"You need to find a woman who's pathetic, like you." - Drax.
I knew nothing about Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy before viewing James Gunn's 2014 adaptation for the first time. The characters aren't as iconic as the Avengers or the X-Men, so I had no expectations for what I was about to watch. The film turned out to be one of the nicest surprises and most fun cinema experiences ever, boasting fantastic characters, incredible designs and a super-cool soundtrack. Guardians of the Galaxy quickly became one of my favourite superhero films, and I couldn't wait to see what James Gunn was going to bring us in the sequel. After three years of waiting, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is finally here, and is set to be just as successful as its predecessor. All your favourite characters are back, as well as some new additions to the cast, and all the enjoyment delivered in the first film is still present throughout this worthy sequel.
We rejoin the team of Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and the now foot tall Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) as they carry out a dangerous mission for golden skinned Sovereign race. Retrieving valuable batteries for the Sovereigns in exchange for Gamora's evil sister Nebula (Karen Gillan), Rocket can't help but steal some of the batteries for himself. Chased by the Sovereigns, the team are forced to crash land on a remote planet, where they are rescued by the mysterious Ego (Kurt Russell) and his companion Mantis (Pom Klementieff). Ego claims to be Peter's father, and wants a chance to bond with his son. But the Sovereigns aren't about to let the Guardians escape them, hiring Peter's old accomplice Yondu (Michael Rooker) to track them down. As Peter learns of his heritage, he must decide where his loyalties lie, as his love interest Gamora grows increasingly suspicious of Ego's intentions...
The real charm about the first film was undoubtedly the chemistry of the cast, and Vol. 2 continues to present us with many heart-warming and hilarious moments amongst them. Chris Pratt once again shows why he's the perfect action-adventure lead with his charm, charisma and wide acting range. For me, he's quickly becoming this generation's Harrison Ford, and it's the role of Star-Lord that will no doubt be the central role in his legacy. However, not even the brilliance of Pratt can steal the show from Dave Bautista's Drax the Destroyer. By far the funniest character in a film full of them, Drax's scenes had me smiling and laughing throughout, and his interactions with Mantis are some of the best comedy moments you'll see this year. Also providing plenty of laughs are the duo of Rocket and Baby Groot. With Groot now being the smaller of the two, Rocket's attempts to point out the obvious to him gives them a more father/son relationship than before, adding a new layer of depth to their friendship. As before, Gamora is the more serious of the team, and this is no doubt influenced by her rivalry with Nebula, which is taken to the next level in Vol. 2. Now acting alone, Nebula is more determined than ever to finally better her sister, which leads to a thrilling encounter in the film's second half.
Kurt Russel as Ego adds an interesting dynamic to this entry, as he appears to only want to achieve a personal goal of connecting with his son. His ambitions do go beyond this, but the majority of the film's time shows his efforts to gain Peter's trust and loyalty. This was done believably throughout, and gives us more insight into their family history, something which is far more interesting to watch than the typical good vs. evil theme seen in the first film. Ego is more mysterious and cunning than the first film's villain, Ronan (Lee Pace), and so I found him to be more engaging and memorable. The only weak point in the cast is Sylvester Stallone, bizarrely given a "straight" role to play rather than crazy or comedic. Stallone isn't convincing at all playing a serious character, but thankfully his screen-time is limited. It has to be one of the most pointless roles to ever be so highly billed in the film's opening credits.
As before, the film is accompanied by a killer soundtrack, something which has helped characterised the Guardians of the Galaxy series. The songs chosen for the first film were widely praised, and Vol. 2 builds upon the list of great songs. James Gunn's use of each song is so carefully plotted that at times you'd think the songs were specifically written for the scene, in the same way Quentin Tarantino has been doing for years. My personal favourite use of music is Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights" juxtaposed with Rocket taking out a squad of thugs. Cheerfully humming along, Rocket uses a variety of traps and gadgets to comedic effect, which looks especially impressive with the size and sound of the cinema. I'd like to make a personal plea to include the songs "More than a Feeling" by Boston and "Girls Got Rhythm" by AC/DC on the soundtrack for the next film, as I think they'd fit perfectly into the series.
