A blast from the past!
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 builds on the franchise introducing new characters, new places, and a whole new galaxy saving adventure. The laughs start with the opening sequence where baby Groot is haphazardly running about while the Guardians take on a giant space monster. Volume 2 expands on Peter Quill’s personal story, introducing his father and explaining both of their origins. It also delves deeper into the team’s relationships.
This movie took no time to explain the previous. It assumes that the audience knows something about the characters and how they came about. I really respect the directors choice to jump right in. The fact that we didn’t have to waste time with back stories and explanations meant more time for wild action and off the wall comedy. While many Marvel films share a more serious theme, the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise throws reality out the window.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 doubles down on everything good!
While the movie dialed back on explanations, back story, and reality itself, it brought a double dose of fun. Baby Groot was absolutely adorable. Another character that really surprised me was Drax. For those who don’t know, Dave Bautistas (Drax) was a professional wrestler. Despite his limited acting experience he managed to deliver an outstanding and comical performance. I think that the cast for this film did a tremendous job all around.
Spoiler Alert!
While there were so many characters that I enjoyed, my favorite was Yondu, played by Micheal Rooker. Yondu is a returning character from the first film, and plays the role of Peter Quill’s adopted father. He’s easy to spot, because he’s the blue guy with the flying arrow. I am a sucker for bad guys turned good, and his character saw some real development in this sequel. The trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy spoiled that we would meet Star Lord’s father, but it kept hidden the fact that he would be an insane self obsessed demi-god.
It becomes clear throughout the movie that Yondu sees Peter Quill as his son. Toward the end of the movie Peter realizes that Yondu is the father that he’s been searching for. The first Guardians of the Galaxy hinted at this relationship, but I liked how the second installment really drove the idea home.
I enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 from start to finish, and definitely recommend catching it in theaters!
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Micheal Rooker
Runtime: 136min
Rated: PG13
HFR Rating:
