Deadpool & Wolverine is a must-see, especially if you were frustrated by the previous 20th Century Fox Marvel movies. This latest Deadpool adventure has loads of laughs, some gags that overstay their welcome, and serious moments that will tug on your heartstrings.

The movie fires on all cylinders when it’s in the Void. First introduced in Loki season one episode five “Journey Into Mystery,” the Time Variance Authority or TVA is an agency that exists outside of time and space and are tasked to protect the sacred timeline by “pruning” other wayward timelines. The organization exiles rather than destroys people, places, or objects deemed unfit for the timeline.

This wasteland is home to Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) – Professor Xavier’s psychotic twin sister — as well as a number of heroes and villains found throughout the Fox Cinematic Universe. At this point, fans are probably aware of Channing Tatum’s Gambit, and he certainly makes a name for himself in this movie. Tatum’s 20-year struggle to adapt the character to the big screen adds a lot of earnestness to his line deliveries.

Ryan Reynolds is as entertaining as he’s been in the previous installments; however, it’s the addition of Hugh Jackman who does a lot of the work delivering the emotional beats regardless if it’s the heart-to-heart with Dafne Keen (reprising her role as Laura/X-23) or the emotionally crushing reason for donning the bright yellow Wolverine uniform.

That said, Deadpool & Wolverine does have some missteps. Namely the inclusion of Morena Baccarin as Vanessa – or rather, the lack of screen time she and Reynolds have together. Instead, the movie uses footage from the previous movies. One of the strongest elements in the Deadpool franchise is Baccarin and Reynolds’s chemistry, which is egregiously lacking here.

Speaking of lacking, the villains of this movie Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) and Cassandra lack a satisfying conclusion. The movie makes the odd decision to not show Deadpool and Wolverine going toe-to-toe with either villain in the final act resulting in an underwhelming conclusion – especially with a villain as threating as Cassandra. Fortunately, the idiom “a hero is only as good as their villain” does not ring true this time, but the TVA stuff at the beginning and the end of the movie does bringdown the movie’s high energy.

The movie for the most part gives audiences what they want. There are some missed opportunities such as introducing several Wolverine variants only to not have them show up to the Deadpool Corp showdown. Deadpool & Wolverine is a great third outing for the Merc with a Mouth and a surprising, albeit emotional, farewell to the Fox Cinematic Universe.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Currently vailable at Digital retailers, and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD. Deadpool & Wolverine is streaming on Disney+ from the 12th of November 2024.

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The writer of this piece is: Laurence Almalvez
Laurence tweets from @IL1511

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