From my glory days as a rising 4th grader to my questionable times as a high schooler, I would seat myself at the same time, on the same day, at the same theater — 7 p.m. on Thursdays at my local AMC Theatre — for the opening night of every Marvel movie, seven years straight. Watching Marvel movies was my secret obsession, with each movie feeding my nerdy nostalgia day in and day out. To me, this tradition was like that one mechanical pencil in your bag that somehow never runs out of lead — something I could always depend on when I needed it the most.
Yet, five underwhelming shows in one year fell flat, and Ant-Man’s charisma wasn’t enough to outshine the excessive computer-generated imaging. The overconsumption of the pencil’s unlimited lead started to feel irrelevant when its eraser was nothing but a nub, unable to fix its mistakes. The Thursday night tradition turned to Sundays which turned to Disney+ streaming, and, eventually, my interest in Marvel dwindled completely.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” was the sliver of hope to bring back my beloved Marvel movie binges. The film was theorized to be a goodbye to the Fox-owned characters bought by Disney, bringing beloved actors from previous X-Men movies into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As quoted from Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds, “Green Lantern”) himself, he was going to be “Marvel Jesus.” From the self-awareness and strength of previous Deadpool films, I was ready to have blind faith in Marvel again. A new eraser-topper, wiping out the mistakes of the past three years and giving Marvel another chance to thrive.
Last Thursday, I was giddy in my seat at 7 p.m. in a different AMC, ready to relive my childhood tradition. “Deadpool & Wolverine” promised a big-budget fan tribute, complete with superfan surprise cameos and action-packed fight sequences. However, while the film delivered an elated burst of excitement, it ultimately fell short with a lackluster narrative. There was an undeniable buzz around the film — breaking new records at the box office as the highest rated-R opening of all time, a stark contrast to “The Marvels,” which bombed at the box office in November as the lowest-ever MCU debut. While the film generated renewed enthusiasm among fans, including myself, it became clear that the excitement for “Deadpool & Wolverine” alone wasn’t enough to salvage the MCU’s declining appeal.
As per previous disappointing Marvel productions, the lazy writing persisted — a monotonous villain, endless exposition and off-putting pacing. I could nitpick each and every flaw, but in my eyes, the greatest letdown was Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, “The Greatest Showman”). The film fell flat emotionally, with Jackman’s new Wolverine feeling ghastly and distant. Jackman’s “tragic” backstory was disclosed in a few lines of dialogue and overshadowed by a vague and sulking explanation about the multiverse. I was constantly waiting for the third-act gut-wrenching punch that would help us connect with this new Wolverine, but it never came. The prompt was simple: a broken hero who has the chance to redeem himself. The writers had all of the tools to add some sort of emotional depth. Yet they chose to feed us soup with a fork, leaving us with the aftertaste of what could’ve been a rewarding atonement. The audience’s faltering favoritism for Marvel lies within the lack of complexity and attention to the writing. The reliance on Jackman’s star power was not enough to make us care for the character, leaving us with witty comments and cameos that weren’t enough to retain audiences that left Marvel behind.
Moreover, if Marvel continues to lean on star power rather than writing, their resurgence will be nothing more than a grocery store flower waiting to wither out. San Diego Comic-Con debuted Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man”) back into the MCU, mirroring Jackman’s Wolverine revival in “Deadpool.” Both actors played characters that previously died and concluded their stories in their respective franchises. Yet the studio has seemingly no shame in recycling the big guns. On paper, these stars have been generating revenue and uncharted excitement, but at some point, the MCU needs to foster new talent and stories. Marvel’s attachment issues are a crutch that offers temporary support but prevents the development of innovative narratives. While Downey and Jackman’s presence can bring nostalgia and comfort, it crowds out opportunities for new and refreshing additions that could rejuvenate the scene and attract new audiences.
Without avail, “Deadpool & Wolverine” felt like looking through the window of a once-feverish, passionate joy. I appreciated the experience of being excited about a Marvel movie again, but the poor writing failed to revive the 4th-grade, fan page-owning superhero nerd in me. The film promised a nostalgic-filled revitalization of the Marvel magic, but it ultimately delivered a hollow spectacle. Despite its flashy moments and fan service, it lacked the substance and emotional impact needed to reignite my deep-seated enthusiasm. Its humor and star power couldn’t counteract the pervasive sense of creative stagnation, failing to transcend the growing gap between Marvel’s past success and its current shortcomings.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” was a cash-grab wrapped in a veneer of fan service and high production costs, but it failed to address the core issues that have been plaguing the MCU. As I walked out of the movie, it was clear that my beloved ritual had come to an end, replaced by the harsh reality of an industry that needs more than just familiar faces to keep its audiences seated at 7 p.m. Thursday at AMC.
Daily Arts Writer Maurice Tobiano can be reached at mtobiano@umich.edu.
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