A solidly entertaining - if uneven sequel

Rating: 7/10 (26 April 2017)

The first Guardians of the Galaxy was a welcome breath of fresh air. After being swamped with comic-movies obsessed with the end of the world and setting up whatever was to come in the next 80 movies or so - here was a movie dedicated to giving audiences something unique and fresh and entertaining for entertainment's sake (this coming from a viewer who has recently come to resenting the comic-book movie genre as a whole, mind you).
For the most part, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 retains the fun of the original. The special effects are dazzling, the humor is sharp, and the set-pieces are exhilarating. The opening action sequence over the credits alone is terrific. So off the top it's pretty great. The expansion of the Guardians' world allows for a wealth of truly inventive design.
However, the film spends a lot of time answering questions raised in the first film, rather than telling a unique story with its characters (which I thought the first film did beautifully). Peter Quill isn't given a whole lot to do in the film, and funnily enough, his journey throughout the film feels the most underdeveloped. As far as the plot is concerned, not to get into spoilers, Quill almost feels like an afterthought - simply because there is so much going on. Rooker and Cooper as Yondu and Rocket, respectively, steal the show - providing some of the most entertaining moments of the film as well as probably the most emotionally engaging relationship of the many. The cast are game and give it their all, and their energy really breathe life into their characters, but it's hard for the film to convey the notion of a rag-tag bunch of misfits becoming a family when they're all apart from each other for so much of the film.
Although, not to get into spoilers, the film ends on a rather somber note - which I didn't expect and I admire the film for doing so. It commits wholeheartedly to a certain character beat and makes it work for the story. That's all I'll say.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is by no means a bad film - not even average. It's solid. Truly. But coming off the heels of the original, it narrowly misses it's mark. Our hero isn't given much of an arc, the characters are separated from each other for the bulk of the film, and it's a little too concerned with addressing unanswered questions from the original. That being said, the film retains the briskness, the fun, edge and unusual sense of humor that made the previous film so memorable - just enough that most is forgiven.