I'm going to avoid any spoilers that weren't in the trailers. There are far too many wonderous surprises in this movie for me to deprive any viewers of them.
Hey, I agree that Logan was an excellent and well crafted film. It poured a great deal of quality into telling "The last tale" for the key characters of the Fox X-men movie universe. Those films gave a well constructed and expanding start to the superhero movie explosion.
But it was also incredibly depressing and sad. Wolverine and Charles got some very final, heroic moments to act as their send offs.
However, after all the wild and joyful moments that came out of those pre MCU Marvel films (including the less successful ones) more celebration of their triumphs was called for.
Deadpool and Wolverine was that triumphant send off and more. Mixed in with the rude language, the insanely over the top mayhem and the non stop irreverence, each Deadpool film has had a central, emotionally relatable core that gives them all a lot of heart.
Deadpool- A love story
Deadpool 2- story about family
and now
Deadpool and Wolverine - Finding Self Worth...
And how having that is needed to truly connect with the people compromising other two.
Ryan Reynolds once again presents real and honest feelings under a cover of that rude language, insanely over the top mayhem and non stop irreverence. Those feelings and how he deals with them allow comic fans and normal people alike to gain true connections to the story and characters.
Built over that strong core is a wonderfully joyous tribute to the Marvel Movies of the past...
That is both sweet and heart felt...
yet also, it constantly makes fun of those films, the current MCU and itself while easily being the most violent movie I've ever seen, (and this is me saying that). The battles excessively eclipse its predecessors, yet in such an insane way as to be hilarious.
And also like its predecessors, the musical selections are insane, yet somehow absolutely perfect.
All of those levels of built in ridiculousness served to tell a story about "corporate suits" trying to get rid of a reality because they feel no one cares about it. (Real world translation- it is no longer profitable.) Deadpool fights back to protect those he cares about by enlisting the help of the lynchpin of many of those past Marvel tales, Hugh Jackman as the most comic accurate Wolverine we've gotten. (Plus a number of surprising old and new friends as well to fit the theme.) The need for new friends put Deadpool's usual supporting cast in the background, but they still got to have a moment here and there.
That's especially true for the ever caustically hysterical Blind Al. Leslie Uggams continues to steal every scene every she appears in.
The Wolverine accuracy isn't only the costume (though that was GLORIOUS). Jackman has always portrayed the four conflicting aspects of the character expertly. This may have been the peak version of all of them:
Brooding, troubled loner.
Honorable, samurai like warrior.
Compassionate mentor and teacher.
And feral berserker.
Honestly, I think this movie may have had more direct references to the Old Man Logan comic book than the film supposedly based on it, Logan. did.
Then again, this movie may have had more references to comic book moments and items IN GENERAL than any previous film has. (But, while fun for us comic book geeks, not knowing about them won't remove the enjoyment for normal people. The story works fantastically on it's own, they're bonuses for nerds like us.)
By infusing both characters with honest feelings, watching their relationship evolve from "hero worship" / "absolute disgust" to the true friendship the actors share made for one of the highlights of the experience.
Involving the terrifying Cassandra Nova was an excellent choice. Grant Morrison's creation really wouldn't fit in if used in any of the current live action superhero universes, making her an impeccable fit to this story. Setting much of the story in the Loki introduced (and equally Morrisonian) Void also filled the film's needs exactly in multiple ways.
Because the movie has such a strong heart at its core, there could be moments of tragedy breaking our hearts. (In the true spirit of Disney, "For every laugh a tear must fall.") The heroes do rise above those moments, because as foul mouthed and violent as they are...
they are heroes.
Because we love the characters so much, (even though we've only imagined some of them) we bond strongly with them over their hopes, dreams, successes, failures... (yes, and their "educated wishes.")
And because superhero universes are inherently goofy as all get out, we laugh as the film pokes fun at itself and others of its kind MERCILESSLY...
Yet somehow, for the third time, it still brings honest and powerful emotions when needed to create a story that carries us all the way through to the thrilling, satisfying, and, yes, happy climax. Because while we know these films and characters deserve being made fun of, we also know we love them.
People my age growing up with comics, cartoons and no budget 1970's live action shows of these characters had been waiting for that first round of quality Superhero films, and whatever has come after, all our lives.
And for younger folk, as Anabelle pointed out for her connection to pre-MCU films:
"These movies raised me."
This was the ending of the 20th Century Fox Marvel era hat this universe deserved:
A glorious celebration, a mountain of action and a smidge of hope left that we could see (most of) them again...
Three semi-spoilery "chef's kiss" moments down below.
A) Having a brief nod to the fact that Captain America is the only superhero Deadpool always respects.
B) Making the fact that everyone loves Peter a key moment.
C) Remembering what the most indestructible substance is in any universe-
Wolverine's pants.
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