Mini Weekend Watchlist - 28th July 2024

Deadpool and Wolverine

It’s funny, after me slagging off people who are too beholden to fictional lore, I realised the reason I didn’t like the first two Deadpool movies was because they didn’t take themselves or the comic storylines seriously enough.

I appreciated that this is who the character of Deadpool is meant to be. Snarky, rude, ultra violent, and forever breaking the fourth wall, but it just didn’t sit right with me. Particularly the latter trait. If you’re talking to the audience throughout then it’s clear that this is all a big joke, and if you’re not taking it seriously, then why should we?

So, to say I approached a trip to the cinema this weekend alongside my son to see Deadpool and Wolverine with a degree of trepidation, was probably an understatement.

As well as not being a huge fan of Deadpool, I’m also not so keen on the X-Men either. Yes, X2 and Logan are very good but I can give the rest a miss. Obviously, I appreciate Wolverine is the coolest character amongst them, yet the James Mangold classic seemed the perfect way for him to bow out, so why bring him back? With that in mind, as the lights went down, I wasn’t expecting much.

The storyline, such as it is, doesn’t really matter, and is also really quite clunky. Deadpool is hired by the agency who manage all the various timelines in the multiverse (yes, still playing in that sandbox unfortunately) and told that his universe is going to collapse because it has lost its “anchor being” which just happened to be Wolverine who, of course, died at the end of the aforementioned movie (spoiler for a 7 year old film - sorry). Deadpool takes it upon himself to replace the sharp clawed grizzled fellow with a version from another universe. And that’s all you need to know.

Because, ultimately, any more background exposition doesn’t matter once the two leads are on screen together. The film stands or falls based on their chemistry and, luckily, they are brilliant together. We follow them on their journey trying to get home as they bicker, fight and fight some more. It does seem to be a case of when the plot starts to drag, the writers just let them leather seven levels of hell out of each other to get things going again.

Both actors effortlessly slip back into character. As Deapool, Ryan Reynolds gets all the jokes and funny asides, but it’s Hugh Jackman, returning to his most famous role, who brings the gravitas and story arc to make you want to follow where they’re going. And that was the real surprise to me, because in amongst all the jokes, the emotional moments did actually land despite what had happened previously.

Now, this is probably where I should address the “Logan” issue that I mentioned above. There are folks saying that this would somehow diminish the legacy of that movie and it’s ending. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that movie is referenced but, ultimately, this is entirely it’s own thing.

Everything that came after Aliens was rubbish but that doesn’t lessen those first two classic movies. Same goes for Terminator and T2. Absolute bangers. Does it matter that all the other sequels should go straight in the bin? Absolutely not. Those movies stand on their own and can still be watched, and enjoyed, no matter what happened after. To me, Ripley, Newt and Hicks are still floating through space somewhere and that’s how it will always be.

So, if you keep that in mind, then it’s much easier to just go with the flow and enjoy this for what it is.

The soundtrack, which kicks in from the very first scene, contains such diverse musicians as NSYNC, AC/DC (who are having quite the moment) and Madonna. It really shouldn’t work but the tracks are all perfectly timed and placed.

The fourth wall breaking arrives just as early and is as foul mouthed and meta as you can imagine, poking fun at Disney, Marvel, Fox and anything else in between. Even though the endless schtick does occasionally still grate, there are plenty of genuinely funny moments from Reynolds.

And then, of course, are the many cameos, in jokes and Easter eggs which I think I got most of, but I’m sure there are probably many more in there for comic book aficionados. Again these don’t derail the plot and do actually seem relevant in driving the story forward rather than what might have been done in the past (I’m looking at you Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness).

There are a few problems. The villain, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) doesn’t get much to do and their motivations seem fuzzy at best. Also, the fact that Deadpool and Wolverine are mostly immortal does lower the stakes a wee bit, but the movie tries to find a way around that to keep it interesting. And, as with all these movies, the fight scenes are spectacular, but it’s the characters I prefer to spend time with rather than endless pitch battles, so there could have been less of them.

All that being said, it really is just great fun.

When I’m watching stuff at home, I’ll take notes and stop and start whatever I’m watching to make sure I catch everything at the time.

So, in the cinema, it’s great to just let the movie wash over you and enjoy the moment. That’s exactly what happened yesterday.

It was two very enjoyable hours of violence and swearing, that caused my son, at one particular scene, to punch the air in delight. And, to me, that’s always a recommendation.

Just an update, I read this morning that Robert Downey Jnr is returning to the MCU, but this time as Doctor Doom. Even as a Disney shill this continual fascination with the multiverse and returning to the same well of actors and characters is making me wonder if they have any original ideas left. It’s all wee bit tiresome. It didn’t lessen my enjoyment of this movie, but seriously guys, make an effort.

Anyway, I’ve been watching so much stuff recently and I know I still have Godzilla Minis One to tell you guys about. But now there’s also Beverly Hills Cop : Axel F, League of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Time Bandits and the new Roman series on Prime, Those About to Die.

We’ll get there eventually. I hope!

Thanks for reading. Until next time.