In 1988, some of the biggest names in popular music, including Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and George Harrison, all in the latter stages of their respective careers, banded together to form a supergroup by the name of the Traveling Wilburys. They weren’t particularly influential, but they did make some fun records, buttressed by their formidable talent.
This is effectively what Marvel has become today. Out of ideas or fresh talent, its entire cinematic universe is propped up by A-list actors whose names and performances do all the work. It was only last week that the studio announced Robert Downey Jr., previously eulogized and buried as Iron Man, would be returning as a different character. And the trailer for Marvel’s 2025 Captain America: Brave New World boasts an 82-year-old Harrison Ford as its biggest selling point.
It is in this context that Marvel has released Deadpool & Wolverine. Set in a convoluted multiverse, the movie finds Deadpool’s (Ryan Reynolds) reality threatened by a ripple set off when Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) died in the 2017 film Logan. To save his friends, Deadpool decides to travel across dimensions in search of a new Wolverine to reanchor his reality.
Thus the third iteration of Deadpool has excavated the hulking corpse of Wolverine. If the heyday of the MCU cemented the shift from stars to franchises, then its current nadir reflects a reversal. But lacking any younger talent, it is unclear how sustainable such a practice is. To borrow a quote from Bruce Springsteen, “Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies some day comes back” — provided Disney writes a big enough check.
The previous two Deadpool films thrived on their irreverent, R-rated escapades, offering a refreshing departure from sanitized superhero fare. Deep down, this is what we all want from our superheroes; it feels unnatural to have such mild-mannered crusaders as PG-13 Spiderman amicably apprehending villains. This film, now under the MCU banner, has not lost any of that violent ethos. The gratuitous gore seamlessly extends to Wolverine, maintaining the franchise’s trademark brutality. However, the novelty occasionally wears thin, teetering on the edge of gimmickry.
Stretched over a two-hour timeline, the plot frequently meanders and tends to drift from scene to scene, relying on characters making decisions for the sake of convenience or the villain Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfayden) being an incompetent imbecile.
The film hinges entirely on the organic and arresting chemistry between Reynolds and Jackman; their dynamic is the film’s saving grace. Director Shawn Levy skillfully merges Deadpool’s irreverent humor with Wolverine’s brooding intensity, crafting an entertaining duo. Reynolds shines with his natural charisma and impeccable comedic timing, while Jackman, reprising his role after a quarter century, brings the same dedication and enthusiasm.
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Aside from Reynolds and Jackman’s sharp banter, the film’s best moments come from Deadpool’s self-aware jabs at Disney, such as a whisper to Wolverine: “You’re going to be doing this until you’re 80.” This doesn’t seem as big of a problem for Jackman, who is clearly having a great time on screen, as it is for the MCU, whose strategy of leaning heavily on its A-list stars to sell tickets is about as sustainable for its franchise as the Democratic National Committee relying on Jimmy Carter to run for president in 2028.
Ultimately, despite a middling story and a reliance on nostalgia, Deadpool & Wolverine manages to deliver a fun and engaging experience. It’s evident that the film’s success hinges more on star power than on innovative storytelling. While the metahumor and action sequences are well crafted, one wonders how long Marvel can rely on these marquee names to keep the franchise afloat.
Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) is a film critic for the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a computer engineer in Toronto who is pursuing his MBA.