Ryan Reynolds Falls More in Love With Hugh Jackman for Two Hours and Seven Minutes
*Spoilers ahead for Deadpool & Wolverine!*
You’re telling me Wolverine, a whole mess of Deadpools, Johnny Storm, Blade, and Henry Cavill (actor name for him because he transcends characters, he’s Henry Cavill) all shared the same runtime? You’re telling me that Marvel Studios managed to utilize their FOX merger to not only bring a fan favorite character into their cinematic universe, but also to bring him back from the grave? YOU’RE TELLING ME DEADPOOL DID THE BYE BYE BYE DANCE?! Well, it turns out Deadpool and Wolverine are just as in sync as NSYNC, and this summer, we fans were granted a brilliant buddy comedy—no, a rom-com—complete with HR violations, decimated gravesites, and a *bloody* good time (emphasis on the blood).
Deadpool & Wolverine marked some Marvel Studios firsts: the first time an MCU movie has been rated R, the first time a Marvel project has included 100+ F-bombs (118, to be precise), the first time a Marvel character has literally and suggestively “boned” a whole squadron of agents in an opening credit scene, and the first time Marvel Studios has used the FOX merger to revive a beloved hero. Disney’s 2019 merger with FOX brought massive potential within the multiversal saga, but also massive hesitation, especially with a character and storyline as treasured as Logan’s. With recent MCU movies being any indication, fans have been growing tired of simply chalking things up to “the multiverse” and hollow cameos; if Hugh Jackman were to come out of retirement (and Wolvy out of the grave), it had better be worth it—not some cheap trick that ruined a brilliant legacy. It had better be something powerful.
Director Shawn Levy (aka MY FAV, thank you king for bringing us Stranger Things, even if you’re being slow as hell on this last season) really said “watch this,” AND WE DID (once or twice or thrice in theaters… I mean I don’t know, I didn’t count, three’s normal, leave me alone!). Firstly, Levy was able to rope Hugh Jackman in for a movie of Ryan Reynolds giggling and kicking his feet for him (valid), and for that, we already stan. Secondly, not only did Levy utilize this film to enhance one of the most well-established superhero arcs in history (plug for Wolverine’s arc in Logan because it’s brilliant and slept on), but he managed to do that for a (dead)pool of other characters. Jennifer Garner’s Elektra? Wesley Snipes’ Blade? Channing Tatum’s Gambit? CHRIS EVANS AS JOHNNY STORM?! I feel bad for the people who were sitting next to me in that theater. Defying aforementioned complaints about nostalgia-dependency in recent Marvel movies, Levy managed to balance fan service with purpose, bringing actors back for more than throwaway cameos, and finishing their discarded stories with heart, humor, and history in the making. Wooo, they’re boutta make names for themselves here. <3
Levy also brought genuine friendship from behind the scenes into the screen, creating a runtime of pure superhero fun. I’m the first to defend superhero media as real cinema, so don’t mistake what I’m about to say—but isn’t that the point of these movies? Fun? Fans cheering in the theater, feeling waves of emotions for the characters they love and the sacrifices they make? Both Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have such an admirable understanding and true appreciation for the heroes they portray, and it’s that love that seeps through the screen, for it's the same love that fans feel when viewing. That’s also what made this script so impactful, both on audiences and the characters themselves. Our snarky, selfish antihero-in-red acted out of pure selflessness—heroism worthy of the Avengers (wink, wink, @KevinFeige). Our Wolfalicious variant came to peace with himself and realized his own worth (welcome to the MCU and thanks for hanging around, Hugh). The movie ended with a clear setup for our young lovebirds to return in the next Avengers movie, but most importantly, it ended with a warm feeling of joy in fans’ chests, and not just because of the epic Madonna remix and Hugh Jackman’s shirt exploding off.
“There hasn’t been a good Marvel movie since Endgame!” says… like, literally everyone. Maybe it’s the existentially-committed fan in me, but I’m determined to fight that claim (kapow, Deadpool style). Marvel fans, casual watchers, and film critics alike have all more than noted the MCU’s decline in recent years, with multiple projects over-reliant on cameos and lacking substance for our characters. I’ll admit, it’s been tiring as a fan to see movies fumbling and fellow fans ripping them apart, but mostly because it pulls attention away from stronger recent projects. At the end of the day, we can’t whine about wanting “the return of Marvel” without embracing the pieces we actively enjoy, right? What are movies made for if not making us feel something? For entertaining? Well, if I was half as entertained watching this movie as Ryan Reynolds is watching The Greatest Showman or Deadpool is watching Gossip Girl, then I’d deem Deadpool & Wolverine a smashing success. Now when do we get Deadpool & Cavillrine? I’ll watch ‘em all TIL I’M NINETYYY.