Deadpool & Wolverine. Image from Marvel Studios
Wolverine would never and should never be called “Wolverine” if he were only wearing a tank top and jeans. Something is missing; something essential. Oh, there it is: an X-Men comic book-accurate costume. That was the missing ingredient all along. In all the past X-Men franchise movies, as well as in solo films about Wolverine, we never had the opportunity to see a major missing aspect that was only utilized and incorporated in “Deadpool & Wolverine“: Staying faithful to the comic book source in terms of their costumes.
Fans have always wanted to see the Wolverine they have been reading about in Marvel Comics accurately portrayed in movies, so it is a victory that this has finally been accomplished. Indeed, if it were not for the literal intervention of Ryan Reynolds and his ability to successfully convince Marvel Studios’ president, Kevin Feige, none of us would have been able to see Wolverine portrayed as he should be. Ryan Reynolds waited for many years, just like the rest of us, but it was worth it when the moment finally arrived because “Deadpool & Wolverine” surpassed all expectations. The movie turned out much better than anyone could have imagined. It was a mega-blockbuster hit!
For me, it means so much to see Wolverine as Wolverine. I will leave it there and move on to another aspect of the movie before I get choked up.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” now brings together everything you love about going to the cinema to watch a superhero movie. It includes all the right ingredients. You’ve got action, adventure, comedy, drama, and heroism. This one-of-a-kind movie brought together the two most badass Marvel Comics superheroes in history. They were two combustible mutant icons who could either kill each other or work together to accomplish seemingly impossible feats, such as neutralizing an Omega-Level mutant like Cassandra Nova. It took both of them to stop her diabolical plans of destroying all the timelines and keeping only “The Void” as the one realm of existence. Fortunately, Deadpool and Wolverine have unparalleled, respective healing abilities; otherwise, they would have been dead from the moment they encountered her.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” had to break some movie boundaries, standards, and unwritten rules to create a seamless flow of ideas, plot points, and storytelling that would make an unforgettable superhero movie for moviegoers. After all, how can you explain Wolverine’s continued existence after he died in “Logan (2017)”?
Instead of solely focusing on the multiverse, it also discussed timelines and incorporated two Infinity Gems (Time and Reality), featuring time jumping, flashbacks, and numerous versions of the superheroes. Indeed, “Deadpool & Wolverine” covered all of its tracks, ensuring that there are no questions about how they will bring back a version of Wolverine to life, this time in the same timeline as Deadpool.
Worlds collide! Realities diverge! Past and present come together. Throughout the movie, these events occurred and provided all the people with what they had been hoping for. Deadpool and Wolverine were an amalgamation of many elements that the key figures behind the movie – Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, director Shawn Levy, and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige – collectively desired to see come to fruition. I believe everything on their “wish list” became a reality. Everyone got what they wanted, and the moviegoers were the ones who benefited the most out of all of them.
Who would have thought the much-awaited cameos would include Blade, Gambit, Elektra, The Human Torch, and X-23? What a wide selection of Marvel superheroes spanning generations.
Blade caught me by surprise because the first “Blade” movie came out in 1998 under New Line Cinema, not Fox or Marvel Studios. Seeing Wesley Snipes make an extended cameo as Blade was a great addition to the movie, as he is truly one of the unsung heroes. After all, when the Blade movies came out, there was no MCU to build on. It must be said that Blade was one of the pioneers of the movement and subgenre in film for decades before the world even knew what the MCU is now. In fact, months before the premiere of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” I had written about Blade and his importance without knowing he would be a part of this movie, which is a treat! Blade is one cool anti-hero, and he is Marvel Comics’ original vampire hunter!
Deadpool & Wolverine. Image from Marvel Studios
It was impressive to see Channing Tatum as Gambit! I remember this one because around 10 years ago, there were plans for a solo movie for Gambit with Channing Tatum attached to be him, but it never came to fruition for several reasons. There is no question in my mind after seeing how good Channing Tatum still looks in the comic book-accurate costume of Gambit, moviegoers are once again hoping that the solo movie will be made. But who knows? Either way, this was good enough. By the way, what an entrance from Gambit! In Marvel Comics’ X-Men lore, Gambit belonged to the sub-team of the X-Men that included Wolverine and Psylocke. They were the best in covert, underground, and dangerous missions! Gambit is similar to Wolverine in some regards because Gambit was never one to shy away from breaking the law in order to save a life. They may look rugged, rough, and uncaring, but they do care for their fellow mutants and mankind.
It was a pleasant surprise to see Jennifer Garner as Elektra appear, as she was the one that caught the attention of most people trying to guess which superheroes would make a cameo in the movie. Moviegoers also noted that Jennifer Garner still possesses a “physically imposing presence” due to her strong build. I vaguely remember Elektra in the Daredevil movie, and I remember more about the solo Elektra movie than her appearance in Daredevil. The fact that they brought her back was a move that caught many by surprise. The majority of moviegoers have forgotten about her, but her performance in “Deadpool & Wolverine” proves she still has the skills to convincingly portray Elektra.
The biggest head-scratcher for most moviegoers must be seeing Chris Evans not as Captain America, but as The Human Torch. I found it amusing to hear the disappointment and gasp of the people around me when he said “Flame On” and not “Avengers Assemble.” Chris Evans portrayed the Human Torch in two Fantastic Four movies before he took on the role of Captain America. It was still a smart way to bring back Chris Evans into the fold without retconning what had happened to Captain America.
X-23 (Dafne Keen) will always evoke a sentimental reaction from moviegoers, especially after watching “Logan (2017).” In many ways, she is the daughter Wolverine has never had and more than a female version of him. Her out-of-nowhere appearance in the movie was jaw-dropping, regardless of whether it was a different version of X-23 from what we saw in “Logan (2017).”
“Deadpool & Wolverine” reminded me so much of the movies I would watch as a teenager, especially because it had a “big fight” atmosphere. There was electricity in the air, a palpable feeling of excitement even before the movie started, as this team-up had been highly anticipated for a long time. The lesson learned is that if you are patient and do not give up hope, things can eventually come together. It will happen.
Never give up hope.
The three images I have provided for my movie review of “Deadpool & Wolverine” are not a coincidence; they are by design. For me, these three moments in the movie are what everyone has been eagerly anticipating. They are iconic and marvelous in every way. These moments will be rewatched because they perfectly capture the obvious main reason why we all watched the movie in the first place.
To no one’s surprise, some of us have watched this movie more than once in the cinema, and all of us will forever cherish it because it brings us back to our innocent childhood memories of picking up a Marvel comic book, discovering Wolverine, and wondering if he will ever appear in any movie. These were our childhood imaginings, wishes, and hopes that have only now become a reality for all of us.
“I’ve waited a long time for this team-up,” Deadpool said. That specific line from Deadpool in the final scenes of the movie says it all as to why “Deadpool & Wolverine” has shattered all existing box office records and even set new ones.
My Final Score: 10/10