Warning: Spoilers ahead for Deadpool and Wolverine
Having bowed out in Logan after nine X-Men movies, Hugh Jackman was done with the series and any hopes Ryan Reynolds had left of a Deadpool and Wolverine team-up were soon turned to dust.
That was until one day when out driving that the Aussie star suddenly changed his mind and phoned the Wade Wilson actor to tell him.
Yet much had changed for the franchise in the interim, with Disney buying Fox and the X-Men movie rights heading to Marvel Studios.
Suddenly both Deadpool and Wolverine were under the MCU banner. And with all the recent multiverse-traversing time-travel shenanigans, it was clear how the pair could be introduced to the world of the Avengers.
Deadpool and Wolverine begins where Deadpool 2 left off, with Wade in his universe separate from the MCU, before being arrested by the Time Variance Authority from the Loki TV series. And it’s not long before the Merc with a Mouth is off on his own adventure to save the MCU as “Marvel Jesus” by recruiting a Wolverine variant from another reality to aid him on his quest.
Except this mission gets somewhat lost in the chaos of what is a very funny film, but one that feels more like a sketch that goes on too long than a story with a coherent plot and high stakes. After all, both main characters are essentially immortal.
Bloody fight scenes soon get repetitive, but at least the meta humour – including Marvel’s self-deprecation – had everyone belly laughing amid the cringey crude jokes. But what really made the audience cheer in that joyful way not experienced since Spider-Man No Way Home and Doctor Strange 2 were some incredible cameos.
The biggest applause from the audience came early on when Henry Cavill’s Wolverine momentarily showed upm, before Captain America star Chris Evans made his MCU comeback in the Void, where Deadpool and Wolverine are banished by the TVA. Except he’s not playing a Steve Rogers variant this time but reprising his Johnny Storm from the original Fantastic Four movies, much to fan delight. And it’s not long before Deadpool and Wolverine need help fighting the Void’s leader Cassandra Nova (the sister of Professor X), playing rather creepily by Princess Diana star Emma Corrin.
Rounding up a team of superheroes, Wade and Logan came across Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Dafne Keen’s X-23 and Channing Tatum’s Gambit. That latter cameo might go over the casual fans’ heads as his solo movie never came to be, hence this finally being his big chance to play the X-Men character with tongue firmly in cheek.
Much humour and bloodshed ensue amid moments of heart before the third act when Deadpool and Wolverine face off against an army of Deadpools including variants played by Reynolds’ wife Blake Lively (Lady Deadpool) and Matthew McConaughey (Cowboypool). At this point, we were into overlong SNL sketch territory as Wade and Logan set out to save the multiverse or something, against Matthew Macfadyen’s amusing but rather hammy Mr Paradox.
Yet, we have to admit, when Jackman finally put on his Wolverine mask and started fighting, it was a dream come true for fans who’ve waited over 20 years to see him in his comic book accurate suit in live-action. All in all, this is a very fun, funny, silly ball of nonsense and you’ll have a good time but don’t expect much else.
Deadpool and Wolverine is out now in cinemas.
