Marvel’s profane brilliance

Well, well, well, look who finally showed up to the MCU party fashionably late. It’s everyone’s favourite comic book duo Deadpool and Wolverine. After what felt like a decade of legal red tape and corporate buyouts involving Disney and Fox, we finally have a film that honours the legacy of the original movies that defined this universe, in a truly R-rated style.

Let’s get one thing straight: if you’re stepping into a Deadpool movie expecting Shakespeare, you’re in the wrong theatre. After all, it isn’t a Ryan Reynolds film without some filthily explicit one-liners and mentions of Blake Lively. Isn’t Ryan breaking the fourth wall (and then breaking the fourth wall within the fourth wall) becoming exhaustive and overdone? Absolutely. But I went in expecting nothing less because honestly, it’s part of his charm. The difference is that this time, he manages to do it in a clever way which makes the whole Disney buying Fox fiasco sound entertaining. Kudos to the writers for turning corporate monopoly into comedy.

The first five minutes of any film set the tone for the next 120 of them, and the first five minutes of this film are very promising indeed. An action sequence that leaves your heart racing and a soundtrack so fire you almost forget you’re watching a Marvel movie and not an MTV music video marathon. From Madonna to NSYNC, every pop classic felt like a nostalgic hug in the middle of “Merc with a Mouth” Deadpool’s organ-splattered chaos. It’s the perfect way to add some playfulness and comedy to the otherwise bloody and gruesome visuals. Because who doesn’t want the experience of resisting the urge to sing along to Bye Bye Bye while watching limbs fly?

Villains without a vision

Now about the villains — the not one, but two very English baddies who seemed to have wandered off a BBC drama set. One of them barely qualifies as a villain, and the other didn’t have the motivation a compelling evildoer should. Remember Thanos? Now, there was a villain with a mission. His idea of “bringing balance to the universe” by wiping out half of all life was a noble idea, even if the execution might’ve needed some (major) fine-tuning. If you’re going to identify as a villain, at least give us something to root for or against. Thanos made us ponder the nature of sacrifice and balance, while these guys made us ponder if we left the oven on. Villainy is about having a compelling drive, a twisted yet relatable goal. Where’s the depth? The gravitas? Fox must have kept them.

The saving grace, however, were Deadpool and Wolverine. This duo is a match made in sarcastic heaven. The banter was impeccable. The timing, flawless. Their character development throughout the film is a testament to some genuinely good writing. They grow, they clash, and by the end, they complement each other in a way that feels both fresh and familiar which inevitably makes this the best film in the Deadpool franchise — maybe even the X-Men franchise.

Oh, and the cameos. Iconic doesn’t even begin to cover it. Those gasp-worthy moments had the entire theatre buzzing. Each surprise appearance was like a shot of adrenaline, elevating the film from good to great in an instant. For those who’ve been loyal to the cinemas for years, these cameos won’t disappoint. They are everything an OG Marvel fan could ask for. Comic book fans shouldn’t be disappointed either, they’re getting comic-accurate costumes for once. All of this might almost help you forget about the constant battering ram of inappropriate jokes, some of which sounded like they were written by a 12-year-old.

Finally getting it right

The multiverse has been a convoluted mess since it was introduced and other films have executed it quite poorly, but somehow, this film manages to explain it in a way even the most superhero-ignorant viewers would understand. It has the heart and humour reminiscent of the original MCU films, back when Marvel wasn’t just about churning out mediocre projects at record speed but actually cared about storytelling.

This film may have taken forever to get here, but it was worth the wait. You can tell the foundation of the film is friendship that translated onto the screen, whether it be Deadpool and Wolverine’s, Ryan and Hugh’s, or even Ryan and director Shawn Levy’s. It’s a labour of love, a far cry from the rushed boardroom concocted productions that have plagued the MCU in recent years. Deadpool & Wolverine’s grand entrance into the MCU is everything you didn’t know you needed — a wild, hilarious, action-packed ride that audiences will enjoy almost as much as they enjoyed making it. Here’s to hoping the rest of Marvel takes note.