine serves as the most unlikely reminder of why we care about superhero movies in the first place.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Deadpool & Wolverine will be released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.