Fun for fans: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ hits the spot

Dylan Hostetter, Opinions and Humor Editor

Anticipation for a third Deadpool film rose steadily once it was revealed fan-favorite Hugh Jackman would return from retirement to star in his 10th appearance as Wolverine.

The film promised to treat Jackman’s Wolverine to a comic-accurate costume — something he had lacked in every prior appearance — alongside the heavily-rumored appearance of fan favorite characters from Fox Studios’ prior Marvel films. 

Marketed as a tribute to those films, which preceded Disney’s MCU by almost a decade, its plot follows Deadpool as he traverses the multiverse in search of a Wolverine strong enough to help him save his dying world.

Almost a month after its release, “Deadpool & Wolverine” has now crossed $1 billion dollars globally and broken a handful of records including being the first R-rated film to make over $200 million in its opening weekend — the largest July opening ever — and becoming the highest earning R-rated movie, surpassing 2019s “Joker.”

“Deadpool & Wolverine” met, if not exceeded, all of my expectations. As a fan of the comics these films are inspired by, I was elated to see them so well-represented on screen. There were surprising cameos and plenty of humor, yes, but I felt the real heart of the film came from accurate representations of characters we fans have loved for decades.

Jackman finally dresses like Wolverine, but he also moves like him now too. It is hard to argue that his characterization of Logan has ever left too much to be desired from an acting standpoint, but never before have we seen him delve so far into the animalistic physicality of Wolverine’s movement.

The action scenes of these films can often fall under scrutiny, but I was extremely pleased with every set-piece that was presented. The film’s R rating, a staple of the Deadpool franchise but something new to Disney, allowed for extremely brutal, gory and satisfying fights — especially one which took place in the much maligned Honda Odyssey.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” was not just an action film, it was also a comedy — an aspect that absolutely delivered. From a millennial throwback opening dance sequence, to a horde of quickly delivered and explicit quips, the laughs flow out of this film. 

Some of the funniest and most memed scenes are tied to the film’s supporting cast — a cast that remained a well-kept secret until its release. Now widely known through marketing and social media posts, former Marvel actors Jennifer Garner, Wesley Snipes and Dafne Keen appear in their former roles of Elektra, Blade and Wolverine clone X-23, while Channing Tatum plays the mutant Gambit. Tatum was announced to play Gambit in a solo film in 2014, though it sadly never left pre-production.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” also marks the first appearance of Chris Evans in a Marvel project since 2019s “Avengers: Endgame,” though not as his most famous role of Captain America. Rather, Evans reignited his first foray into the superhero genre as Johnny Storm — better known as the Human Torch — from 2005s “Fantastic Four.” 

Being a lifelong Fantastic Four fan, hearing Evans recite his classic “Flame on!” was probably one of my favorite surprises in the film. Alongside that on the lengthy list of favorite scenes was a montage of multiversal Wolverines which gave us fans 1:1 comic translations of iconic Wolverine moments we never thought we would see in live action.

A major focus of the film are these spectacles, but at the end of the day, it is the audience’s relationships with the characters that made the difference. The gravity with which Jackman portrayed a regretful and defeated Logan rivals that of any other performance of the character. Alongside him, Reynolds delivered not only rapid fire comedic relief but also a sincerity that continues to endear audiences to the fourth-wall breaking “Merc with a Mouth.”

As one of this year’s most anticipated films, “Deadpool & Wolverine” delivered for me in every aspect — which is why I was surprised to read some of the online reviews critiquing the film for its admittedly thin plot and lack of emotional depth.

While I consider myself to be a bit more critical of films than the average moviegoer, there comes a point where you just have to sit back and just enjoy something. I firmly believe we should expect the highest quality in the art we consume, yes, but I also think we should respect things for what they are.

Fox’s X-Men and Fantastic Four films left much to be desired, that is no question, and I believe while paying homage to those films, this one soars above them. Comparisons to the first two Deadpool movies can be drawn, sure, but outright disregarding the joyous experience that is “Deadpool & Wolverine” simply because it is not an Oscar bait drama is ridiculous.

The film does not claim to be anything that it is not — Reynolds himself said the joy and delight of audiences was “the only North Star” they made the film for. The pure joy that was put into this film by everyone involved is clear to see, from Reynolds and Jackman to the actors that were given a second chance to play characters we thought long gone. 

At the end of the day, much of the criticism for “Deadpool & Wolverine” makes me worry we are at such a cynical place as a society that we are willing to now vilify fun. Let us hope this is not the case.