When Deadpool referred to himself as “Marvel Jesus,” at first I just laughed it off like everyone else in the opening-day theater, but as it turns out, he was not too far off. Shawn Levy’s 2024 film “Deadpool & Wolverine” truly solidified itself as a miracle amongst the past several years of Marvel’s forgettable movies. I remember watching the X-Men franchise growing up, and I found that this film acted as an incredible love letter to 20th Century Fox’s adored series while also incorporating newer elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” takes place after the events of the 2017 movie “Logan.” Wade Wilson — otherwise known as Deadpool — begins living a relatively normal life as a car salesman. However, when he finds out about his timeline’s upcoming demise, he searches the multiverse for Wolverine’s help. Together (much to Wolverine’s chagrin), this duo must settle their differences and hatch a plan to save the world.
It is impossible to talk about this movie without at least mentioning the iconic opening credit sequence: to the tune of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” Deadpool uses pieces of a skeleton to slice through the Time Variance Authority agents confronting him. If that was not good enough by itself, he also dances throughout the scene with moves reminiscent of early 2000s boy bands — courtesy of Nick Pauley, Ryan Reynolds’s dance double. This scene is a flashy, energetic way to set the goofy tone that generally follows the rest of the flick.
Speaking of which, “Deadpool & Wolverine” absolutely delivers on the comedy front. The entire theater laughed out loud on many occasions: anything from Dogpool and Nicepool — alternate-universe versions of Deadpool — to the car fight. With some exceptions, Marvel’s modern sense of humor relies solely on redundant quips; the “Deadpool” movies, on the other hand, contain their own style of recognizable, cheeky jokes that successfully make their way into the newest film.
Even the soundtrack adds an extra zing to the absurdity! Upbeat songs such as “You’re the One that I Want” from “Grease” and “Like a Prayer” by Madonna play behind several fight scenes, creating an amusing contrast between the eyes and ears. Calmer music selections like “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls and “The Lady in Red” by Chris de Burgh serve a similar purpose; they dramatize certain moments, especially when combined with a good old-fashioned slo-mo. The soundtrack is truly utilized to its fullest potential.
The “Deadpool” movies never forget to include a good cameo, either. The second addition of the trilogy famously has a gag that — while only lasting a few seconds — shows a whole room of X-Men played by their actual actors. The cast for “Deadpool & Wolverine” somehow exceeds this standard by referencing characters and situations of past films, recent films and comics alike. That is not even mentioning the fact that Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine years after retiring from the role. The movie does not rely on nostalgia, though, so anybody could watch it and still find enjoyment. However, the variety of throwbacks definitely help the appeal for long-time fans such as myself.
It is no surprise to me that “Deadpool & Wolverine” recently took the crown for the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. Besides moving a bit slow at times, I felt fully engaged in the overarching plot along with its comedic and serious aspects. During the end credits, a compilation of X-Men clips and bloopers to the tune of Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” plays, and I genuinely grew emotional. Fox’s beloved X-Men franchise is now a thing of the past, and this movie provides a final, well-executed goodbye. Viewing “Deadpool & Wolverine” was an absolute blast that took me back to my earlier childhood.
Nevertheless, as I walked out the theater, the night sky black and cloudy, I suddenly realized that one question still lingered in my mind: why was Thor crying?
