I feel old after watching Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine Is a great movie, but I have to admit it makes me feel my age. While Deadpool’s latest outing pays its dues to the Disney-backed MCU, it’s more interested in being a victory lap for the Marvel movies of yesteryear. actually, Deadpool & Wolverine Give as much love to the era from which the films came as to the films themselves. of Deadpool & Wolverines countless Marvel cameos to the songs and the humor, the film’s design speaks to the generation that grew up with Hugh Jackman on our screens.

I, for one, am on the younger side of the coin. Blade It was before my time, but I remember feeling eager at my local AMC to watch it X-Men Movies. My older sister and I grew up with Jackman’s Wolverine on the wall, and we struggled to beat it X2: Wolverine’s Revenge on the GameCube. As a middle schooler, I wondered how accurately Michael Fassbender played a younger Magneto X-Men: First Class. During a 12-hour high school trip, the movie playing on the bus was X-Men: Days of Future Past. Needless to say, X-Men was a staple of my childhood.

Like many others, I mourn Jackman leaving the role of Wolverine in 2017 Logan. It was a nice send-off that echoed Logan’s original arc with Rogue by forcing him into another father-figure role, albeit with his real daughter. As a result, I have my reservations about Ryan Reynolds resurrecting the character. Although it may be my senior show, Deadpool & Wolverine Hit all the right notes of nostalgia to make me feel satisfied and very, very old.

Many Deadpool & Wolverine references are 20-30 years old

Deadpool & Wolverine’s soundtrack has a 24-year-old callback

Soon after Deadpool & Wolverine Turns out, a fellow Marvel enthusiast gave me a rude awakening. When discussing the now-iconic opening sequence of Deadpool dancing to the year 2000’s “Bye Bye Bye,” he revealed that Not only did he not realize that the *NSYNC hit was in X2But he didn’t know the song at all either. As someone who once owned one of McDonald’s VHS tapes, my mortality flashed before my eyes. While the glossy MCU label attracted younger fans to Deadpool & WolverineThe older references flew over their heads.

Many viewers never roller skated to Fergie or waited in front of their TV screens to check in with Blair and Serena. I am indeed guilty of this; I only saw 1998s Blade Like a rerun on FX. While I was there from the beginning for the X-Men And Fantastic practice films, The appeal of Deadpool & Wolverine Stretches back to when my parents were 20-somethings. Not everyone Deadpool & Wolverine Easter egg hits with every audience member 20-30 years later. One day, a movie could bring back Star-Lord or Black Widow with One Direction playing in the background, and the younger audience wouldn’t be in on the joke.

Deadpool & Wolverine was made for me, but damn do I feel old

Deadpool and Wolverine made me relive my childhood

Before Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, another character was the most recognizable face in superhero cinema. Jackman’s Logan was a scene-stealer from the moment he appeared X-MenAnd the character defined the franchise for almost 20 years. Coincidentally, those 20 years were also when I grew up. Rooting for Wolverine to save the day (and maybe win Jean Grey’s affection) was a national pastime In the early 2000s. Jackman’s stellar return in Deadpool & Wolverine Not only brought back the old emotions but also fulfilled a decade-long dream to see him wearing the comically accurate suit.

Beyond Wolverine, the film also successfully brought back staples from the Fox era of Marvel films, from heavy hitters like Blade and Elektra to the criminally underrated Pyro. However, the real emotional gut-punch comes as the credits roll. I am not ashamed to say that I cry. Like a classic graduation photo montage, Deadpool & Wolverine Uses Green Day’s “Good Riddance” Saying goodbye to the Marvel films and casts of the past. It’s both a meta-reminder to the overuse of the song to elicit nostalgia and a fitting tribute to the movies that made the MCU possible.

Why it makes sense that Deadpool and Wolverine is for a certain age group

Deadpool and Wolverine was never meant for the MCU generation

While Deadpool & Wolverine Brought both the Merc with the Mouth and the X-Men into the MCU, It’s clear that the filmmakers aren’t aiming for the audience that grew up with Captain America and Iron Man. Rather, the movie skews older, going for their parents and babysitters, who were confused when Chris Evans went from playing Johnny Storm to Captain America. If Deadpool & Wolverine is made for this audience, it only makes sense for the film to honor Marvel’s 30-year filmography.

Reynolds himself is part of the legacy, having been in both Blade: Trinity And X-Men Origins: Wolverine. For his part, director Sean Levy was successful with Night at the museum In the same era when the X-Men movies were at their peak. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige started his film career with X-Men In 2000. Deadpool & Wolverine Honors Marvel’s film legacy and thanks longtime fansWhile also allowing its creators to celebrate their career.

This approach more than paid off. Deadpool & Wolverine is not only a box office hit, but it leaves the door open for the return of many Fox era heroes, such as Blade, Gambit and Logan’s former heroes. X-Men teammates. Although the film came with the harsh reminder that my childhood is indeed long gone, I appreciate it Deadpool & Wolverine For what it is; A fun, mostly harmless nostalgia trip.