Source, Image used under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976
I recently went to see “Deadpool and Wolverine” at the theater. With all the hype and the fact that it is a huge box office hit, why wouldn't I? Sure, it's expensive to see movies at the theater. I could wait and see it at home once the hype dies down. Still, some movies are just better at the theater, and I was hoping this would be one of them. I mean, look at the box office numbers:
Global Box Office Milestones: The film has crossed the $500 million mark, with a current total of $496.3 million worldwide (as of July 30, 2024)
It's Not That Great
Having watched the movie, I'm trying to decide what to say about it now, though. My first thought is, “It's not that great movie.” Compared to last year's blockbuster movies of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” it just doesn't compare. Those movies had much more substance. Barbie had more fun and story, while Oppenheimer just had more story in general. But is it a bad movie? Do I regret seeing it? Would I see it again? Well, it's not a bad movie, I don't regret seeing it, and I'll probably watch it again once it starts streaming.
Difficulty in Recommending the Movie
But I'd have a hard time recommending it.
I've been having a hard time deciding how to say WHY I didn't care for the movie. Deadpool is classic Deadpool. Wolverine is certainly Wolverine, and there were enough cameos of other Marvel characters that it never felt like there was a lack of talent on screen. So, how have I decided to express what it needed to make it great? It needed to feel like surfing a big wave, but instead, it felt like being stuck in water with a lot of little choppy waves.
I think that needs a little exposition, though.
There were, of course, fight scenes, and the biggest one was Wolverine VS Deadpool. Now, if you get two Marvel devotees in a room and ask which of those pairs will win, I'm certain they will debate it for some time. How does it play out on screen? A stalemate. Both Wolverine and Deadpool have a healing factor. They take hit after hit and never go down. I'm watching what should be a telling action scene, but instead, it looks like a very gory pillow fight. Neither fighter is going to take lethal damage, and neither is going to be defeated. Kind of anticlimactic.
The same thing goes for the movie itself. It seems more episodic than a slow burn toward a climax. While watching, I was reminded of a Dora the Explorer episode. Dora starts off on a journey, has to do three tasks, and then ends up at the final goal. If you watch the movie with that in mind, you will find it follows the same general plot as a Dora TV show. Step ONE: Find Wolverine. Step TWO: Motivate Wolverine and get him to the battle. Step THREE: Save the world. Then sing the “We Did It” song from Dora, Hooray!
Overall, the movie just didn't seem to count for much in the grand scheme of things. One universe is at stake, sure, but when looking at the multiverse, it just doesn't seem like a big deal. The fight scenes don't have bite. Deadpool and Wolverine are both powerful enough that their chance of defeat is virtually nil. Sure, some powerful mutants in the mix should be able to give them a run for their life, but...well, when titans like Juggernaut go down quickly, it makes me go hmm...
Did I enjoy the cameos? Short answer is yes, they were great. But they were just that...cameos, and I never got to see some of my favorite fringe characters do much. Am I happy to see Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine? Absolutely, and it was done in such a way as to not decrease the impact of the movie “Logan.” Loved that.
In the end, though? The movie seemed more patchwork and choppy than working as a whole. Too many cameos and not enough substance. Too many subplots and not a great overarching story.
There was one thing that I did enjoy, and most will probably think twice about it. The Wolverine in the movie was the “worst” Wolverine in the multiverse. He was a disgrace and failure. Until he became the hero in this movie. However, he was only able to become the hero THIS time because of his failures previously. An important thing to keep in mind for anyone out there who seems like they aren't living up to what they should be. Sometimes the failures of the past set someone up for success in the future. That is one take-home from the movie that I did enjoy.
Before I end, I want to share with you all that I am looking forward to watching The Glassworker movie (LINK). Why am I sharing about this particular movie? The story of its creators makes me interested in it. In a world where companies like Disney don't want to experiment with 2D films, a Pakistani studio called 'Mano' made a 2D film in 15 years. Yes, it took 15 years to make it. It's not just that the movie is 2D; the story is even more interesting because its funding was crowdfunded on Kickstarter or at least that's what my internet search showed. I was amazed to see their Kickstarter campaign. It's the talk of the town, and I can't miss it. As an artist and lover of artwork, I am eagerly looking forward to watching it.
The GlassWorker English trailer:
The GlassWorker Urdu trailer:
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