Director: Shawn Levy
Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen
Genre: Action / Comedy
Rating: MA
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (or Deadpool 3) comes almost 8.5
years after ‘Deadpool’, over 7 years after ‘Logan’ and 24 years after ‘X-Men’.
A lot has happened in the MCU in that time – not as much in the Fox-verse – but
it’s almost instantly comfortable and fun being back in Wade Wilson/Deadpool
(Reynolds)’s world. The film does a great job of both making fun of both the
MCU and Fox films, whilst remaining true to the Deadpool and Wolverine/Logan
(Jackman) characters and simultaneously integrating them into the MCU via the Time
Variance Authority (if you haven’t watched both seasons of ‘Loki’, highly
recommended and will help with some of the multiverse aspects).
That said, this still works well as a standalone unwilling-buddy-journey
film, with Logan being a curmudgeon with no hope and Wade being a defeated optimist
trying to save his friends. Wade, obviously, does most of the talking, with
Reynolds banter as fast and dirty as ever, but Jackman holds his own. Cassandra
Nova (Corrin) and Paradox (Macfadyen) are good as the not-always-sure-they’re-100%-villains.
The fight scenes, especially between the 2 of them, are fast and fun. But this
is still an MA-rated film – there’s lots of blood throughout! The score and soundtrack
are great, with some very famous songs used in unique and funny ways
throughout.
There’s so many nods/references to comics and past films
from both studios that I won’t mention any here. Except that Peter (Delaney) is
back and has a few great moments. Needless to say, as a fan that’s been
following these characters since I was a teenager, there’s not much more I could
ask for from this film. It’s maybe not as good as ‘Logan’, or the original ‘Deadpool’,
but it certainly delivers a fun and emotional journey for both characters, with
enough jokes to not get too serious, enough action to make it a blockbuster and
enough heart to not let it descend into caricature.
Overall: Fun, fitting, enjoyable, beginning..?
Gav's Rating: 4 stars