Never fear. ‘Marvel Jesus’ is here.
After 6 years, a WGA strike and the battle over legal issues, Deadpool has risen from the grave with the intent of saving the MCU from itself. (“I am Marvel Jesus,” he suggests.)
A lot has changed for the franchise since the release of the original film. When Deadpool was unleashed in 2016, it served as an essential middle finger to the superhero culture that was peak at the box office. Unhinged from all continuity issues or content rules, the film was a shotgun blast to the box office, demanding a sequel. Then, with Deadpool 2, the franchise faced genuine expectations from its fans for the first time. With the inclusion of time travel and a more complicated story, Reynolds still managed to deliver a film that kept audiences onboard.
But now, with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, the Merc with the Mouth may face its greatest enemy yet: having money. It’s a delicate place for a franchise to be in. After all, the first film became a classic simply based on its own street cred. It understood the character, had limited budget (and expectations) and could do essentially whatever it wanted. Now officially entering the MCU, Reynolds’ beloved character is no longer the cool ‘indie guy’ but a (potentially important) part of the massive Marvel machine as it moves forward. And it wouldn’t surprise anyone if word spread about Disney’s involvement in toning him down for the sake of merchandising.
But that absolutely didn’t happen. Trusting in its team, Deadpool & Wolverine is as unhinged as promised in the best of ways. While it doesn’t quite save the MCU, this is a major win for the House of Mouse that will undoubtedly be the biggest (and best) party of the summer.
Directed by Shawn Levy, Deadpool & Wolverine reintroduces Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), as he’s struggling to begin a new life. Having given up hero-work, Wilson wants to keep his friends close to him… until Marvel comes (literally) knocking on his door. Captured by the Time Variant Authority, the Man-Who-Would-Be-Deadpool discovers that he has a unique place in the timestream but realizes that he must leap into action in order to save his family. Enlisting the help of the Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), he steps into the multiverse in order to bring order to his home again.
Somehow, Deadpool & Wolverine manages to balance the brash, indie-feel of the other films with Marvel’s massive budget. (Even Reynold’s himself can’t seem to control his excitement as he giggles over costume upgrades and screams profanities at the camera as a farewell to FOX.) Even so, there’s no doubt that the film works hard to push the boundaries of what they were allowed to offer onscreen. One can almost feel Reynolds dare Disney to pull back, knowing full-well that unhinged chaos was what the fans demand. (Perhaps the most notable example comes when we find out that the filmmakers were not allowed to show people doing cocaine onscreen, leading to a conversation using multiple other names for the drug.) But thankfully, everyone in the film feels up for the task, especially Jackman who seems rejuvenated by the chance to put on the claws once again.
Admittedly, this isn’t the type of film that will win over new fans. If you’re not onboard with Deadpool’s meta-humour or over-the-top violence and cursing, you’re not going to fall in love with him by time the credits roll. However, for fans who have now grown up with the FOX films, Deadpool & Wolverine is an unbridled nostalgia feast. Serving effectively as a post-mortem for the films lost over the years, this is meant to be the type of bonkers, off-the-wall celebration of characters who were forgotten in the wake of Disney’s decade-plus of cultural dominance.
What’s most interesting about the film though is the fact that Wade Wilson appears to be growing up. Having fought for love and ‘family’ in his previous outings, Reynolds’ character here wants to matter. Stuck in a mid-life crisis, Deadpool is looking for meaning in his life that proves his worth. (In fact, in a moment almost too meta for the film itself, he even moans that he wants to make his character ‘more than a one-trick pony’.) With Wolverine by his side, Deadpool scratches and claws against the universe in an effort to keep his story alive… and relevant.
He knows he’s the Merc with the Mouth… but is that all he is?
And strangely, this even weaves its way into the film’s use of cameos. While the return of Jackman is easily the most notable, Deadpool and Wolverine is absolutely boiling over with cameos and surprises. To offer any particular spoilers would do a disservice to the film itself but it’s interesting to see the way that this film celebrates the less-celebrated characters from the FOX era. Deadpool & Wolverine wants us to feel like these characters deserved better than the pop culture scrap heap that they were dumped upon.
I refuse to say more. To sacrifice any of the fun would be a disservice to the film’s love of fan service. Know this though: if you’re not interested in the outright R-rated chaos that ensues onscreen, you might want to sit this road trip out. But, if you’re a fan, Deadpool & Wolverine is ‘dead-perfect’ and definitely ‘gives the people what they came for’.
Deadpool & Wolverine is available in theatres on Friday, July 26th, 2024.
