Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

Deadpool & Wolverine 

This film is the greatest crowd pleasing  film that marvel has ever made and yes I would even put it above Endgame in terms of fan service and sheer electric audience reaction. Now this film a ton of critics have been mixed on with how the film deals with its story some even calling the way the narrative is done some have called messy and all over the place now as both a fan of marvel and a fan of cinema I don’t understand the mixed reaction some people have had. As the film takes the two most broken characters arguably in marvel’s library and throws them onscreen together in a team up film that yes results in a lot of humour and fun banter back and forth but their is a  shared sadness and tragic nature about them individually they can bond over. The film at the same time though does not rely on Fan service to drive the narrative it is able to craft a story that is in the vein of what Deadpool is known for without disrespecting the legacy of  the 2017 film Logan it is able to handle both characters in a way that never disrespects their arcs. The film for the first time in years felt like an event film that everyone went to go see in a theatre it is full of laughs, some truly heartfelt emotion and eye opening action sequences that I would say is among some of the best Marvel has ever put to screen. 

Firstly, Their is so much I wanna discuss about this film’s ability to tackle its themes and the first one I will say is the film is not your traditional Deadpool film and some people were let down that this film had the secondary characters of the merc with the mouth take a backseat this time around. Now I had a feeling that would happen as this is a massive team up film with two hugely popular characters and with any team up film you can compare it to the Avenger films those films don’t feel like a Iron Man or Captain America film as it is a massive cast assemble piece and this film takes that same approach. The film relies heavily on the team up nature of Wolverine and Deadpool and so if you go in with the mindset this is a team up film and not a solo deadpool film I think you will have a more enjoyable time and not feel like the characters were sidelined as ever since the film was announced it didn’t feel like Deadpool 3 it felt like a huge event movie so I felt I had to mention that as so many have been upset that it didn’t revisit his friends a ton but we should of known that ever since the marketing. Anyway for the way the film deals with its characters in the film is truly fantastic as I have said for years Wade Wilson and Wolverine are among some of if not the most broken emotionally characters in Marvel so getting them to come together they can bond over their trauma and really have a unspoken understanding in ways most can’t relate to.  The film comes to a great conclusion for  Deadpool and also gives Wolverine a truly profound ability to come to terms with his mistakes in a way that will hit you with a wave of emotion. Shawn Levy understood the way to best tell this massive event film as he is known for bringing cool style and amazing visuals to his films but the biggest contribution to his films is the sheer amount of emotion and heart he has in them and so I was so glad he was able to take on the directing chair for this film as he was the perfect person to take on this large scale event film. Now the film never feels like it is showing a ton of amazing visuals with no emotion behind it Shawn was the perfect person to balance the amazing fan service action packed nature of it and the sheer hilarious comedy and still bring some truly heart hitting emotion that would tug at the audiences heart. As the film never feels like it is doing to many jokes that it can’t take itself seriously some of the best jokes come out of moments where you’re asking yourself should I be laughing at that scenes that truly will have your jaw firmly on the floor. He understands the forth wall breaking crude nature of Deadpool and the over the top style he has to his films and brings that greatly to the screen but also has multiple opportunities to let the characters breath in amazingly well thought out emotional moments that will hit you like a bus so the film never feels lost in its style he is able to keep the characters grounded and flesh them out in ways where we are still learning new things from both of them. The sheer way the style and writing is done is fantastic as their are also great easter eggs to the early days of Marvel Films when it was under the umbrella of 20th century fox and if you are a die hard fan you will be very satisfied but they never feel like it is just thrown in to satisfy die hard fans it is smartly positioned where it contributes to the plot that moves it forward. The writing and sheer way the style was done in this film was great. 

Secondly, The performances from both of its leads are excellent! Now It comes to no one’s surprise that both Ryan Reynolds And Hugh Jackman both Brought their A game when it came to showing new sides of these characters as both of them know their respected roles inside and out at this point. Ryan Reynolds gives what I think what may be his best turn as Wade Wilson in this very film as he he plays the character at a point in his life where he is very lost emotionally and wants to feel like he matters and is contributing something to feel like he isn’t just a jester that can’t take anything seriously he is much more then that and has so much more to offer. Taking that look on the character I think was such a great move as he is not just repeating what he has already shown audiences in the first and second film he is delving into parts of Wade that make sense that in my opinion tie up his arc from the first film to this film beautifully.Ryan Reynolds is amazing in the film while also giving that signature style of the character we have come to love but he digs deeper this time showing so much uncertainty that is going on in his life and how he wants guidance emotionally to find his place. Hugh Jackman comes back to play the role of Wolverine now it isn’t the same version of the character that we saw in Logan they don’t disrespect that film this take on the character is a different version of Logan and Hugh after almost 25 years still finds areas of the character to fill in that we haven’t seen explored yet. He is able to slip into that character’s skin like no time had passed at all and gives another truly amazing performance with some of the most emotionally charged moments of the characters entire arc that we have seen from him. Now their are truly great supporting performances in this film but the two big performances that stand out is Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds both giving some of the best takes on the character we have ever seen and its amazing their chemistry together is also electrifying and their banter back and forth is great but their also able to challenge each other emotionally in the more smaller moments and open up to each other in a very touching way. 

