Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

They're back with great music from the past!

If you had to choose the finest MCU films I'm sure the answer would be the Captain America trilogy & the Guardians of the Galaxy, in no particular order whatsoever. While the Cap movies are all serious, the Guardians are all about having fun while saving the day. I have to admit that when the first film came out, I was exhausted of watching superhero films, I had this feeling of "everything's been done before" and/or "every superhero film is derivative" So my expectations were pretty low, and biased by my bad mood. In fact, I had to re watch Guardians of the Galaxy 3 times until I finally came out of my fanboy state to see that I was in front of one of the finest MCU films ever made, so why so serious?

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, is a two hour & fourteen minute roller-coaster ride that bounces up & down among action, drama, jokes and a few surprises.

James Gunn takes us on a thrilling action adventure that is as humorous as it is exciting. You should approach the film expecting to be constantly laughing through almost every, if not every single scene. And you will also be surprised not to come short on the more alternate of emotions as well, as this turns into one of Marvels most emotionally breathtaking films to date. This riveting sequel is not one to leave it's fans walking out of the cinema with their heads hanging down in disappointment. But rather left glued to their seats wanting more, even after the commencement of the five post-credit scenes.

Starlord returns.

So does Rocket Racoon.

Plotwise, the long-awaited continuation of the Awesome Mix Vol 1. regroups us with The Guardians of the Galaxy, who survive by doing some good, some bad and a bit of both throughout the universes. On their journey through space they help others out of trouble and more often than not, work themselves into trouble. When they are met by Ego, a mysterious and powerful being, the future of this unlikely bunch of misfits is all but certain. What purpose does Ego have in mind for our beloved Star- Lord? What will become of the Guardians? How does an iconic 80's action movie- star have a place in this film? Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. will provide overall satisfying answers.

The tone and humor which got so many people hooked on the original, is preserved for its sequel. Thank Gunn for that! James Gunn managed to recapture that tone and sense of humor almost perfectly a second time over. All of the Guardians have their distinct personalities and fitting sense of humor but are given a lot more character development in Volume 2. The characters Gunn chose to reintroduce, are interesting due to compelling backstories and some creative, touching and funny character moments. Watching action scenes featuring characters you love and care about, adds so much drama and weight to the action and makes the movie all the more enjoyable. The action itself is creative, fun and often times hilariously over the top. 

Are you sure you wanna meet your dad?

So that's how I escaped marriage.

With any great superhero film, there comes the need for a compelling villain. MARVEL doesn't have an amazing track record as far as villains go. Remember the villain of Thor: The Dark World, or his plan? No, me neither... Or what about the incredible emotional depth that was given to that bald guy from Ant-Man... Oh wait. With great relief I can say that the Guardians face off against a much more compelling and interesting villain in Vol 2. than in the original. His plan and motivation could be considered abstract and pretty vague. But to its credit, the movie does take its time to set up the big bad plan reveal and by that point you're on board with it. Volume 2 takes a lot of time to develop a lot of characters. All this time and effort pays off at the end with an incredible final act and an emotional ending which left me in tears.

Finally, a special mention needs to be made for Baby Groot, who steals every scene he's in. He's adorable, funny, bad-ass and oh so very charming! An absolute fan favorite and a toy-seller for sure. Also, Yondu gets some genuine great development. His character arch is so touching, so unexpected and emotional. It elevated the entire film.

As far as the actual Awesome Mix Vol 2. goes, I can happily say it's amazing! With a lot of upbeat classics and heartwarming ballads, this soundtrack is a must-own.

Baby Groot!

Sister love.

One of the reasons Guardians of the Galaxy is so beloved is because of its tight story. It is based in the same universe as The Avengers and its heroes but didn't need to tie in to the other films so firmly. Just an infinity stone and a cameo by Thanos were enough to establish the connection. What we got was a solid stand-alone film that had a compact story with colorful characters that didn't need to set up six other films. Can you name another MARVEL film that had the exact same advantage? Because of the fact that Volume 2 pays so much attention to character development for a lot more characters than just the Guardians, the story loses focus and a firm grip on the plot. Although the backstories given to our characters, are pretty cool and interesting, it's the way they are conveyed that makes the film lose some steam. There's a lot of exposition and not all of it through well written dialogue. I would've preferred some tight flashback scenes. A lot more "Show", a lot less "Tell".

Then there's the unfortunate need to set up plot-points and characters for future Guardians- films. All this makes for a bit of a messy film with some pacing issues. Gunn clearly tried to balance all these character and plot-points and hasn't come unscathed out of the ordeal. It's weird he went down this route because story-wise, this film is even more disconnected from the Infinity War than the fist one. So setting up so much material for a sequel, is an odd choice because it feels so unnecessary. 

New family members.

An odd couple.

The climax battle is huge! a whole planet on peril, the Guardians outnumbered, and  a collection of explosions and super powers that will give you the thrills! The sad part is that not everyone will survive, yet the sacrifice will expand the GOTG universe for a third part for sure. 

The 5 after credit scenes (yes, five ) are hilarious and I won't say anything else in order to avoid spoiling them for you. There are also some very unexpected cameos, and I'm sure one will be freaking loved by 80's pop culture fans. Coincidentally, the film solves a fan theory mystery, that's been around for quite some time but, I won't spoil that either. Also, I loved Drax in the sequel, his one liners are excellent and had me laughing the most!

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, slightly bends under the weight of its predecessor but still manages to deliver a fun Space adventure and some much appreciated character development. Even though Gunn and his gang, incorporated a lot more exposition and sequel setups, Volume 2 is still an Awesome Mix of fun, action, drama and colorful characters. With a fantastic ending, I can't wait to see the Guardians return! 

Here's the movie trailer: