Plot: What’s it about?
I find it pretty cool that these days you can essentially track the progress of various things. Case in point, I remember viewing Ryan Reynolds’ YouTube channel where he posted the announcement for this film. That was, as of this writing, two years ago, but we got updates, trailers and so on. That was then and now we’ve had the film released (it’s currently the highest-grossing R-rated film of all-time) and I’ve got it on disc. All is well. The last installment of the franchise came out in 2018, leaving audiences to wonder if (or when) another film would come out. Given some of the recent troubles with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, namely overexposure and lack of interest, something had to be done. Leave it to a smartass to bring it all together and save the day (and the universe). Logan gave us a sendoff for Hugh Jackman’s character, but if that wasn’t to your liking we’ve got him back albeit in a different form. Long time readers of the comic will no doubt enjoy the fact that he’s finally got his iconic yellow and blue suit. Others might just enjoy seeing Jackman as Wolverine again (and Reynolds as Deadpool). Enough talk.
There’s a plot in the film, make no doubt about it, but after a while I stopped trying to figure it out and just enjoyed the endless onslaught of cameos. But for those that want and/or need it, here we go…Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) wants to prevent his universe from being destroyed. Those familiar with the Loki series will recall the TVA. They enlist Deadpool’s help to restore order to the timeline (if you recall the events of Deadpool 2, the timeline was “compromised”). But in order to do this, he enlists the help of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) albeit from a different reality as the one in Deadpool’s is, well, dead. As the duo treks through the Void, a wasteland of tanked Marvel films, they encounter Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) who as comic fans will know, is the sister of Charles Xavier. She rules the Void with an iron fist. The rest is, well, a stream of endless cameos and if you’ve not seen the film yet I certainly won’t spoil it. Suffice it to say that it was quite a treat to see some of these faces after such a long absence.
The actors are clearly having a good time and it seems only fitting that Wolverine play such a large part in this film as it was X-Men Origins: Wolverine that first gave us Ryan Reynolds as Wolverine (albeit in a very different form). Turnabout is fair play, no? Add to that the impressive cast roster bringing back some faces from the past. There were a few missing that I’d have liked to have seen, but there’s now officially no reason that the MCU is intact, in one form or another. The Deadpool movies have always been fun to watch and this one isn’t any different. While I did find the movie fun, I did miss the first two films for their more straightfoward way of telling a story. To each their own. If anyone doubted the power of this franchise, that should be put to rest – there’s plenty of life left in these heroes regardless of what timeline they’re from.
Video: How’s it look?
This is, perhaps, the biggest 4K release we’ve ever had. So it’d better look good. And it does. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image pulls no punches with out-of-this-world detail, a dynamic color palette and spot on accuracy on every level. In short, it’s perfect. We’ve seen Jackman’s Wolverine age a quarter of a century since he first graced us in 2000’s X-Men, but the wrinkles, hair and iconic claws look as good as they ever have. Not to be outdone, there’s blood galore and Deadpool’s costume is so intricate that I could count all the threads (I thin that’s what they are) on his suit. In short, again, this is perfect.
Audio: How’s it sound?
To compliment the picture, we’ve got a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that’s sure to please. If you’ve ever imagined Deadpool on a killing spree set to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” then your wait is over. Vocals are pitch perfect, surrounds and height speakers are on full display giving us an atmospheric mix that only heightens the mood. Wolverine’s “Snikt” sounds great, bullets go around and through people and so forth. Like its visual presentation, this one sounds as good as it looks.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Disc 1 (4K)
- Audio Commentary – Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds offer up a pretty interesting track. As they should, since the director and actor/writer pretty much made this happen. Tons of insight and information is shared and it’s a must listen for any fan of the film.
Disc 2 (Blu-ray)
- Audio Commentary – Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds offer up a pretty interesting track. As they should, since the director and actor/writer pretty much made this happen. Tons of insight and information is shared and it’s a must listen for any fan of the film.
- Finding Madonna: Making the Oner – Essentially a “Making of…” the final scene with the litany of other Deadpools and the like.
- Practical Approach: Celebrating the Art of Ray Chan – A look at the production design of the film and of Ran Chan, who’s work is highlighted.
- Loose Ends: The Legacy Heroes – If you’re familiar with the 60’s TV show Gilligan’s Island, you’ll certainly enjoy this segment.
- Wolverine – Pretty self-explanatory, this one looks at Jackman’s iconic character and how he was incorporated into the movie (and MCU).
- Deadpool’s Fun Sack 3 – As with the other “Fun Sack” features, this one features an ad for testicular cancer among other things.
- Gag Reel – I have to imagine it’d be fun or frustrating to be a part of this film. Here are some of the highlights (or low points, depending on your perspective).
- Deleted Scenes – I have to believe that there are plenty more deleted scenes out there. What we’ve got here are just a shade over two minutes and don’t offer a lot of insight.
The Bottom Line
Being tongue in cheek goes a long way. At least it does with me. Though this was my least favorite of the (as of this writing) Deadpool films, it was still enjoyable. And it paved the way for a LOT of other heroes to enter the MCU. So maybe it’s not dying after all? If Logan wasn’t the send off you were looking for, fear not – Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is back! Let’s face it, this one checks all the boxes with picture perfect video and audio, a nice selection of supplements and, well, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. What else do you need?
