Review: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2"
Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 10:00PM 
by Chris Feil
Superhero sequels these days seem burdened to go more bigger than bombastic. If the entire human race isn’t at stake and they aren’t finding new ways to topple more and more skyscrapers, they aren’t following the rules of engagement. So it is with some relief that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 operates very much on the same level and ambitions as its predecessor, its sights on delivering what it did before and just as well. It gets what we loved about it before, and doesn’t mistake it for empty spectacle.
That means more bickering, more quips, and more retro tunes as our space badasses once again defend the galaxy - but also about the same amount of scale in regards to what they are saving us from...
Even Vol. 2’s villain’s interplanetary reach for destruction seems positively intimate when compared to the likes of Ultron smashing a chunk of the Earth into itself. Your affection towards the sequel is therefore likely to fall right in line with your thoughts on the first installment.
Where the film does prove to be more ambitious is in the emotional connections between our heroes. Gamora and Nebula’s tenuous sisterhood becomes more defined, while the passion between Gamora and Peter Quill remains evasive. The film stretches to make the sometimes dastardly Yondu a patriarch to a few of the Guardians, but Michael Rooker is charming enough to pull off the the softer side of a gruff character without being too saccharine. Baby Groot is now the literal little brother that he always was in the group’s roles, while Rocket remains the drunk uncle.
But it’s the swift arrival of Peter’s absentee father Ego (Kurt Russell, a recent movie star comeback we aren’t appreciating enough) that provides the story’s main backbone. And his sudden presence in Peter’s life brings up more questions than the personal ones we know are coming. Russell provides the charm that the film somewhat denies Chris Pratt from delivering - Peter Quill is just a little sad this time, guys. As Mantis, Pom Klementieff hilariously matches Dave Bautista’s Drax for deadpan directness.
But the most delightful new blood in the film is Elizabeth Debicki as golden warrior queen Ayesha, the Guardians’ newest villain. She’s all vengeful rage but still coolly disposed, like all Game of Thrones seriousness dunked in a vat of fabulous. We can't wait to see more of what she brings to the MCU!
Guardians is a more emotional piece to the MCU puzzle than its fellow snarky superheroes, and this sequel succeeds by being light and loose with that depth of feeling. While it plays some of its surrounding themes with a heavier dose of literalism that lacks that light touch (the naming of Russell’s Ego brings a few groans), the film remains a neon breeze by taking itself seriously only in the right amounts.
If not the most revolutionary start to the summer movie season, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 does deliver a fun kickoff of easy laughs and warmth.
Grade: B
Reader Comments (16)
Really enjoyed this, even if it doesn't break the mold. It's weirdly committed to fleshing out side characters, for better and worse. I thought Karen Gillan and Elizabeth Debicki were both outstanding. It's easy to oversell Debicki's small role, but she brings a lot to it. I loved her character's incongruous smiles, as if even at her angriest she's also amused by the disorder and change of pace the Guardians bring.
I loved it, saw it last monday, in Spain, where it opened a week early... I think it's an improvement on the already great vol.1 and there were a few hints - specially Stan Lee's cameo - that the deal between Fox and Disney is already done and either Fantastic Four are back at Marvel or that Fox is merging their properties with Marvel as Sony did with Spiderman. A further hint of the deal, is the buzz, Marvel is relaunching - at last - the Fantastic Four comic book series... if you see Fantastic Four merchandising (comics, t-shirts) being launched again by Marvel, that's it. And I seriously can't wait to have Marvel controlling both Fantastic Four and the mutants films, again...
I liked the movie and laughed a lot but I thought it was overly long, especially the time it took to reveal the bad guy/gal.
I enjoyed this one. I loved the chemistry between the cast that becomes more emotional this time around and I thought the action and the retro soundtrack was very good. I did think it lost its luster by the second act and Elizabeth Debicki was wasted even though she did a great job with what she was given.
Kurt Russell is the best and his comeback fills me with joy.
Here's the link to downloading the movie
https://mega.nz/#!1LQDhZoR!qQ3FrDZ_HrmlUIlOrmPOe3eXu2IwChmH-6jwXsSGdWw
Debicki is super selective and I'm loving it.
We saw her in Gatsby 4 years ago and she's evidently in no rush to prove anything to anyone.
She clearly follows the "Directors & Actors You Should Work With" Blanchett route.
One overlong family therapy session -daddy issues, sister issues, fitting in a group issues- mercifully interrupted from time to time with some nice action scenes. Big time shame on whomever is responsible for turning Mantis into a dull soulles kind of anime doll
He gave Peter's mum a tumor???? I cant be the only one thinking Kurt Russell is NOT that evil. He's too good looking to be that nefarious about not wanting to drive further than up the road for a good time, with a girl who he apparently has trouble leaving. Couldn't he have just taken her back to his face planet? And did the kids or off-spring just perish because of the process or did he actually kill them?
So many questions.
Thanks for sharing this post. Really I like this movie.
i like this movie, the funniest character was baby groot and chris look awesome in red jacket
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I liked the movie but near the end I kept thinking this is exactly like the futurama episode were fry meets a alien who created life named yivo and went to his home which was a planet made up of him also. Yivo was planning to take over the universe also with mind control but its the same plot just different detail pritty much
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