By: James Southworth
Rating: 3/5 Stars
It would be an understatement to say that Marvel movies are really dominating the industry at this time. They've had success after success, and it seems like they can really do no wrong. Even their weaker movies still have many redeemable qualities to them. It seemed initially like "Guardians of the Galaxy" could be their first misstep with an absurd premise and a trailer that looked a little stupid. Instead, it almost became like a modern "Star Wars", having massive box office and critical success. It was majorly loved by movie critics and general audiences, myself included. Heck it's probably my second favorite Marvel movie of all time, only being slighted out by the flawless "Civil War". So, of course it was no surprise there would be a second movie. The whole gang is back, and this time Peter Quill has found his father, and he's not exactly what Quill was expecting. The rest of the team has their own personal struggles to deal with. The Guardians also have to avoid this group of golden people who are after them for stealing some of their valuables.
Let's talk about the positives of this movie first. One of the easiest ones is how visually stunning this movie is. I won't deny that I have a problem with excessive CGI at times. But then there are directors like James Gunn who prove me wrong with how they utilize them. The retro space look of this movie simply pops off the screen throughout the whole movie's run time. There was not one moment that I wasn't wowed by the look of the movie. It's creative and beautiful. The action scenes work even better because of the visuals, especially in the final fight. Ego's planet is particularly amazing to look at. Another easily identifiable positive is the soundtrack, as it once again makes this movie feel unique in comparison to other Marvel movies. I think I actually enjoyed the tracks on this one more than the previous movie, as the lyrics often did a good job of relating to what was going on in a scene (I will admit it was hammered in at times, but not a huge issue). The best use of soundtrack was at the very beginning, with ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" being played while Baby Groot is dancing and the rest of the Guardians are fighting a monster. This scene is just hilarious, as the song goes to show how blissfully unaware Groot is at all the chaos surrounding him. Another reason I liked this soundtrack more was that it felt more rocking, and there was an even bigger sense of fun to it.
Almost all of the characters in this movie are also a major positive factor. I love how this movie really dedicates time to character development; that is honestly where this movie shines. When it takes a chance to breathe and explore all its characters, that is when I become truly engaged. Chris Pratt once again shines as Peter Quill/Starlord, cementing himself as a modern Harrison Ford. Peter becomes a much more compelling character in this movie as we explore his family history. Pratt does a great job at balancing his character between the more comedic and serious aspects. We really got a fleshed out person here, one that is one of the most believable Marvel protagonists to date. The surprising highlight of this movie, however, was Michael Rooker as Yondu. I love Rooker as an actor, but I did not always enjoy Yondu in the first movie. His character is quite a bit more interesting here. We see a more vulnerable side of him as he actually begins to show caring for Peter as well as the rest of the Guardians. Rooker makes Yondu the heart of this movie. Every scene he was in he absolutely perfected. David Bautista as Drax is often hilarious, providing a lot of the biggest laughs in the movie (some of his comedy might be a little too immature though, more on that later). Kurt Russell shines as Ego, turning him into a pretty interesting character who I enjoyed learning about. Karen Gillan added some surprisingly complex depth to Nebula, a character who I felt was a bit of a silly villain caricature in the first movie (which worked for the first movie's tone). But we get to see way more of this character and why she is the way she is. Nebula actually has a pretty tragic backstory, and we come to sympathize with her by the end of the movie. I didn't know I could ever feel the weight of a tragic character in a raccoon, but Bradley Cooper as Rocket accomplishes it. Rocket was already a great character in the first movie,but in this one, he becomes something so much more. He's right up there with Yondu for being one of the best characters. Finally, I'm relieved to say that Baby Groot was done just right. I was worried he could have become an annoying trope like Jar Jar Binks or the Minions, but Gunn knew just how to use him. He's actually silent for a lot of the film, which makes his cuteness come through in his facial expressions and interactions with other characters. I love the scene with him, Yondu, and Rocket together where Groot is trying to get them out of jail. I couldn't stop laughing; Groot is undeniably cute and fun to watch. I'm glad he became a positive of the film rather than a detractor. Ultimately, this movie was about the characters, and that is what held it together and made it such a good watch.
There are some negative aspects of this movie that do make it pale a little in comparison to its predecessor. One of the most problematic issues is the tonal inconsistency. This movie has a hard time shifting between the comedic aspects and the more weighty parts of this movie. It can be incredibly jarring to see a very serious interaction between two characters and then the scene directly after that is full on comedy. It almost made the serious scene feel irrelevant. (SPOILERS AHEAD) One of the parts I had the biggest issue with was actually a line of dialogue from Peter. Ego reveals himself to be incredibly evil as he reveals a horrible truth- he was the one who implanted the tumor in Peter's mother's head. Right after this reveal, Peter shouts something along the lines of "You will pay for killing my mother and breaking my Walkman!". Wow, does that line just entirely dissipate the very heavy weight of the reveal. This didn't feel true to Peter's character at all. It even seemed like Pratt had trouble delivering this line, and who could blame him? The writing of this movie does that very often, having a heavy line coupled with a comedic quip. It feels like Gunn wants us to laugh, while also feeling the characters' emotions. He should've just chosen one rather than coupling them together in a way that unfortunately cheapens the emotion and weakens the punchline. The strong cast often does overcome the script's weaknesses, but other times even the acting can't save this unfortunate writing choice. Also, some scenes feel like they could've been cut out entirely, as many were just dedicated to elicit laughs rather than move on the story. The comedy is a little too childish at times, especially in the bathroom humor that all comes from Drax. Finally, this is yet another Marvel film that suffers from weak antagonists. The Golden People (can't remember what they're actually called) are boring, and they didn't need to be in the story. They were there only to be an occasional roadblock for the Guardians. Otherwise, they were completely pointless. Ego being revealed as the villain somewhat forced the movie's theme that family isn't always found in blood. Gunn could've just as easily made Ego a decent person and sharpened up the Golden People to be more of a threat.
The tonal inconsistencies, occasionally weak comedy, and badly executed villains can be a problem for this movie. But still, I can't deny that I had an overall blast watching this movie. The cast is great, especially in highlight performances from Rooker and Cooper. It was fun to see this crew of misfits back again, and I loved getting to see their characters grow together and become more of a family. Even if the theme that family isn't always blood was a little bit too obvious, it was still touching, especially in the finale that left me leaving the movie feeling more reflective than it did pumped for a sequel, and I liked that Gunn took that route. It also helps that this movie once again doesn't feel like it adheres to the typical Marvel formula. "Guardians of the Galaxy 2" is a great popcorn movie for the summer, and the surprising emotional heft makes this even more of a good watch. I definitely recommend you see it!
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