The only real downside to the film is the inevitable problem of it not feeling as fresh an experience as its predecessor. My expectations of it being a fun two hour ride were met, but its never going to feel as surprising and delightful as when I saw the first film. That said, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the MCU's strong run of blockbusters and further cements the iconic status of the craziest superhero team around. Packed with charm and unbeatable character chemistry, it will no doubt be the most colourful and fun film you'll see this year. Just be sure to stick around during the credits, as there are no less than five additional scenes tacked on the further your enjoyment!
The real charm about the first film was undoubtedly the chemistry of the cast, and Vol. 2 continues to present us with many heart-warming and hilarious moments amongst them. Chris Pratt once again shows why he's the perfect action-adventure lead with his charm, charisma and wide acting range. For me, he's quickly becoming this generation's Harrison Ford, and it's the role of Star-Lord that will no doubt be the central role in his legacy. However, not even the brilliance of Pratt can steal the show from Dave Bautista's Drax the Destroyer. By far the funniest character in a film full of them, Drax's scenes had me smiling and laughing throughout, and his interactions with Mantis are some of the best comedy moments you'll see this year. Also providing plenty of laughs are the duo of Rocket and Baby Groot. With Groot now being the smaller of the two, Rocket's attempts to point out the obvious to him gives them a more father/son relationship than before, adding a new layer of depth to their friendship. As before, Gamora is the more serious of the team, and this is no doubt influenced by her rivalry with Nebula, which is taken to the next level in Vol. 2. Now acting alone, Nebula is more determined than ever to finally better her sister, which leads to a thrilling encounter in the film's second half.
Kurt Russel as Ego adds an interesting dynamic to this entry, as he appears to only want to achieve a personal goal of connecting with his son. His ambitions do go beyond this, but the majority of the film's time shows his efforts to gain Peter's trust and loyalty. This was done believably throughout, and gives us more insight into their family history, something which is far more interesting to watch than the typical good vs. evil theme seen in the first film. Ego is more mysterious and cunning than the first film's villain, Ronan (Lee Pace), and so I found him to be more engaging and memorable. The only weak point in the cast is Sylvester Stallone, bizarrely given a "straight" role to play rather than crazy or comedic. Stallone isn't convincing at all playing a serious character, but thankfully his screen-time is limited. It has to be one of the most pointless roles to ever be so highly billed in the film's opening credits.
As before, the film is accompanied by a killer soundtrack, something which has helped characterised the Guardians of the Galaxy series. The songs chosen for the first film were widely praised, and Vol. 2 builds upon the list of great songs. James Gunn's use of each song is so carefully plotted that at times you'd think the songs were specifically written for the scene, in the same way Quentin Tarantino has been doing for years. My personal favourite use of music is Glen Campbell's "Southern Nights" juxtaposed with Rocket taking out a squad of thugs. Cheerfully humming along, Rocket uses a variety of traps and gadgets to comedic effect, which looks especially impressive with the size and sound of the cinema. I'd like to make a personal plea to include the songs "More than a Feeling" by Boston and "Girls Got Rhythm" by AC/DC on the soundtrack for the next film, as I think they'd fit perfectly into the series.
The only real downside to the film is the inevitable problem of it not feeling as fresh an experience as its predecessor. My expectations of it being a fun two hour ride were met, but its never going to feel as surprising and delightful as when I saw the first film. That said, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the MCU's strong run of blockbusters and further cements the iconic status of the craziest superhero team around. Packed with charm and unbeatable character chemistry, it will no doubt be the most colourful and fun film you'll see this year. Just be sure to stick around during the credits, as there are no less than five additional scenes tacked on the further your enjoyment!
