When the first Guardians of the Galaxy debuted in the summer of ’14, its unqualified success came as a bit of a surprise. It was a superhero team with which most were unfamiliar and so predictions were cautious. Being the 10th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), many assumed it would still rank somewhere in the summer’s top 10. However no one thought it would be the biggest hit of the entire season, even besting Transformers: Age of Extinction, the presumed #1. There was a very good reason. Guardians was an extraordinary interplanetary space adventure that perfectly blended, action, romance and melodrama – arguably the best MCU entry yet. Now with Vol. 2, the outlook is better because we know director James Gunn can deliver the goods. However, a great sequel is the general exception, not the norm in my experience. Could Gunn capture lightning in a bottle again? I’m happy to report that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 rises to the occasion. I had my doubts, but this surpasses expectations.
The original Guardians was a candy-colored, fun-tastic sugar rush of a space dream. Yet the production design of Vol. 2 makes the first film look like a Jim Jarmusch indie. The space opera positively bursts with color, effects, and lively entertainment. Sprinkle in another soundtrack of 70s pop hits. The formula works again. Marvel has got another smash hit on its hands. The priority is fun and Vol. 2 is, dare I say it, even funnier than the original. Not better, mind you. It would have been impossible to recapture the exhilarating feeling of when we first discovered this rag tag team. Gunn realizes this and so his focus is mining the comedy from familiar individuals and then deepening our comprehension of what makes these characters tick.
Guardians is all about family. Director James Gunn’s screenplay manages to weave in a tale about deadbeat dads, sibling rivalry between sisters and infighting amongst the clan. This gives us a fuller grasp of characters we thought we already knew. The unmistakable chemistry remains with this lovable bunch. There’s Peter “Star-Lord” Quill (Chris Pratt) the smart-alecky leader and tough-talking, unsmiling warrior Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Their relationship, or lack of one, is addressed through the empathic powers of new cast member, Mantis (Pom Klementieff ). Massive galoot Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) is back. Despite his literal perception of words, he inexplicably informs the naive alien she’s ugly. Nevertheless, there seems to be a budding romance between the two. Also returning are the cranky bounty hunter Rocket, (voiced by Bradley Cooper), that genetically engineered raccoon, and cut from a sapling, Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). He’s awfully dim but still cute as can be. There’s a couple unexpected cameos thrown in and the introduction of an important new villain. No further explanation is necessary. I consider those details spoilers.
Guardians Vol. 2 succeeds at being both funny and deep. There’s humor to spare but there’s a poignancy to the proceedings too. We get a more well-rounded understanding of characters we know and love. Guardians gives us the laughs while serving up a lot of heart as well. Marvel movies have always been amusing. What sets Guardians apart from others of its ilk is the free associating pop culture aesthetic. No where is that more conspicuous than in the soundtrack. Peter’s beloved mixtape is the sentimental link to his deceased mother. Like its predecessor, we get a liberal sampling of 70s hits from the likes of Fleetwood Mac, ELO and Cat Stevens. The film is so loopy there’s even room for a David Hasselhoff tune. Trust me. It actually has context in the story. At times, the More glitz! More dazzle! can seem like too much. At 2 hours 18 minutes, the extended run time suffers a bit from too much bloat. But at its best, Guardians is silly and irreverent in the best sense of the word. This is the giddy spectacle of a summer flick that wants to party down and have fun. The production achieves this in visually spectacular fashion. It’s an opportunity for any carefree individual to simply enjoy themselves at the cinema. One need only be open to the invitation. In a bit of sage advice, Drax tells Peter, “There’s two types of beings in the universe: those who dance, and those who do not.” This is a film for those who dance.
05-04-17
Fast Film Reviews 
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