2841
4/5 stars
James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, is an introspective follow-up to the surprise hit that was Guardians of the Galaxy. In the movie, Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill (aka Starlord) leads his ragtag group of heroes as they save the universe from Starlord’s father Ego (Kurt Russell). Meanwhile, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) explores her relationship with sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) bonds with Mantis (Pom Klementieff). They are accompanied by demolitions expert Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and fan favorite Baby Groot (Vin Diesel), and later joined by Yondu (Michael Rooker), who was a quasi-villain in the first film.
The plot is driven by the personal development of Starlord’s character, as well as his evolving relationship with his father. Guardians provides deeper insight into Starlord’s heritage as the son of a celestial. The common plot trope of the main character reconnecting with a long-lost parent is overdone, and we ultimately do not learn much about Starlord’s personality. In this way, the movie is predictable in its plot, and none of the plot twists or developments truly take the audience by surprise. The plot arc between Starlord and Ego does not provide much in terms of humor, either, and much of the dialogue between them serves solely as exposition. While conflict gradually builds up to an action-packed fight scene, scenes between Starlord and his father ultimately lack the emotional intimacy deserved. Even so, Starlord’s plot is cleanly executed and a great addition to the canon.
As a movie with an ensemble cast, Guardians grants each character moments of individual development. While conflict between Gamora and her sister Nebula demonstrates how their relationship and upbringing turned them into the characters we now know, and Drax’s interactions with Mantis provide scenes of comic relief, an extremely pleasant surprise is Rooker’s performance as Yondu. While he is still the no nonsense Ravager from the first movie, Yondu shows his more vulnerable side in the latest Guardians installment. Often stealing the show in scenes that he appears in, Yondu comes off as genuine and heartfelt while maintaining his signature swagger.
The film’s spunky music also contributes to its fun mood. Known as Awesome Mix Vol. 2, the Guardians soundtrack consists of the second mixtape Meredith Quill left for her son. The film opens with Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra, featuring Baby Groot bopping to the music while dodging hordes of space aliens. Other tracks from the tape range from popular hits to lesser-known 70s and 80s tunes, including soft rock, pop, and funk music such as “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, “Surrender” by Cheap Trick, and “Flash Light” by Parliament.
Aside from occasional choppiness in progression and flaws in Starlord’s character arc, Guardians is a fun-filled addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the movie doesn’t pack much emotional weight, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and moviegoers are practically guaranteed to have a good time.
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