Movie Review: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2"While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a sequel that completely oozes the confidence and style of the beloved original, it suffered just enough problems that knocked it down from being “great” to just being “pretty good.” But just because it isn’t perfect doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it all the same.
Taking place shortly after the events of the 2014 hit, the story revolves around Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), his true heritage, and a truthfully tear-jerking message about parenthood that one would never quite expect to find in a Marvel movie. Writer/director James Gunn’s unique voice was ever-present in his return to the franchise, this time paying special attention to character growth and evolution. Benefitting from being one of the most isolated Marvel films to date, the Guardians become much stronger as a unit in this film, to the point where I would argue that they have become more of a family than the Avengers or X-Men ever have, for example. Equally as impressive is the sheer imagination Gunn possesses that is necessary to bring the Jack Kirby-esque Marvel cosmos to life. The cinematography and production design was nothing short of breathtaking, with fantastic sets whose vibrant colors popped in ways that make the rest of Marvel’s catalogue look dull in comparison. Surprisingly violent at some points, even when dozens of evil space pirates are getting annihilated by Rocket Raccoon’s blasters or Yondu’s whistling arrow, it’s done so in a beautiful, symphonic kind of way that still makes it fun and energetic. Gunn’s attention to detail is impressive from the dozens of easter eggs and references scattered throughout the film to the totally unique way alien technology works in this amazing universe. Simply put, it was a visual spectacle of the highest order. As stunning as it looked, however, its music was an unfortunate disappointment following the memorable jams of the original’s best-selling “Awesome Mix Vol. 1” mixtape. While Gunn was still able to sew in the tracks of Vol. 2 in a variety of great ways, the tracks chosen simply weren’t as memorable as The Jackson Five’s “I Want You Back” or the classic “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The exception in Vol. 2 was the use of Cat Steven’s “Father and Son,” which saved the rest of the setlist from being almost completely forgettable. Even if I were to forgive the soundtrack, however, this film’s pacing was really the crux that knocked its potential from being an epic sequel to one that’s just passable. It hit the ground running by introducing the audience to Quill’s father (played by Kurt Russell) in the opening shot, but its lackadaisical second act cast him aside for some, albeit entertaining, filler shenanigans and wonky exposition. At some point, the movie forgot its plot for an hour before remembering that the team’s job is to guard the galaxy. The third act kicked it into high gear, but for as galaxy-ending as the threat was, it felt much too easily dealt with. This keeps Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in line with Marvel’s unfortunate problem in lacking compelling villains outside of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. This was a particular shame because the film’s villain was so charismatic and personable up until they revealed their sinister plan to destroy the universe. Admittedly, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 may not have been the perfect sequel, but its fantastic character growth, supreme visuals, and themes were strong enough to make the ride worth going on despite its flaws. The summer movie season has officially kicked off the Marvel way, and it was still a pleasure to hang out with this amazing cast of characters again. 3.5/5 Have you seen the new "Guardians" yet? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!
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