Lastly, Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the the most crowd pleasing films of the year that is filled to the prim with Fan Service but dose not rely on it to drive the narrative forward. For people who have been fans of the Marvel films since the early 2000’s your in for a treat and will satisfy long time fans for sure but it also is able to bring the characters they love into areas emotionally we haven’t seen them explore before. Shawn Levy and the whole team involved deliver with great humour that lands every time to some of the greatest action sequences ever put to screens for Marvel but the thing that stood out more then all of that is the amount of heart and sincere emotion that is displayed onscreen at all times throughout the course of this film. Both actors are giving top notch performances that are truly astonishing work and the Marvel brand has had a bumpy couple of years recently through their transition period in order to find their footing since Endgame but DeadPool and Wolverine is the first time I have been so excited for a film from the studio since either No Way Home or Endgame. They have restored so much faith in this studio with their amazing execution with this film and Deadpool and Wolverine is one of marvel’s finest films they have made and a incredibly fun time too be had that will move you. 

This film centres around Wade Wilson tasked to find an anchor being to save his world from being erased and that anchor being has to be a version of Wolverine that can restore balance to his reality 

Rated R : Language Throughout|Gore|Sexual References|Strong Bloody Violence

Ryan Reynolds : Ryan gives a performance of Wade Wilson that is caked in emotional depth while still giving that signature Deadpool swagger and sarcasm that we have come to love. Ryan has been playing this character for 15 years at this point so he has a good grasp on what’s best for the character and knowing where his arc should go. Where he is in the first film is sure more confident for sure but its all because we were just becoming introduced to him and seeing how he handles himself both at work and his personal life which is using humour as a defence mechanism in order to deal with his feelings. The first film covers him feeling desperate to figure out his health situation as he dose not want to wither way to nothing so he undergoes a surgery that finds a solution to his health scares but forever alters how he looks which then takes a massive blow to his ability to look at himself. So he feels his girlfriend would love him less based off how he now looks so he hides from her and even when he faces her he is so scared of what she will think. Then in Deadpool 2 that entire film is about his ability to cope with the loss of a loved one in his life and how it deeply affects his mental well being. We see how his depression is very much at the forefront of the film and that he is incredibly suicidal the second films takes a much darker approach in terms of his arc which I thought was fitting as the character Wade Wilson is very much a heavily traumatized character. Now when we see him in the third instalment he is now wanting to feel like he matters and is contributing to something bigger then him that people can be proud of him for and seeing him take on that emotional theme I thought was so fitting for him as he has been searching for his place since the first film and the place the film ends in terms of his character arc was a perfect conclusion for him as he has been longing to feel accepted and he finally is able to figure it out in the course of the film. We see in the beginning of this story he is doing whatever he has to to prove to his friends and loved ones that he can lay low and have a normal life as he hasn’t been doing crime fighting for sometime he just wants to fit in and doing a 9 to 5 job and just purely normal tasks in order to feel somewhat normal is what he feels is the best course of action for his life at that moment. In many ways we can see he is going through a mid life crisis and even after finding a routine to fall Into he still isn’t happy with himself as he is just doing it to please the people around him and no matter how hard he forces this new lifestyle on himself beneath that smile is a sad guy still feeling like he isn’t enough and Ryan Is able to tap into that emotional denial so greatly in a way that both feels so heartbreaking but makes the audience understand why he is doing this new way of living in order to have some sense of stability in his life and he is able to show that his heart is breaking from the inside without revealing it to others through his sensitive eyes that are full of such emotion. All of this is shown in great detail within the first twenty minutes of the film. We see that when he is called into action to wear the suit again he only does it out of sheer desperation to save his loved ones he isn’t just dawning the outfit to make himself feel better he knows he has responsibilities that he needs to make sure he takes control of as he can’t afford to loose anything as his friends and family are the foundation of his heart and if that is even slightly shaken he will do whatever he has to in order to protect it. When the person throws at him in conversation if he does what is asked of him he can finally feel like he matters which in itself is a emotional manipulation tactic as he already is in a vulnerable state so having someone use that as a way for him to do something for him is not fair as he will listen to them as he will do whatever is needed to belong. When we see him teamed up with Wolverine for the first time in the first act he has to work at getting this emotionally gutted version of Logan to be back on his feet as he finds him in quite the depressed state but to be fair he notices the sadness within him as he already is at that emotional lowpoint in his life already. When We see Deadpool interacting with Wolverine for a good while they aren’t seeing eye to eye as he is very much getting under his skin with anything he says and their is a lot of resistance Logan takes to Wade as he refuses to open up even slightly to him but yet Logan rips into Wade in a way no person ever has that kind of shows him that he sees through the sarcasm and witty behaviour and just sees a tender heart behind all that personality he shows others and if anyone can see past the fake personality to protect their heart its Logan and he just lays into him in a scene that for the first time shuts up Wade. Ryan is able to show the emotional side of Wade and just how sensitive he really is underneath under all those wise comments and fast witty humour is someone that just wants to be loved and that mask of emotion Ryan is able to bring out of the character in such a moving way that brought me to tears. He knows that he dose not have to always make a joke in order to draw people into his character he can let the emotional moments bring people in and show that vulnerable side of his heart onscreen in a way that fleshes the character out in ways we hadn’t seen yet. He knows that Wolverine is ripping into him any chance he gets but there is a part of Logan that understands why Wade is the way he is and deep down there is an unspoken understanding. Their are great moments where you don’t know if its Wade showing his heart through the dialogue or if its a exchange between just Ryan and Hugh as their are some genuinely emotional moments where it feels those two actors are talking to each other directly and using the characters as a filter to connect to one another on a deeper level where acting is not required. Ryan has explored the deepest depths of Wade’s heart in this film and really shows the heart more this time instead of just the humour taking centre stage now he has always found that perfect balance of showing both for sure but here you can see he really let the emotion shine through in ways that will bring tears to your eyes. That being said his comedic timing once again is pitch perfect and knows exactly when a joke will be effective and work for the right moment Ryan poured every ounce of himself into this performance he also I would say is the perfect Deadpool no one can do the role like he can the sheer amount of love, passion and effort he has brought to the role cannot be ignored he is extraordinary in this film in my opinion bringing a great closing chapter to the three film character arc he set out on in the first film Ryan is truly outstanding in this emotionally charged performance of the merc with the mouth.

