Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine smashed box-office expectations this weekend, slashing its way to over $400M worldwide on the back of solid reviews and overwhelmingly positive reactions from fans. Is the threequel any good? Or, better yet, where does it rank in the trilogy of Deadpool movies? Read on to find out.
3) Deadpool (2016)
I’m not the biggest fan of Deadpool, which is probably why I never returned to the original film until after watching Deadpool & Wolverine. Viewing the Tim Miller-directed picture now, my feelings remain largely unchanged, even if I’ve warmed to the character in recent years.
Ryan Reynolds shines in the title role, meaning he’s as annoying as Hell, but in a good way. Under Miller’s steady hand, Deadpool ain’t subtle and delivers plenty of big, R-rated laughs between moments of gritty, violent action. It all begins to grate after a while, but for much of its runtime, Deadpool delivers the goods.
Uniquely, this origin story feels like something from a bygone era when studios didn’t have to abide by rules and could poke fun at practically everything without unwarranted blowback. Deadpool isn’t the best film, but I adore its brazen candor.
2) Deadpool 2 (2018)
David Leitch takes over from Tim Miller and, armed with a significantly larger budget, makes the most of his time with the red and black, wise-cracking superhero. The action is bigger, the quips sharper, and the nerd factor turned up to 11.
A few questionable beats aside, Deadpool 2 kicks plenty of ass and wisely surrounds its hero with a handful of colorful characters that deftly balance the goofy shenanigans with a bit more grit — specifically, Josh Brolin’s Cable and Zazie Beetz’s Domino. Ultimately, like the original, it’s all hot air, but damn is it entertaining.
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1) Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
The first two Deadpool movies are mostly indistinguishable beyond the larger set pieces and significantly upgraded palette. Deadpool & Wolverine, on the other hand, receives a significant boost largely thanks to the presence of Hugh Jackman’s forever sulking X-Man, presented in his most comic-accurate form to date.
Thematically, the story about Deadpool trying to stop the destruction of his world’s time continuum is more confusing than worthwhile, and the egregious cameos, while fun on first viewing, feel like a desperate attempt to bring fans back into the Marvel fold. No matter. Jackman and Reynolds’ chemistry, coupled with nifty action sequences and a palpable reverence for all things comic book-related, propels this threequel to the top of the charts.
Moreover, D&W is the first Marvel product I’ve wanted to see multiple times since Avengers: Infinity War.
That said, I wonder how all three Deadpool movies will fare over time. These are very much “of the moment” films, meaning everything from the jokes to the numerous pop culture references and silly cameos aren’t likely to hold up in a few years, making the shoddy plot all stand out even more. As much as I enjoyed the movie, everyone involved missed the chance to do something special and instead delivered a safe, easily digestible cinematic experience.
Ironic, considering Deadpool’s main objective in the film is rising above his one-trick jokster routine.
I expected Kevin Feige to use D&W to reset the multiverse or eliminate the damned thing altogether. Instead, he doubles down on the concept and slyly uses D&W to promote his Disney+ shows, likely hoping audiences will be intrigued enough to purchase a subscription to learn more about Wunmi Mosaku’s B-15 and the Time Variance Authority (TVA). Talk about a bait and switch.
Still, the movie delivers the goods and at least feels like a significant step in the right direction for Marvel. It may just be a piece of mindless entertainment, but I’ll take a trite, fan-wanking adventure with Deadpool & Wolverine over the likes of She-Hulk any day of the week.
