When it comes to comic book adaptations, we have been treated to several examples of excellent casting choices over the years; Chris Evans as Captain America, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, but for many, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine has taken first prize.
Though he decided to end his stint as the iconic character with the hit film Logan (2017), Jackman decided to return to the role after the massive success of Deadpool (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018), in which Ryan Reynolds more than delivered in playing the titular fourth wall breaking anti-hero. Jackman and Reynolds teamed up with director Shawn Levy (Stranger Things), and the work began to revive the pairing of these two beloved characters after the failed attempt of X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).
Needless to say, nothing could match the hype after the trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) was released, which the film mostly went on to live up to. The witty and funny ‘Merc with the Mouth’ excellently contrasts the serious and reserved Wolverine, as the former sets out to save his universe from fading from existence with the latter’s help. It follows the aesthetic of the first two Deadpool films, with the over the top gore, dark humour, and fourth wall breaks, the last of which were more present than ever, making this the most self-aware Deadpool movie yet. For example, Wade (Deadpool) daringly digs at both Fox and Disney about messing up the X-Men franchise. However, some of these jokes could go over the viewer's head if they are not familiar with the details of the Fox and X-Men relationship. This is a slight downside of the film; it is somewhat Deadpool’s signature move to talk to the audience, but there is a point where it is simply too much, and this film crossed that line.
A major concern in the build up to Deadpool & Wolverine was whether it was going to ruin the events and legacy of Logan, which is considered by many to be the best of the X-Men films. But despite Wolverine being portrayed in a slightly different light, the events of Logan were well integrated, playing a major role in the inciting incident of the film. That being said, both the plot and subplot felt contrived and unoriginal. For instance, Wade’s journey to become a genuine hero and begin putting others ahead of himself was already done in the second instalment of what is now the Deadpool trilogy. The whole point of creating a third instalment was to see Deadpool and Wolverine side by side on screen again, so with that being the focus, one can see how there was less attention paid to the plot and more so to their relationship.
Yet with all the dark comedy, Deadpool & Wolverine subverted our expectations by providing a very heartfelt and nostalgic look back over all of the X-Men films and characters that have become icons over the last twenty years. The homage that the film pays to the franchise is perhaps its greatest triumph. Overall, it was a breath of fresh air after the MCU’s streak of disappointments over the past few years.