Hugh Jackman : Hugh comes back as his career defining role The Wolverine delivering an outstanding performance of this iconic character! Now back in 2017 I never thought I would ever write another review with Hugh Jackman playing the character that has come to define his entire career. Now I said then it was his highest achievement at playing that character was in that film and I still stand by that statement as I do think Logan is a masterpiece of storytelling and performance. Now brining back the man that has come to define the character is not easy as you have to do it in a way that makes sense to the audience and does not disrespect the legacy of Logan that was crafted back in 2017. Now I can say with full confidence this film does not disrespect that masterpiece of a film It actually does not insult it in any way is it referenced for sure it is but the Logan we see in this film is a different version. So going through many different timelines to find the one best suited to help Deadpool I think is great way into brining Hugh back that best made sense. Now I have been a fan of Hugh’s portrayal of the character since the early 2000’s when he first took on the role and I can say that I have always wanted to see him in the signature suit of the yellow and blue outfit that is linked to the character through the comics and used on the 90’s animated series. It has taken almost 25 years but finally seeing Hugh Jackman in the comic accurate outfit felt so right and my nerdy self was so excited to see him In action in that outfit and Hugh comes back to the screen like no time had passed at all he is able to slip into the headspace of the character with the snap of a finger. He has played him for almost 25 years so he knows this character from head to toe backwards and forwards now he would never just repeat old character themes we have seen in previous films he is able to access the character in a way and explore new sides to him that he had not tapped into yet which is amazing as even after all this time their are still parts of the character Hugh is showing audiences we haven’t seen explored before that keeps it fresh. Seeing him play the character in a way chained with guilt is nothing we haven’t seen before as his character has always been a person with demons he’s struggled with his entire life he has never had it easy and that’s also why he is so emotionally distant and so guarded due to the repeated trauma he has unfortunately been put through time and time again. So seeing a version of the character constantly be pushed emotionally to open up by Wade Wilson and confront those difficult things he has spent years to repress at times result in great banter between the two actors but it also shows Hugh bring a vulnerability and tenderness to the character in which he can tackle those darker parts of the character’s heart in a very sincere way throughout the course of the film. As their are so many scenes where he is pulling back from Wade and doing his best to keep to himself but Wade just won’t let up and keeps prying and trying to get to the root of why he is so rude to him and when he finds out that the person underneath all that anger is a very sad, broken and tragic man he feels sorry for him and that is the last thing Logan wants is someone to feel bad for him but at the same time their is a relief that he does not have to feel like he is carrying all this pain inside their is a certain relief that he can discuss it to a degree with someone else that has also gone through their fair share of personal struggles. So there is an understanding there even if they don’t outright acknowledge it. Seeing him in the suit was exciting as I wrote earlier but what is so great about him wearing the iconic outfit is their is a entire arc written around the outfit itself and why he wears it as a way of remembering the damage he did to the X- Men it is in a way of never letting himself forget the pain he caused which is so deep and I love that they incorporate such a deep meaning to the outfit I think that was such a smart way not just from a story point of view but also it gives Hugh so much more to use in terms of the character in this film. We have always seen the version of the character that feels like he has never amounted to anything good in life and to see him struggling to live with the guilt and pain he has caused is nothing new for this character but seeing the character go on a emotional journey to relieve that pain and make all the noise in his head go away is powerful as it has been a personal demon of the character for many years. Making that the primary focus felt right as it never felt like it was just repeating things we had seen before as Hugh was able to be seen by people around him that he means so much to others in alternate timelines but he himself can’t grasp why he would matter to anyone as he is the only one that feels like he is not good enough to hear the praise people sing to him which shows just how damaged he is and how much he has been trying to punish himself for the mistakes he made as he feels he isn’t deserving of happiness due to the overwhelming regret he has in his heart that weights him down. Now Hugh is able to also able at some point in the film give Logan that closure and come to terms with his pain in a way where he sees all of what he has gone through all that pain and suffering sure it has been traumatizing and painful but it also shaped him into the hero people know him as so in a way if he didn’t have that pain he wouldn’t be who he is today. Hugh brings that raw heartbreak through his eyes and the overwhelming sense of guilt and sorrow through his voice with each word you can feel the sadness wrapped in rage in his dialogue Jackman has perfected at knowing what direction is best for the character and he brings a great amount of gut wrenching emotion that will move you but also feels right for the course of the character as well. He also can bring that dry wit to the character that results in hilarious moments of great comedic timing from Hugh but he has always been able to find that perfect balance of comedy and dramatic depth in the character that truly makes the character stand out onscreen. He once again delivers another masterful  performance of the Tortured soul that is Logan still after almost  25 years going places emotionally and finding new areas of the character that have yet to be filled in to show the audience and Hugh slips back into the role like no time has passed since we last saw him as the iconic character. He once again delivers another astonishing performance that has some of the best character development we’ve ever seen from Hugh he once again delivers a top notch performance as the Wolverine that I would put next to Logan as his second best performance of the character he is electrifying in this film.

