There was a point in time when it seemed like a proper Deadpool adaptation would be impossible. Now, however, it’s become an extremely successful film franchise. As this little engine that could continues on its track, the third installment, Deadpool & Wolverine, hit the big screen. Does this new movie keep this underdog hype-train going, or should this project have failed to regenerate after the Disney-Fox merger? Let’s explore every inch of this movie multiverse to find out.

The Good

The Deadpool movies have become synonymous with their witty meta humor, and Deadpool & Wolverine is no different. Deadpool breaking the fourth wall in clever ways is always a lot of fun. In addition to the meta humor, the movie is pretty hilarious in quite a few other ways as well. There’s no shortage of gory slapstick, and the banter between Wade and Logan leads to plenty of laughs. This movie definitely continues the trend of Deadpool films being some of the funniest superhero flicks around.

The action is especially top-notch this time around. It feels bigger than ever for the Deadpool franchise. Each fight, whether it’s with blades, guns, or superpowers, is especially well-choreographed. The gore makes it all that much more fun. There are action-packed moments that are so entertaining that audience members cheered or gasped while they were taking place.

One of the elements that make the Deadpool movies work so well is that they aren’t entirely filled with nothing but goofy humor and bloody action. They do have a fair share of heart and emotion. Thankfully, that’s something that’s present in this latest installment. The Wolverine used in this movie has an incredibly tragic backstory, and Hugh Jackman’s performance conveys the perfect level of emotion to allow the audience to feel what he’s gone through. Wade is still fighting for those he cares about, which leads to plenty of touching moments. It’s all surprisingly heartfelt.

Adding to this emotion, both Deadpool and Wolverine go through a satisfying amount of character development. They both have emotional journeys to go through, and it’s nice to see them reach their conclusion. It’s enjoyable to see growth in these two iconic Marvel superheroes.

It’s also worth noting that the whole movie looks great as well. The special effects, costume design, and set design are all on-point. Everything truly looks and feels like a Marvel comic book brought to life.

There are tons of Easter eggs seen throughout the movie. Some come in the form of dialogue referencing other films while others are visual references, like the Hulk’s bed from Thor: Ragnarok. Perhaps the most exciting, though, are the cameos. Characters and actors from pre-MCU Marvel movies, along with some who were supposed to play certain characters on the big screen, appear. Many of them feel like actual, fleshed-out characters rather than just cameos. The amount of fan-service leads to an absolute blast at the theater. These references and cameos also serve as a solid, heartfelt goodbye to the pre-MCU era of Marvel movies.

The Bad

Due to much of the movie focusing on Wolverine and the cameo characters, the actual Deadpool side characters are completely brushed aside. After the previous movies, it’s fair to want to see more of Negasonic Teenage Warhead or Colossus, but they barely get screen time. Dopinder gets maybe one line of dialogue instead of the development he deserves. There’s no banter between Wade and Colossus. It’s a bit of a let down.

The storytelling mechanic of the “Anchor Beings” creates a lot of plotholes and questions. What happens to a timeline before the anchor being is born? What makes someone an anchor being? Does the Sacred Timeline have an anchor being, or does not needing one make it the sacred timeline? If an anchor being dies, could another one be born to keep the timeline going? If a timeline gets destroyed when an anchor being dies, what’s the point of all the superheroing? It’s a very dumb concept that needs much more explaining.

There are a couple of fights between the titular characters of Deadpool and Wolverine, and while fun, they are completely pointless. There are no stakes whatsoever thanks to both of them having regeneration powers. It lessens the excitement of them. Neither one would win.

While the cameos are exciting, and they do overall make sense within the story, there are times when the amount feels a bit silly. There are moments that strike a resemblance to those old parody films like Epic Movie or Disaster Movie when a character sees a random celebrity played by a former Mad TV cast member and shouts “Amy Winehouse?” or “Kim Kardashian?” and have that be the entire joke. Having Deadpool point and shout “Captain America” when he pots up on a TVA monitor is a little eye roll-worthy.

Conclusion

Deadpool & Wolverine is like watching a cartoon or like playing with action figures, and I mean that in the best way possible. It’s just as fun as the comic books that inspired it. It’s not without its issues, but it’s hilarious, action-packed, heartfelt, and filled with exciting fan-service. It’s hard not to be entertained by it.

Rating: 8.5/10

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