A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get to preview the first 35 minutes of "Deadpool & Wolverine". Off the back of that opening act, I was convinced it was going to be the best Marvel movie in years. Having now seen the full movie, I'm still convinced that my opinion is true. Sadly, though, I'm not quite sure "Deadpool & Wolverine" is the MCU savior we sorely need.
That's not to say it's a bad movie — it isn't. In fact, "Deadpool & Wolverine" is a very good "Deadpool" movie. It's clear that those involved care about the character, and Ryan Reynolds still embodies him very, very well.
It's anarchic, violent, and foul-mouthed, and probably the most fun I've had watching a Marvel project for a while — save for maybe the "Loki" season 2 finale or "Werewolf By Night" — but it's also weighed down by some issues.
Ahead of its release, we sifted through early reviews and found that the "Deadpool & Wolverine" Rotten Tomatoes score wasn't as good as it seemed, "Top Critics" from the platform were cooler on the movie than its 81% rating might suggest.
After watching the entire thing myself, I can see why; I think "Deadpool & Wolverine" is a great "Deadpool" movie... but it's not necessarily the great movie I thought it was going to be I've explained why I think that below, and don't worry; I've tried to keep things as spoiler-free as possible.
Fan service to the max
When I first left the theater, my immediate thought was "Deadpool & Wolverine" felt like "Fanservice: The Movie."
If you've spent the past seven years desperately waiting to see Ryan Reynolds' return as the Merc with the Mouth, spewing lewd comments and filthy dialogue every other second and tearing up bad guys with his arsenal of weapons, you'll be well-served here. Pairing him with a gruff and tough Hugh Jackman (still an excellent Wolverine) turns the movie into a very funny buddy comedy — but one where our lead pair are more than happy to rip one another to shreds when either of them touches a nerve.
Equally, comic book die-hards will be grinning from ear to ear throughout. "Deadpool & Wolverine" is gleefully happy to be a comic book movie, and especially one that can now fully immerse itself in mocking the MCU (even if it falls into some of the same traps it jokes about).
Throughout, you'll see some real comic book movie wish-fulfillment play out. Familiar faces from both modern Marvel and pre-MCU stars (yes, besides Wolverine and in addition to those spoiled in all the trailers) step back into the frame for another slice of the action.
Every few minutes, viewers in my preview screening erupted into cheers and applause as another face turned up, or Deadpool referenced and/or set crossed into a particular comic book timeline. Think the reaction to those returns from "Spider-Man: No Way Home," but turned up to 11, and for movie characters who perhaps haven't been remembered quite as fondly.
Overstuffed and underbaked
The big problem with stuffing all that fan service in was that it meant "Deadpool & Wolverine" didn't really have room to breathe and to tell a story. Buried under all the shock cameos and whoop-worthy appearances, there should been a story to cling to, but what's there is very thinly wrought and uneven.
There's an overarching "save the world" storyline in there but it is constantly playing second fiddle to all the fanservice, the fourth-wall asides, crude jokes, or the violence that has been packed in. Because of this, we get too many elements crammed together, an underutilized villain, and stakes that don't feel high — even though they're supposed to.
Plus, since the main pay-off therefore becomes seeing what surprises are in store throughout... I can't see myself wanting to revisit "Deadpool & Wolverine" in the same way I've rewatched some of my other Marvel favorites several times over.
And while 'chaotic' is a vibe you'd associate with Deadpool, things are a bit all over the place. Some action sequences are well-staged, while others fall into the traps of "what's going on" shakycam and super-quick cuts that I genuinely struggled to follow on-screen. And as you might expect at this point, though the visuals are certainly better than "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," CGI issues continue to plague the MCU even here.
'Deadpool & Wolverine' review: Verdict
"Deadpool & Wolverine" is not a bad watch. I've made my complaints, but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the ride. I'm certain that plenty of people are going to have a very good time with it, especially on the first viewing, and it'll probably make bank at the box office.
More than anything else, I felt like I needed to write this piece to course-correct away from my initial optimism and maybe set expectations a little bit. Arguably the core theme here is redemption — fitting, given the MCU low point we're in — but I don't think "Deadpool & Wolverine" ever quite manages to reinvigorate the MCU in the way it kind of wants to; this is not the next "Infinity War".
All that said, I'm confident that Marvel fans, blockbuster chasers looking for crass laughs and quick thrills, or die-hard comic book fans are going to leave their showing pretty damn happy. And if you don't, you can always try watching one of the best flicks from Tom's Guide's roundup of the top 100 superhero movies instead.
"Deadpool & Wolverine" hits theaters on July 26, 2024 and is now showing in the UK.