Shawn Levy : Levy brings the perfect ingredient that makes this film in my opinion the best out of the three which is a huge amount of heart to the frame! Now I have grown up watching Shawn’s films and one constant theme in his films I have found is their is a great sense of emotion and a human element that touches your heart and he crafts characters you never forget. Now the characters are already so beloved by so many people and so all he has to do is show them in a setting we haven’t seen them thrust into before which isn’t easy as the bar for this film was set so high as you have two characters everyone loves and it has to service the fans but also not feel like it is relying on nostalgia to carry the narrative forward. He is able to show the characters at a point in their lives where they need one another as Wade is going through a mid life crisis to find his purpose in the world and Logan is riddled with guilt and regret and so both of them in many ways lift one up and are able to find ways to help them both come to terms With their emotional stress going on in their lives by yes humour but also a great amount of sincere emotion that can be felt throughout the whole film. The film is able to be this big farewell to the films of 20th century fox before Disney acquired the studio as so many of the characters that were done under that studio we won’t ever see again so the audience that grew up with those films in the early days of marvel it is in many ways a emotional farewell to those films. The film is able to feel like a well done team up film of these two characters but Shawn is able to flesh out their arcs individually and have them heal one another in a very beautiful way that is incredibly moving. Now Shawn has never done a massive franchise film like this before and for this to be his first stab at it he did a solid Job as he keeps it very much in the vein of deadpool without loosing the charm and fun humour of what makes these films so great. But he also does not just do s rinse and repeat of what we have already seen he goes into areas that the characters have yet to explore and bring them both to a satisfying conclusion and he captures fantastic action sequences that are among some of the best we have seen from Marvel that is both comedic and pulse pounding all at once. Shawn has proven with this film he can take on a huge franchise name like Deadpool and Wolverine and deliver a great popcorn film that will satisfy the audience without loosing focus on what is most important with the story which is the characters and the heart of the narrative. Shawn Levy balances the comedy and drama in a way that one never feels like it is outweighing the other and also make a film designed for fans in a way that has never been done like this before. He brings back Hugh in a way that makes sense and does not insult the masterpiece that is Logan and also show Deadpool in an emotional way we have never seen him before. Shawn was the perfect person to bring this trilogy to a close as you can see the sheer passion and heart he brings to the frame while showing friendship being the key element to the film that he wants audiences to take away from this film. Now it is very much a deadpool film but with great character depth and emotional aspects to it that will move you to tears and Shawn soars as the filmmaker at the helm of this film delivering a truly amazing popcorn flick that will stand out as one of Marvel’s finest films to date!