Review: ‘Deadpool 2’ finds heart in outrageously meta sequel

The Merc with a Mouth is back and, somehow, he’s managed to be even more outrageous than ever before.

“Deadpool 2” hit theaters Friday and offered a much needed escape from the current status of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After the traumatic events of last month’s “Avengers: Infinity War,” a little, or should I say A LOT, of violence and profanity provided a refreshing change of pace to the superhero genre.

Once again, Ryan Reynolds’ hilariously crude portrayal of Wade Wilson, everyone’s favorite antihero, makes this movie two hours of fun. “Deadpool 2” is able to jump right into the action and comedy without any of the exposition that slowed down its predecessor, allowing for a smoother, and more straightforward experience this time around.

While the sequel embraces most of the same things that made the original so popular, aka the extreme gore and F-bomb-ladened humor, it branches out in a new direction and adds a new element – heart.

With a more character-centric focus, viewers see a completely new side of Deadpool – one that wants to have a baby, protects a lost child and is willing to sacrifice himself. In a movie that’s based so heavily in violence, it’s nice to see some serious character development and a bit of a deeper message.

But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean there isn’t still enough killing and cursing to go around. Reynolds, along with Josh Brolin’s Cable and Julian Dennison’s Russell keep the show moving with their constant quips back and forth.

The jokes in “Deadpool 2” are so meta with so many different layers to them that some may go over your head without ever realizing what was said. Whether they’re taking shots at other character, other superhero movies or just the current state of the world, the movie’s nonstop pop culture references will leave you cackling.

Perhaps the movies biggest gag is it’s parody of the never-ending superhero team-ups led by the Avengers and the Justice League. In “Deadpool 2,” Reynolds assembles his own super team known as the X-Force, made up of a handful of less-than-stellar mutants, plus Peter.

While most of his new teammates end up being duds, Zazie Beetz’s Domino turns in a pretty badass performance as the world’s luckiest superhero. Plus, the breakout star of the first movie, Karan Soni’s Dopinder, is back and ready for blood as he begs Mr. Pool to let him join the team.

Seeing as it’s not part of the MCU and it feels so removed from every other superhero movie, you may think it’s safe to leave once the credits start rolling, but you’d be mistaken. Stick around until the mid-credits scene for a little bit more time-traveling fun and a few more shots at Marvel and DC.