Deadpool and Wolverine was a billion-dollar hit for Disney this year, and now it’s going to the Oscars. According to Variety, Disney is submitting the film for consideration in the technical categories of visual effects, production design, and sound… oh, and they’re submitting Hugh Jackman as Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Wolverine. Yes, really!
Look, this is nothing against Hugh Jackman. He’s a great actor (and a great singer!) and his performance as Wolverine was good. But Oscar-worthy? Nah. Listen, if Angela Bassett couldn’t score a win for her performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Jackman’s in with no chance whatsoever. The R-rated, gory, F-word-laden Deadpool and Wolverine is just not a film that gets Oscar attention. And even when it comes to the technical categories, the movie doesn’t do anything that other Marvel films haven’t done before it.
In fact, the MCU doesn’t have a lot of luck at the Oscars at all. Black Panther was famously nominated for Best Picture in 2019, but it didn’t win, instead picking up Best Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Production Design. Moving onto the other MCU flicks, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever won for Best Costume Design but lost in the other four categories it was nominated in. None of the other MCU films have ever won in any category.
And you know what? I’m going to say it. Deadpool and Wolverine doesn’t deserve Oscars attention because it’s just plain not a very good film. When I saw it, I was baffled at all the love it got. Everyone has different opinions and that’s fine… but my opinion is, “I hated every minute of it.”
From the moment the movie took the beautiful ending of Logan (see, that’s the movie Hugh Jackman should have been nominated for) and danced all over it, I could feel my dislike building and building. I find Ryan Reynolds plain insufferable as Deadpool, which I admit is a me problem, and a whole movie of him quipping and thrusting was more than I could take. Then there’s the cameos! Take away the cameos of Deadpool and Wolverine and there’s precious little left.
To me, this movie seemed to be everything people have long hated the MCU for: over-reliance on callbacks to past characters, endless jokes, and just a general sense of childishness. Yes, it knows what sort of movie it is, but that doesn’t make me like it any more. I’m sorry. Experience-wise, I would compare Deadpool and Wolverine to two hours spent babysitting a 12-year-old boy who’s just learned how to swear and who keeps pelting you with action figures.
Sorry, Hugh Jackman. Not today. Come back when you film Les Miserables II.
Published: Sep 26, 2024 03:21 pm