Deadpool & Wolverine Review – Beautiful, R-Rated, Wish-Fulfillment

Look, I know just as well as anyone else that “superhero fatigue” is hitting us hard right now. Yes, the “higher-ups” will say it’s “not a thing,” but it’s totally a thing! DC Comics self-imploded their universe, and Marvel got so high off their success that they thought they could coast through Phase 4 and the early parts of Phase 5, thinking no one would mind. Hint: WE MIND!!! Yet, through this darkness and void of no hope, one movie rose up to say, “We’ll give you what you want.” My Deadpool & Wolverine review is here to tell you…they lived up to their promise…and then some. LFG!!!

Okay, a caveat to the “spoiler tag” right up front here…yes, I’m getting a little meta…but I’m feeling a bit like Deadpool right now, so roll with it! While I will spoil certain plot elements and endings, I WON’T dive into all the special cameos and reveals that happen in the film. You know, just in case you’re reading this BEFORE watching the movie. For shame. Seriously, though, I enjoyed so much of this movie because I wasn’t spoiled about the “special someones” who appeared. So, I’m doing you a favor by not mentioning them. You’re welcome, Canada.

Still here? Okay, good. The film focuses on our dear Wade Winston Wilson, who is down in the dumps following his second movie adventure. I won’t say why, but it’s led him down a dark path full of middling job opportunities, a “hair plan” that is totally a toupee, and he feels incredibly alone. Then, the TVA and Mr. Paradox show up with an offer to bring him into the MCU for real because he “is ready to do something important.” What kind of important stuff? We never find out—more on that later.

However, the twist comes in when we find out that his universe is under threat. How? Well, his universe (which is the official X-Men universe as proven by the second movie) is going to die eventually because Wolverine died in the Logan film. Wade even digs him up (hilariously) to find out that he’s truly dead. With Mr. Paradox threatening to do a “mercy kill,” Wade wanders into the multiverse to find a Wolverine to “replace the anchor” and keep his world alive. Sure enough, he finds one…but he’s not exactly “the best there is at what he does.”

What follows is a hilarious romp through familiar locales like The Void (see: Loki Season 1), the TVA, and Deadpool’s world, while throwing in some multiversal madness (much better than the way Doctor Strange did it…) to make it clear that things rarely stay stationary. Does it work? Yes, yes, it does.

See that above picture of Deadpool gasping in shock? That was me throughout much of the film. Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy, and the rest of the writing team knew that fans had expectations for this legendary team-up and delivered everything you could expect, then threw in things you didn’t think they could pull off, but totally did! I will not spoil the cameos, but they are BIG, hilarious, and if you know the history of both the MCU and the Fox movie universes…you’ll understand every single one. It’s so good, trust me.

Speaking of “so good,” Reynolds and Jackman kill it. Sure, they shared a “movie” before, but do we really count that? No. No, we do not. Thus, seeing them in full “DP & Wolvie” glory is a sight to behold and an earful to listen to in the best way possible! It’s something that seriously mimics the comics, and I don’t mind one bit. It’s witty, swear-filled, violent, bloody, and everything in between.

Yet, and I have to make this clear, there is heart in this film. I mean it. Wade is doing everything to save his world because he doesn’t want to be “Marvel Jesus” if he can’t be with them while doing it. As for Wolverine, he’s trying to avenge his own sins and live up to the expectations that his former X-Men allies had for him. Through all the violence and banter, this really is a movie about two characters trying to do good, and that helps make everything work and feel earned.

It absolutely could’ve turned into a gratuitous cameo-fest or just an excuse to invoke the multiverse with no real payoff (looking at you Doctor Strange and Ant-Man), but they kept it rooted, and I’m grateful for that.

Let’s talk about the action. I was blown away by many of the fight scenes that we got. Heck, just the scraps between Deadpool and Wolverine alone are enough to make you gasp at the glory that’s unfolding before you. Then, you throw in the fights with other characters from the various universes that show up, and it’s truly a beautiful thing. The opening segment/intro credits sequence had me laughing hysterically at the beauty and music-themed choreography that went down. They seriously outdid themselves with that one.

Plus, and arguably most importantly of all, as my Deadpool & Wolverine review subtitle notes, this movie is seriously wish-fulfillment. Did you hope DP & Wolverine would be the best kind of “odd couple?” Wish fulfilled! Did you watch the trailers and hope that Madonna would sing a “battle track?” Wish fulfilled! Did you hope that some cameos wouldn’t be spoiled for you and thus get blown away by who showed up? Oh yeah, wish DEFINITELY fulfilled!

Oh, and if you hoped that Deadpool would mercilessly poke fun at the MCU for all the screw-ups they’ve done recently…yeah, I was really happy with all of those jokes. They were so on point.

I know, I know, you’re waiting for the “What’s Wrong With The Movie?” part of my Deadpool & Wolverine review, right? You’re so mean!

There are a few beats that don’t necessarily hit. For example, after the EPIC intro sequence, we have quite the comedown that honestly feels like a bit of a slog to get through. I know it was “for the plot,” but when you know what’s coming…? Yeah, you don’t want those parts. Also, as I alluded to earlier, the TVA brings in Deadpool for some kind of “special mission,” but we get no real elaboration on that. Mr. Paradox himself says that he has “no idea” why the “higher-ups” wanted Deadpool. So, why did they have Paradox do it if he doesn’t know why he needs to go to the MCU? It was very confusing that the plot itself was a MacGuffin.

Furthermore, I know some reviews blasted the main villain, Cassandra Nova, for not being the “deepest around,” but I’m perfectly fine with how she was handled. Nova was menacing, creepy, violent, and had a comic-accurate backstory! They even made it clear why she loved living in The Void! That being said, I wish her “exit” was a bit more well-done, given the buildup she had before that point.

Plus, the Peter stuff…? No, just…no.

Finally, while we did get a nice happy ending for the main duo, I wish that some of the other cameos had a slight insight into their happy endings, especially since Deadpool himself asked for them to get them. After all, when we leave them, they’re not in the “best position,” so it would’ve been nice to have that payoff.

Even still, as I wrap up my Deadpool & Wolverine review, let me be clear in saying that this is, without a doubt, one of the best superhero movies I’ve seen in a long time. Every promise was fulfilled here, and this will make you laugh, cry, cry while you laugh, and many other emotions. Seriously, just go see this movie! You won’t regret it.