‘Deadpool and Wolverine’: Marvel’s Big Comeback?
The “Marvel Jesus” is here to save superhero films, but will he be crucified and hung on the cross, or is he going to be the second coming of Marvel?
“Deadpool and Wolverine” combines the best and worst of Marvel into one giant film filled with seemingly never-ending tropes. What do I think of the film?
Well… I LOVED IT! That was unexpected, wasn’t it? You thought this review was going somewhere else. I can already see the comments rolling in. I rated it a 4/5 on my Letterboxd (shoutout to Letterboxd, love them). Yeah, I really enjoyed the film. This might be the first “good” Marvel film I’ve watched in five years, since Endgame.
I’ve been very critical of Marvel over the last few years: the oversaturation of characters, stories leading nowhere, bad writing, and bland characters. There has been nothing to celebrate. It’s like Marvel went on vacation after Endgame and hasn’t returned since. I went into this film with very low expectations. Sure, the first two Deadpool films were great, but this is Marvel we’re talking about. They’ve been stumbling lately, with no clear direction. So, understandably, I wasn’t very enthusiastic heading in to see Deadpool and Wolverine. This was my second cinema visit this year; a cinema visit should never be wasted.
I was quickly shown that Marvel wasn’t messing around with this one. The opening scene shattered all my skepticism — IT WAS SO COOL. The song “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC playing, Deadpool dancing and killing people, the credits imprinted on various objects, the bones, the sword — it was all so cool. The never-ending tropes are what makes “Deadpool” DEADPOOL.
This is what people come for: authentic, genuine Marvel, something they had forgotten.
“Deadpool and Wolverine” has many faults. It lacks a strong story, which seems to be a recurring issue in all Marvel films lately. It has a convincing villain, but not convincing enough, or perhaps toned down after the initial impression — maybe to let the “heroes” win? Some cameos were, I think, a bit unnecessary. Some people also complain about Levy’s direction being “dull” and “uninspired.” I’m not sure what that means in the context of a superhero film. Levy has a reputation as a “hired hand,” someone who is just the face of the film with little directing control, while the big heads at Marvel do all the talking.
In my opinion, the direction was solid. The action scenes were well-shot, convincing, gory, and fun — a John Wick-style superhero film. Incredible choreography, Deadpool breaking the 4th wall numerous times, this film stuck to a formula and executed it well.
The acting is the best part of the film. From Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine to Channing Tatum’s Gambit, everyone is on point. Ryan Reynolds is his usual comedic genius self, but I was pleasantly surprised by his performance in the emotional scenes, effectively carrying the baggage and weight. Hugh Jackman, as always, brought his A-game, with his emotional scenes being absolutely brilliant. Channing Tatum, who totally exceeded my expectations, was fantastic in this film and deserved every bit of it — a complete turnaround.
I can’t even begin to praise the soundtrack. Every important scene had the perfect song choice. Music and film create a magical potion — something out of this world, so profound, beautiful, and pure when they mix together — a complete experience, even if you hate the film, the music makes it bearable and to be fair you are vibing along with it. The film is comedic genius; yeah, some jokes don’t land, but that’s okay. Comedy is subjective. I laughed, and that’s what matters for me — an enjoyable time.
Is Marvel making a comeback? No, I don’t think so. If anything, I believe this film will be a blip in the otherwise disappointing Multiverse Saga. It’s eerily similar to “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” but this film has positives that Spider-Man lacked. The reason this is just a blip and not the “second coming” is that Marvel seems to think they are entitled to their audience. They believe that regardless of the film’s quality, people will watch because they love Marvel. However, that’s not the case, and Marvel needs to learn that. The movie was always going to pull in numbers, given the two legendary characters, 20 years of fan-building, numerous films, and connections. Marvel doesn’t seem to understand this anymore. “Connections” are how they built up to Endgame — all those connections made us care. Humans yearn for connections, even if they’re as fake as film — someone to root for, someone to love, someone relatable, someone who understands, someone who suffers. Marvel films haven’t offered that since Endgame. Until they realize that, it’s going to be all the same. This movie worked but newer characters like The Thunderbolts might not be so lucky.
Marvel in this film let Deadpool point out all the problems that plague the MCU but are they going to do something about it? This film is the Iron Man of the last generation of films but the MCU needs to take advantage and do it fast because even though people will come to see this, its because of the two main characters and not the MCU.
I loved the film — a lovely tribute to the X-Men, to all their fans, and to those who have stuck by. Savour this film; you might not see a Marvel film like this for years to come.
