'Deadpool & Wolverine' Review: A pretty fun, cinematic Deadpool title

I didn't hate the Deadpool films that came about a few years back now. They were a bit of fresh air in the sea of intentionally-safe titles from Marvel and DC that plagued cinemas for well over a decade. And while the Deadpool titles are still very much similar to that of which I'm speaking negatively of, there is actually something of interest to be found here. The Deadpool character rejects that corporate safety that we've come to grow tired of within the world of cinema, where the action is hardly gory, and the humour is cartoonish to the point of the titles being nothing more than family films in the end, appealing to the largest possible demographic. Deadpool's a bit different, the whole point here is that Deadpool refuses to accept the norms. He's nasty. Violent. And his style of humour is most definitely not appropriate for all possible audiences. Now, I wouldn't say I'm much of a fan of the character, nor do I have any interest in the various superhero franchises that have been thrown into multiverse situations, but I can see a decent film when it appears before me. That is to admit that I really enjoyed this one, but I do think it could've been a bit better. It had almost all the things it needed to really stand out, but still felt a bit safe on the narrative side, keeping things somewhat loose as to tie into the various franchises that could be revived from the dead at any time.

And that ultimately is what Deadpool & Wolverine is about. After all, Hugh Jackman was destined to give up the character of Wolverine back when Logan came out and (spoilers coming if you never saw it like me) Wolverine's character dies off in a heroic attempt to save a young girl that has a similar ability to him. The film does poke a bit of fun at the idea of franchises never really dying, and how Disney would always find a way to revive the characters, somewhat breaking the fourth wall and going beyond talking to the character, but pretty much telling the actor themselves that Disney won't be done with them until they're at least 90 years of age. Such pop culture references and fourth wall breaking dialogue is quite regular for the Deadpool character and films, to some degree it can induce a little bit of cringe when not every joke or reference lands. This title remains rather self-aware of what it is, and it injects this into the comedy a little. But that narrative does end up being a little bit too underwhelming in parts due to the whole idea of a franchise and the death of them as they stop being profitable.

Anyway from here on the review will feature more spoilers over its events and narrative, so if you haven't seen the film yet, read on at your own discretion.

With Hollywood's recently inflated budgets and easier access to higher grade camera equipment these days, I think what was once considered a low in the film industry has now found its way to be something more visually impressive. And Deadpool & Wolverine is certainly an example of this. One of the first things to note within the film is that the cinematography is really appealing. The lighting and set design is really beautiful, and it looks as if the film used rehoused vintage glass to give the film a more cinematic look. It's mostly evident in the blur found in things that aren't entirely in focus, a very shallow depth of field alongside more oval bokeh during moments of explosions, sparks, and various lighting. I actually really enjoyed the way the film was shot, even down to the action sequences where it felt they really took advantage of the gear that they were using, ensuring it had that punch to it where lenses offer various aspects of personality. The decision to do this, especially alongside the Deadpool character, works really well to make it stand out, to make it more cinematic and epic. This quality is felt throughout the film, and it's probably the film's best feature.

In regards to the narrative, I think this is where the film isn't that engaging. It's ultimately a big joke on reviving dead superhero franchises and yet again jumping into the multiverse in attempt to save specific universes. Wolverine is dead in Deadpool's universe, and Deadpool is craving that importance of being part of the Avengers. Deadpool is forced to jump through universes in search of the right Wolverine in attempt to get the help he needs to save the universe. A few comedic moments in a montage as he searches through various universes to find a suitable Wolverine, mostly encountering funny variations of the character. The funniest being the first for me: an incredibly small Hugh Jackman with an attitude. Upon finding a miserable version of him, with an outfit that suits the more traditional X-Men costumes to no surprise, it leads them to another world in which franchises (or superheroes) have been cast aside and abandoned. It's a chaotic desert landscape with the remainders of former film studios and characters and designs. It's sort of where things started to lose me. Perhaps a little too meta for me to find the engagement here with the characters and the broader story.

This was definitely the weak point for me, and at times it feels like it's stretching this aspect out while not really utilising it beyond the purpose of comedy and loosely connecting the main story, which itself seems a bit unimportant and thin. Thin perhaps more in the world building, the lack of purpose a lot of it has, as the characters jump between environments that tend to feel a bit more dull. Though I found more interest returning in the film once the characters returned to Deadpool's own world, where some of the tension felt revived.

Still, it was a pretty interesting film. I think it is still miles better than the rest of the superhero stuff out there, but a little bit grounded still with the usual attempts to connect things. It had its strengths, and I think it delivered quite well in those. I don't think the average person will care much for the narrative, honestly.