Saving the world becomes a lot more interesting when the dynamic leads of the story hate each other. This is enough to take a familiar formula and morph it into one of the biggest genres in our pop culture, including the superhero genre. Deadpool & Wolverine takes the buddy cop formula to bigger, more epic places as Wade (Ryan Reynolds), AKA Deadpool, and Logan (Hugh Jackman), AKA Wolverine, try to save their worlds and find life’s purpose once again.
Deadpool & Wolverine is the biggest movie of the summer, proving that cameos and superhero (or anti-hero) team-ups still get audiences excited. But what is it about the buddy cop formula that worked for this franchise film? Let’s get into it.
What Is a Buddy Cop Movie?
Buddy cop films are character-driven stories that pair mismatched partners together for justice. By blending elements of crime and action thrillers with a bit of screwball comedy, buddy cop movies see two heroes at odds with each other find common ground throughout the story as they learn to come together and save the day. These films often work like romantic comedies, but the unlikely duo forges a platonic bond through their actions rather than kissing at the end.
Akira Kurosawa’s 1949 film Stray Dog roots the genre’s origins, depicting the duo as law enforcement officers and explaining the use of “cop.” But the formula has stretched and adapted itself to a wide range of characters and genres. From private detectives to bounty hunters to superheroes, the genre has focused more on the “buddy” aspect, implying that unlikely heroes with a mission can evolve from a professional partnership to a personal friendship by the end of the story.
While these films don’t always perform well in theaters, fans of the genre can spot the makings of a great bromance in bloom.
What Makes a Great Buddy Cop Movie?
Any screenwriter writing a genre piece needs to understand and nail the fundamentals of the genre they are writing while avoiding clichés. Some genres, like the buddy cop and the rom-com, let clichés flourish when they earn it. Writers can use the clichés of the buddy cop genre effectively if they understand them, so let’s get into the characteristics that define these films.
Opposites Attract
The most successful buddy cop movies feature two protagonists who should not be together, but something about them makes sense despite the friction their personalities create.
In these films, the protagonists are often the misfits within their organizations. While they are good at their jobs, they often have shortcomings that limit them from being great. Eventually, these two protagonists are reluctantly paired together to save the day, whether they like it or not.
Shane Black, the master of the buddy cop genre, consistently nails the classic pairing in films like Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Nice Guys.
The Meet-Violent
The meet-cute is a staple in any rom-com, so it makes sense that the buddy cop genre has its own, bloodier version of this hallmark trope. The meet-violent setting sets the tone for the rest of the film and the dynamic between the two protagonists.
When a writer makes the meet-violent funny yet grotesque, they are laying the foundation for the relationship between the characters and the audience. The initial meeting pits the characters against each other, creating tension that lingers until the final act resolves it, even though the audience knows these characters will be together for the rest of the movie.
The hardest part of the genre is getting to know the characters and establishing their relationships in a short amount of time. If you can do all of that in the first act, then you are golden.
Comedic Communication Barriers
The main characters’ personalities will create lots of laughs as they encounter conflicts that are just as absurd as they are entertaining. Often, a character’s relaxed and humorous nature clashes with their serious and disciplined partner. This can create comedic moments that keep the audience engaged with the story.
Read More: You Gotta Have Heart: The Power of Drama in Comedy
The Evolution of the Bromance
While these two protagonists are not going to resolve their issues by falling in love, they do find a common language that helps them connect and grow together. The unconventional, seemingly incompatible partnership eventually pays off as the characters build a strong bond and can effectively work as a team.
It is human nature for this evolution to feel intimate because that is how a strong relationship between people feels. Part of the comic trope is developing a strong platonic bond that is on the verge of being something more. Getting the characters in a position that makes them drop their defenses and become emotionally or physically vulnerable can develop the relationship while providing the audience with a laugh.
In the end, these tropes should come together to showcase the start of a beautiful friendship that can either lead to more adventures or just exist as a beautiful bromance cemented in cinema history.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)
Deadpool & Wolverine Is a Buddy Cop Movie With a Cape
As I mentioned earlier, the buddy cop genre has evolved since Kurosawa introduced it to the mainstream. Arguably, many superhero films follow the genre’s tropes, but Deadpool & Wolverine leans into the trope hard, playing it for laughs, fan-service moments, and for the bromance between two iconic (and profitable) superheroes.
Since their first meeting in the pages of 1994’s Wolverine #88, these two crass regenerative heroes have rarely been on the same page. After their first meeting, when Wade stabbed Logan through the chest with his two swords, they established the tone for their entire relationship in Marvel Comics: they insult each other, stab one another, get back up, have a temporary truce, and eventually do it all over again.
It is the perfect relationship for a buddy cop story.
The cinematic relationship between Deadpool and Wolverine had promised this buddy cop dynamic in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. But many were dissatisfied with this depiction, so the partnership in Deadpool & Wolverine became more of a redemption story for both characters.
Even though Deadpool & Wolverine never puts these heroes in immediate danger, their combative personalities create iconic fight sequences that make the movie one of the best comedies of 2024. A stand-out moment—which writers can learn from—is when Wade and Logan are driving in a small minivan through the Void. After Wade pushes Logan about his yellow suit, Logan rips Wade apart for his past actions and unrelenting need to talk. This culminates in a massive all-night fight in the car that many have read as a more intimate moment between the two than one of aggression.
Whether you enjoy Deadpool & Wolverine and its endless cameos, there is no denying that it is a great buddy cop film that purposefully leans into the tropes of the genre.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)
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Buddy cop films are not for everyone, but they are a strong comedy subgenre that can have a great payoff when done well, especially when the audience is already familiar with the two main characters. With other buddy cop films debuting this year (The Wolfs, Bad Boys 4), the genre could be going through a resurgence just like the rom-com.
This genre is worth a screenwriter’s time to write because it can help them learn how to effectively establish characters and their relationships in a short amount of time. This skill is essential to making the buddy cop film work but can benefit writers working on any other story. So, go and study the essential buddy cop films, including Deadpool & Wolverine, to see if you can write another great movie for the genre.
Read More: Disney Is Cutting Back on Marvel. What Does This Mean for Screenwriters?
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Author: Alyssa Miller
