The day has finally come. My most anticipated movie of the year, Deadpool & Wolverine has finally hit theaters. It felt like not that long ago that we got the announcement of the movie, yet it still felt like it took forever to come out. I think it was a byproduct of being so excited for this movie. I don’t want to lean into this too much, but I had a friend who passed away around the release of Deadpool 2. He was a HUGE fan of the Deadpool character. We always joked that he was like Deadpool and I was like Spider-Man. Fitting since he once gave me a Deadpool & Spider-Man comic for a going away gift once. I hadn’t revisited the movies since I learn of his passing, so revisiting them made me emotional. But this one? There is so much fan service that manages to work. This is the kind of movie that I hope everyone, including my friend could see.

I should preface that in another world, this shouldn’t be my most anticipated movie of the year. The MCU is in a weird place, and I am not big Shawn Levy fan. He’s typically a safe bet that studios can depend on, leading him to play it safe for the most part. Between my history with the characters and the fact that it was rated R, I was really looking forward to it. At a crisp 128-minute runtime, I was also quite worried as rumors were circulating with the amount of cameos. Needless to say, the movie wastes no time getting from point to point quite easily.

I think this goes without saying, but there will be no spoilers here, and I think that’s going to be easier than what I thought. I wouldn’t say the film has Avengers: Endgame ramifications on the MCU going forward, but there is more than enough that shows that the MCU could be going in the right forward. I actually haven’t been that harsh with MCU as of late. Overall, I think there needs to be better cohesive story. Here, the film plays into what hasn’t working for the MCU and makes fun of it. It makes for a great comedy with Deadpool’s usual meta humor. It also doesn’t hold back on how dark it gets. For that, I have to really applaud Disney for not holding back.

The film also knows how to be serious. There is a surprising amount of heart here. The trilogy has always put Wade Wilson through the ringer, which makes for his sense of humor. I didn’t quite agree with one particular aspect of what they do with his character. I get it, but it felt out of place with what was established in the first two movies. I only hope the particular resolution he got with this leads into something nice going forward. Outside of that, I found his need to protect his family of friends to be very fitting with him maturing over time. You could argue there isn’t much stakes when Deadpool & Wolverine can regenerate quite easily, but when Deadpool has stakes that could hurt him emotionally, it makes for an emotionally charged movie that’s easy to get invested into.

Then, there is Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine. Of course, I was concerned with his return. His conclusion in Logan was perfect, and to my surprise, this film doesn’t hinder what happened there. This is a completely different version of Wolverine that’s worth exploring, especially when he’s forced to be a hero next to Deadpool. Deep down, it’s the same Wolverine that has a big heart, but his actions that lead him into this movie make you want to be a better person. Even though I would say Hugh Jackman turned a perfect performance in Logan, there were moments here that were so different and unique for the character. After 20 years, you can tell Jackman still has a lot of love for this character.

As for the action, the film doesn’t hold back. You can tell Shawn Levy honors what came before, and Disney knows that they could hold back to make this film successful. The film’s opening action sequence perfectly encapsulates what this character is all about. From there, there is a lot of gritty violence, especially when Wolverine enters the picture. This is where I am going to hold back on spoilers. There’s just so many great sequences that are happening that honors the characters properly, as well as make for some outstanding camera work.

Many may be wondering about the cameos, and I am going to tie this into the characters, because this probably where my issues mainly rely. The cameos are great! I was surprised at the amount of screentime they were all given, and how they impact the story. There are some cameos that stand out, while others are questionable. Don’t get me wrong. They are great to see, but there is a particular one that intrigues me how they put that together due to what history has shown us. I was also hoping for more. I think they’re might have been too much anticipation, so I was expecting just a few more cameos. Similar to Endgame, but for all of the 20th Century characters, but I almost glad that the film stays within its own bubble.

Now, as for the newest characters, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) and Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen). They were both great in their roles and manages to still stand out in the film, yet I felt like there was some missing motivation behind their actions. I almost feel like the film could keep the same runtime, but cut out some of the humor to develop these characters better. By the end of it, I was like “Okay, I get it, but still… why?” Mentioning of the runtime, bring back shorter superhero movies that get to the point!

I feel like this is a good stopping point before I go into spoiler territory. If you are a fan of the character or franchise, I think you’ll enjoy it. I don’t think it will save the MCU, but it could push the franchise in the right direction. The film also makes great use of its soundtrack that fits the tone quite well. I was sitting at a solid 4/5 through the movie until the climax hit. You’ll know it when you see it, but that was when I bumped this up to a 4.5/5.

Overall, Deadpool & Wolverine gave me everything I needed, plus a little bit more with how emotionally impactful it can be in its drama. It’s not perfect, but it also doesn’t need to be. It’s a great thrill ride that will itch that nostalgia you’re yearning for. Even if the movie doesn’t really impact the MCU going forward, I do feel like each Deadpool entry works great on their own.

VERDICT: 4.5/5 – Amazing