It's the only real way to start summer movie season.
Just a glimpse of the trailer or a poster for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was enough to indicate the colorful excesses of Marvel Studios' newest release. Loaded with eye-popping visual candy, relentless high-speed action, and jokes that could have been written for Deadpool, this smash-bang sci-fi circus has just about everything fans of the series could want. Others, though, may find themselves lost and annoyed pretty quickly.
Where the first Guardians broke the Marvel Cinematic Universe conventions -- its unbridled joy, vibrant style, and raucous humor sharply contrasted the dark, heavy Thor and Captain America sequels -- this one doesn't quite live up to the expectations. While it certainly follows its predecessor's aesthetic, it just fails to feel as fresh. Easy to see why: The last two MCU movies (besides Civil War) were Doctor Strange and Ant-Man, films that similarly broke conventions and staked out new visual frontiers. The bewildering cosmic candy-colored visuals of this film are awesome, but familiar in recent superhero-movie memory.
The bloated, occasionally gimmicky film, however, is by no means a wasted effort. Its dynamics may leave a bit to be desired, but when you have a rambunctious action-adventure this fun, who cares?
A sort of thematic extension of the first film, where we saw Peter Quill seeking belonging and purpose in the world around him, now we follow Peter Quill's search for himself. Who and what is he? The Nova Corps told him his father wasn't human, and while he and his team have been busy living up to their title, his curiosity only grows. One day, in the midst of an apparently unrelated battle, he is saved by a figure who identifies itself as his father. Following him to a nearby planet, the Guardians discover that all is not as it appears, that identity may not be entirely biological, and that power is even more dangerous than they expected.
Sound thematically similar to the first movie? It is, though here the focus is decidedly on Peter Quill more than the whole team (which is fine; I didn't think Chris Pratt could look any better than he did in Jurassic World, but I was so very wrong). Along the way, Rocket faces some tough choices and consequences for his actions which results in surprisingly interesting character development. Yondu, who I just couldn't stand in the first movie, becomes a gripping character here; then again, he is drawn sharply into focus as a central plot point. Nebula sort-of, kind-of joins the team, and her presence is welcome for us if not always her teammates. And while Gamora and Drax stay pretty true to what we already know, the movie is stolen time and again by Baby Groot, whose antics could surely fill their own movie.
You can feel director James Gunn's desperation here, and that's something quite different from the first. He seems to be urgently catering, making sure we laugh at regular intervals, gasp often, and even maybe tear up at the end. We can sense his manic machinations behind the scenes, pushing the pace, revving the energy, throwing every spectacle at us in an effort to beat awe out of us. Occasionally it works, too. Well, okay, maybe only once. The opening scene is the best in the film, and possibly the single best scene in the franchise. Baby Groot turns on a boombox with Quill's new mixtape and proceeds to dance during the opening credits, mostly oblivious to the violent battle happening all around him. It's a perfect example of the organized lunacy that makes Guardians fabulous. Riotously funny, infectiously sweet, it is the perfect introduction to another irreverent swashbuckler featuring our favorite band of freaks.
But dammit, where is Glenn Close??
PS: Stick around after the movie. No less than five tacked-on scenes featured during the credits explore all kinds of stuff. There's the silly and probably inconsequential moments of Kraglin experimenting with Yondu's arrow, Groot growing into a teenager (I can't wait for his antics the next time he's on screen!), and Stan Lee in an extended cameo that seems to wink at the fan theory that he's a Watcher in the MCU. There's the introduction of what were another incarnation of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics, led by Sylvester Stallone's character Stakar; I hope we're not going to have a standalone Ravagers movie, but the scene is a cool little nod to the fans (and any fan of Ving Rhames). And, finally, there's the cryptic introduction of what may be a new villain, Adam Warlock, who will probably show up big time in Infinity War or the next Guardians movie; his story often intersected with the Infinity Stones and Thanos.
IMDb: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
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