Robin Bhuyan
Deadpool & Wolverine, the highly anticipated 34th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), hit the theares on 26th July, 2024. And despite the hype the film is receiving, unfortunately the movie turned out to be a huge disappointment. Directed by Shawn Levy and featuring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reprising their roles as Deadpool and Wolverine, this film promised much but delivered little. Despite a strong cast and substantial hype, Deadpool & Wolverine falls short in many areas, leaving many fans and viewers frustrated, except for those few who might have decided to leave their brains outside before entering the theatre.
The film starts with Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, leading a quiet life as a used car salesman after retiring from his mercenary life. However, his peace is short-lived as he is dragged back into action due to the Time Variance Authority (TVA) who tells him that his timeline is dying. The premise itself might seem cliched, though some fans might like it. Soon, we see Deadpool embark on a multiverse-spanning journey to find a variant of Logan who can stabilize Wade’s timeline.
The movie struggles to balance its complex plot with the humour and irreverence fans expect from a Deadpool film. The multiverse concept, which we saw in Spiderman: No Way Home and later in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, is pushed to its breaking point here. Despite multiple universes being involved in both the above-mentioned films, it seemed convincing, and the story seemed believable. This film however doesn’t make it seem believable in any way. It bombards viewers with numerous variants of Deadpools, each more bizarre than the last, which makes it difficult to invest in any single version of the character. This endless parade of alternate Deadpools not only confuses the narrative but also ruins any emotional impact that Jackman’s return might have on us.
The humor, a staple of the Deadpool franchise, also falls flat here. The film tries to be funny by making fun of itself, along with the Marvel series, but the self-referential jokes feel forced as well as repetitive. Most of the jokes didn’t land well, and the humor that once felt fresh and edgy now seems tired and overdone. It’s as if the writers were too focused on cramming in meta-commentary and forgot to craft genuinely funny or meaningful moments.
We can say the film’s reliance on the multiverse concept is its biggest weakness. While this idea can offer creative possibilities, in Deadpool & Wolverine it becomes a crutch that the story leans on too heavily. The constant jumping between timelines and realities makes the plot feel disjointed and overly complicated. It’s hard to relate to characters when there are countless versions of them running around, each with their own quirks and histories. Having too many versions of the same characters robs the film of any emotional weight. The concept of traveling in the multiverse in Deadpool & Wolverine is also made to look like a joke. We see Deadpool easily jumping between timelines, making a complex task ridiculously simple. The constant jumping around between two different timelines, which should be a thrilling and complex task, feel like a cheap trick. This makes the whole story feel silly and unimportant.
The action sequences, while well-choreographed, cannot save the film from the mess that the story is. Yes, the film does have impressive fight scenes and special effects, but the lack of a coherent story makes it hard for the audiences to stay engaged. The movie’s climax, which involves a battle against an army of Deadpool variants from various universes, feels more like a chaotic CGI spectacle and it doesn’t add any real value to the story.
In terms of performances, Reynolds and Jackman does what they do best, but even their charisma can’t salvage the weak script. The supporting cast, including Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, and Leslie Uggams, also deliver compelling performances, though it can be said that they were quite underutilized.
Deadpool & Wolverine is a prime example of the MCU’s pathetic struggle to revive itself, as we have seen how much a failure Marvel’s Phase 4 has been, as compared to its previous phases. Perhaps it’s time for Marvel to take a break, as the endless multiverse nonsense has made their movies increasingly illogical and hard to relate to. Ending the saga after “Avengers: Endgame” might have been a wiser choice, preserving the legacy of Marvel’s beloved characters. Because it is now getting obvious that the Marvel movies have no story to tell us, and instead they are just making movies just for the sake of making them.
Rating: 4 out of 10 stars
