The Super Powered Fancast

Deadpool & Wolverine

Marvel Studios

Written by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

Directed by Shawn Levy

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Morena Baccarin, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Dafne Keen, Jon Favreau, Aaron Stanford, Karan Soni, Wunmi Mosaka, Tyler Mane, Jennifer Garner, Channing Tatum, Wesley Snipes and Chris Evans

Rated R

Deadpool is offered a place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by the Time Variance Authority, but instead recruits a variant of Wolverine to save his universe from extinction.

Deadpool is back and trying to make a name for himself in the wake of his trip through time at the end of the last movie. Wade wants to make a name for himself in order to show that he can be more than the “merc with a mouth” and also wants to prove that he matters to the world and more importantly, the woman he loves Vanessa.

Unfortunately, Deadpool is far from taken seriously and his midlife crisis will leave him seeking purpose until he is summoned by the TVA to act as an agent for them. The caveat is that his world will be a casualty and he begins a quest to save that world by finding the one person that is touted to be the “anchor” for his universe, Wolverine.

I will absolutely admit that I was eagerly anticipating this film and the potentially fun, entertaining trip through the multiverse that was teased in the trailers. What I didn’t expect (and probably should have) is how much heart there is at the center of this story. In the midst of the raucous, ultra-violent action adventure is essentially the story of a man trying to find a way to matter traveling with a man who never understood how much he did. It’s a wonderful contrast that allows for not only some great comedic moments, but some awesome interpersonal conflict and ultimately understanding.

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool is always a delightful spinning top of manic comedic energy, but there is a maturity to this version of Deadpool he imparts without losing any of the sarcasm, wit and one-liners you expect from the character. Reynolds plays the character as someone who cares deeply for the people he loves and will do anything to save them, even if his motivations lead to some admittedly selfish decisions. Reynolds knows the character of Deadpool backwards and forwards and deftly manages to craft a character that I don’t think anyone else could play.

Jackman’s return to the character of Wolverine is well explained in the film and allows for the previous end of the character cinematically to stand despite the opening sequence of the film. Jackman knows this character well and brilliantly plays into the consequences of his established loner mentality. This Logan is a broken man in search of a purpose and Jackman gives him the pain and emotional vulnerability he requires as the film give his version of Logan a journey to take. Jackman is also allowed a wry wit that is the perfect counter to Reynolds’ Deadpool.

Emma Corrin is delightfully scary as Cassandra Nova and her performance is amazing as a villain who embraces who she is and the purpose she serves until she discovers that she is being betrayed and not in as much control as she strives to be. Corrin’s Nova definitely holds her own with Reynolds and Jackman and is delightfully unrepentant in what she wants.

There are also some great cameos in the film as well with the film also acting as a swan song for the previous film iterations of these characters as well as showing the audience that not only did they matter, but they can again. There are some great lines in the film that not only reference that fact, but also take a dig at the mentality of discarding these characters in the first place. It’s a great additional plot element that plays into the themes of purpose.

Deadpool & Wolverine is a big, bombastic and hilariously fun summer blockbuster that deftly gives fans of these characters everything they want in a team up adventure while also telling a story with great stakes, fun and heart.