Epic/Personal
Puts on a show but the stakes hit close to home
Soundtrack
No surprise here, but I'm impressed how well implemented the songs are
Thematic
Themes of re-connection and undisclosed emotions resonate throught the film
Standout
Almost all the guardians are great but Rooker's Yondu and Russll's Ego that standout this time around
Funny as all Hell
While not as organic as the first guardians, your simply not human if you don't laugh at all in Vol.2
Rotten Tomatoes 82% Cinemascore: A
Let me begin this review by stating that while I would agree the first Guardians of the Galaxy is the better movie, I enjoyed Vol.2 more. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 is a flawed film, more so then its predecessor; its plot is at time non existent, the humor is very hit and miss, some characters even get left behind in the action (I'm looking at you Drax). However where as the first Guardians implemented the marvel formula to introduce some of its universe's best characters and showcase them comming together, Vol.2 thrives in the obscurity, demanding its viewers attention both when it want to make and joke and also when director James Gunn has something more substantial to say. For the first time since perhaps the first Iron Man, it would seem Marvel head Kevin Feige has given full confidence to his director to construct and execute an original narrative. The result is a summer movie that showcases splashes of an action blockbuster and auteurist film-making; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 is the largest departure form the winning MCU formula yet, which is much the reason I love it so much.
The plot to Guardians of the Galacy Vol.2 is hard to discuss mostly due to its absence throughout the movie. The majority of Vol.2 centers around its iconic team splitting up, Rocket (Cooper/Gunn) and Groot (well Baby Groot now) to recover a bounty while Peter (Pratt) and the rest go off with Ego (Russell) who claims to be Peter's ancient and long lost father. Much of the rest of the plot unfolds as each group hits different road blocks giving the whole film a feeling of spontaneity and discourse. Rest assured there is an end game in sight, but part of the fun of Vol.2 is that it feels it can go several different directions throughout its nearly two and a half hour run time, for some this may be come across more tedious but for myself, I was completely invested and ready for any sharp right the movie was teasing of making.
The strength of the Guardians movies, and by extension the entire MCU, comes back to the characters. The Guardians are a blast to watch and Gunn works their dynamic in whenever he can to give the audience all that he can, this is a summer movie after all. But what makes Vol.2 so special is Gunn's direction; his attention to detail both in the cinematography as well as in the editing pave the way for thematic payoffs later in the movie. This is a film that rewards the viewer for thinking, and even though it may seem small amongst the fantastic action, its significant and essential to the story Gunn wants to tell. Their are no tie ins here, mentions of the looming Infinity War that the Guardians will play a role in are quiet, this is a personal narrative featuring several core character among an ensemble of attention loving assholes. In many ways that's a weakness, but I believe in the context of Gunn's narrative he uses everything he can to turn Vol.2 dysfunction into a strength.
I need to make one more note of praise involving Vol.2 and so far the entire Guardians franchise so far, the score. I'm not talking about Peter's awesome mixtape, that's great too, but the score composed by Tyler Bates remains one of the best cinematic scores for a major motion picture in recent memory, and I claim he up'd his game for the sequel. Tracks like Gods, Dad, I Know Who You Are, and Marry Poppins and the Rat all implement fantastic use of the leitmotif, provide thematic context and tone, and elevate their respective scenes as well as the characters in them. When I can listen to a track, visualize a scene from a movie and a tear comes to my eyes, that something incredibly special only a score tied to its film can produce. Just a recommendation, if you were going to spend 10$ to get the new awesome mix, consider picking up the original score as well, the two go hand and hand and competently tell Vol.2 story all though audio means.
Marvel has produced several films that I unabashedly adore, and I'm glad to count Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 among them. Its a risk taker, divulging from the marvel formula to deliver, in my opinion, an incredibly special film. It's flawed, but a movie to me is not marked by its flaws but by its strengths. I want to see Vol.2 again and I have already seen it three times. It surprised me by surpassing its excellent predecessor in my eyes, another movie I adore in the MCU, and holds a very important spot as my current #3 Marvel film. Good on you Gunn, good on you Bates.
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