The sequel to one of the bigger surprises of 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 brings
back everyone’s favorite characters for another intergalactic adventure. The
first film is notorious for being immensely fun and full of cosmic weirdness,
opening a whole new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For everything
that the first film did, this new film attempts to elevate these characters and
continue their story, no small task with the expectations placed upon it.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and
his fellow Guardians are hired by a powerful alien race, the Sovereign, to
protect their precious batteries from invaders. When it is discovered that
Rocket (Bradley Cooper) has stolen the items they were sent to guard, the
Sovereign dispatch their armada to search for vengeance. As the Guardians try
to escape, the mystery of Peter's parentage is revealed.
The plot is hardly as
cohesive as the first film, but it allows for Vol. 2 to pack an emotional punch
and depth for characters we already know. Allowing these character to really
become more real in their actions and less one note, director James Gunn
creates really interesting characters that are just enjoyable to be
around. And while the second act is
weaker than the other two, it is still full of these great character moments
that build dramatic tension. The humor does get in the way a little bit at
times, but it never stops the film from going to some pretty dark places.
The performances across the
board are all at least solid with a few standouts. Chris Pratt is fully
integrated into the role of Star-Lord now, embracing the emotional weight that
he has to bear in this film and maintaining his position as the leader. Zoe Saldana and Karen Gillan get some
meaningful scenes together and build both of their stories up even more, with
Nebula emerging as one of the favorites from the film, getting just enough
information to justify some of her actions.
Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff get some excellent comedic scenes
together as Drax and Mantis respectively, with Bautista showing some real
growth in his acting and comedic capabilities. Kurt Russell is exactly what
you’d expect from a Kurt Russell character in Ego, suave and charming from the
start. But the standout is Michael Rooker, who
brings such emotional weight to Yondu, a character that lacked any depth in the
first, and transforms him into a character that can have a great action scene
one minute and then pull on your heart strings the next. It’s a credit to
Rooker’s acting ability and Gunn’s writing how Yondu truly evolves in this
follow-up film.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is visually stunning and features
one of the better third acts from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, both in
visuals and action. The CGI work on both Groot and Rocket is absolutely
brilliant and the more fantastical elements of the film are outright gorgeous
to behold. The action is really inventive, including Yondu using his trademark
arrow to assist in an escape and Groot gleefully dancing about as the carnage
ensues around and behind him.
Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 isn’t
quite as good as the first one but so what? Catching lightning in a bottle once
is hard enough, so twice is nearly impossible and what James Gunn does with the
sequel is really interesting. The story isn’t as streamlined as the first but
it allows for more character driven plot that really hits on the emotional
moments. And while some of the humor feels forced, it still managed to funny
just misplaced. The bottom line is Guardians
of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is an absolute blast and you’ll be hard pressed to
find a film that balances fun and depth so well in cinemas this year.
So what did you think of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? Have you seen it and where does it rank among the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films? Subscribe, share, comment below, and as always return to I Am Sam for weekly reviews and insight.
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