Although I’m a little disappointed that they didn’t just stick with “Untitled Deadpool Sequel” as the official title, “Deadpool 2” brings the Merc with the mouth back, and he’s bolder than ever as he looks to avoid the pitfalls of the ‘difficult second album’.

When Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds)’s cavalier attitude ends up costing him everything he cares about, it sends him into a downward spiral of self-abuse and self-destruction. But just as the sweet release of oblivion seems to be within his grasp, Deadpool discovers not only a reason to live but maybe, just maybe, something worth dying for.

Unable to surprise in the way the first movie did, the sequel goes bigger and ballsier. The fourth wall isn’t just broken, it gets demolished. The action is more spectacular, the violence gorier and the comedy cruder and more frenetic than ever.

Emboldened by success and supported by a clearly more generous budget, producer/ star Reynolds and incoming director David Leitch (“John Wick”, “Atomic Blonde”) take the freewheeling attitude of the first movie’s narrative and apply it to a plot revolving around the need to protect a troubled young mutant from the far-future consequences in the form of Cable (Josh Brolin).

Cable works thanks to Brolin’s muscular performance but the film doesn’t really bother to explain much about what his mutant power is or how he came to be the way he is. I’m not really a 90s comic guy so although I’d heard of Cable I don’t really know much about him and I sort of get him mixed up with Bishop, but it doesn’t harm the movie at all and feels like a smart move as the forthcoming “X-Force” movie can delve into his character more. Alongside Cable, and the returning X-men from the first movie, we’re treated to several new X-additions, none of whom shine as brightly as Domino (Zazie Beetz).

Ryan Reynolds is so perfectly in character by this point, he’s able to deliver his innuendo-laden quips with just a look, no mean feat from behind the mask. Amidst the droll trolling of co-star Josh Brolin’s back catalogue, the entire spectrum of cinematic super-heroics (although he takes pops at the MCU and DCEU, nothing gets trolled harder than the X-Men movies themselves) and more surprising and shocking cameos than you can shake a dismembered limb at, nothing ever quite steals the focus from the main man himself.

“Deadpool 2” manages to somehow be a sprawling action comedy, an absurdly graphic and violent gorefest, and, perhaps surprisingly, a satisfyingly emotional and heartfelt family movie. You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, you’ll cheer and you’ll gasp. You may even shed a tear or two, and that’s just during the mid-credits stingers which might just be the best yet – across any cinematic universe.

9/10

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