The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been criticized recently for a wave of lackluster films following “Avengers: Endgame.” The latest release, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” has potentially bucked this trend in a surprising way. This film is certainly a breath of fresh air for fans, made evident by its massive box office success so far. Domestically, “Deadpool & Wolverine” opened to the tune of an impressive $211 million, becoming the first R-rated movie to break the $200 million threshold on opening weekend.
Fans and critics alike think the MCU has become stale. Movies like “Black Widow,” “Eternals” and “The Marvels” have all been criticized for their uninspired storylines, boring fight scenes, bland humor, and uninteresting characters that no longer speak to viewers the way the MCU used to.
“[Marvel] movies now feel like the same script, the same plots, again and again,” said Lambert junior Risha Mannam.
This is contrasted with the massive love the MCU has seen in the pre-“Endgame” era. Marvel fans just don’t feel the same about the MCU.
“Before ‘Endgame,’ I’d rewatch [Marvel movies] all the time, but now I just watch them because of the fact that they’re Marvel,” Mannam continued.
One key aspect that sets “Deadpool & Wolverine” apart from the recent subpar Marvel movies is Ryan Reynolds’s excellent performance as Deadpool, where he continues the tradition of fourth-wall breaking and meta humor in a way that showcases the talents of both Reynolds and the writers. In this film, Deadpool pokes fun at overdone tropes and cliches that recent MCU movies seem to have fallen complacent to. It sacrifices nothing in its plot by still delivering a story that contributes to the universes’ overarching narrative of multiversal travel and the Time Variance Authority-the multiversal bureaucracy featured in the hit MCU spin-off show “Loki.”
The talented Hugh Jackman also elevates this movie further, picking up the mantle of Wolverine, triumphantly bringing back the fan-favorite character. The writers preserved the impactful ending of “Logan” by introducing Jackman as an Anchor Being, a figure from another universe so important that they are critical to the timeline’s integrity. Not only does this show that Marvel is working on fixing their mistakes, it also allows audiences to experience the fan-favorite character even more.
This movie makes another key departure from the typical MCU film by being the first in the franchise to be rated R. This rating allows the writers free reign over the entire movie, leading to hilarious scenes of gratuitous Deadpool-variant violence and his iconically twisted sense of humor. By giving more freedom to the writers and including two beloved characters, Marvel seems to have redeemed itself from its previous slump with this film. “Deadpool & Wolverine” not only rekindles interest in the superhero genre but also demonstrates that with the right blend of creative freedom and character, even a franchise as established as Marvel can overcome its recent challenges and deliver a standout film.
