Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Directed by Shawn Levy
[Rated R] 2hr 8min
★★★½
Deadpool & Wolverine is an action/comedy superhero film with the two title characters teaming up for the first time on screen. The film follows their journey together as they navigate across the multiverse in order to save their own worlds from destruction. While this is the third movie in the Deadpool film series, it’s also the eighth film starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
This is a highly enjoyable Deadpool movie for those who have been keeping up with the MCU franchise and are familiar with the previous X-Men films. Not only does the narrative expand on major elements from other recent MCU movies and TV shows, but it also progresses the stories of both Deadpool and Wolverine in a very fitting and sincere manner. However, this also means that anyone who hasn’t seen much from either franchise won’t have enough background information to fully understand important plot details or experience the emotional weight of significant moments. The overall story is generic enough follow the main plot, but the film doesn’t offer anything substantial outside of its relation to the other movies. Despite the messy mix of franchises involved with this film, it still manages to effectively integrate them together to produce a compelling narrative filled with lots of action and comedy. It also capitalizes on its unique situation by highlighting the juxtaposition between the film’s various franchise connections and incorporating humorous meta-commentary about them. As a result, this movie aligns perfectly with the other Deadpool films while still remaining distinct itself, but it also continues the MCU trend of relying on callbacks and references to keep the film engaging.
I recommend Deadpool & Wolverine for fans of the MCU and Deadpool films, as it provides an entertaining experience that checks all the usual boxes of both franchises while also standing out due to its intersection between them. Since so much of the film focuses on its connections to these franchises, it becomes more enjoyable with additional knowledge of the movies that came before it.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in theaters. Click here to watch the Official Teaser.
– Review by Will Hopper