Lightning Strikes Twice

Rating: 8/10 (29 April 2017)

I should begin this review by stating that I am far from an MCU fanboy, and find many of the series' instalments adequate, but far from stellar. This is a feeling I largely held until the original 'Guardians of the Galaxy' arrived - a fun, fresh and funny addition to this cinematic universe, with a genuinely likable cast. In short, it was, by far, one of my favourite films in the franchise at the time.
Before sitting down to watch 'Volume 2', I was excited, yet sceptical. Whilst early reviews were positive, they all assured me that it was not as good as the first, and in some places a retreat of its predecessor. Having seen it, I am inclined to agree, but more of the same is far from a complaint.
Firstly, to focus on the plot. It achieves many staples of a good sequel. It expands on the universe (a lot!), develops the characters, and improves upon its predecessor (which is the case here, in places). I was worried, judging from the trailers, that the film may be trying to show more than it had time for, but fortunately, this was not the case. Instead, it introduces us to new races and organisations in the universe, making it seem like a much larger place that appeared in the original. The characters are well- developed here, and the relationships between them are clear and concise, however, the majority of time was allocated to Chris Pratt's Star-Lord, and whilst the rest of the cast did have decent screen time, it is clear that they were not the priority here, despite the all-round stellar performances.
Secondly, the soundtrack returns and is as glorious as ever. The use of music felt more frequent that in the previous film, and could prove a little unnecessary at times, but overall, the song choice was impeccable, and in some cases had a real relevance to the events unfolding on screen. The inclusions of Cat Steven's 'Father and Son', as well as Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain', were very welcome.
The humour was another standout of the first film, and delivers here in droves. It often hits, but the frequency and unresting presence of jokes can ruin the more sentimental or serious moments in the film - causing a wavering tone that isn't quite sure which way to turn. Despite this, I can say that in my opinion, this was the most emotionally impactful film in the MCU to date, due to investment in the characters and how likable they are.
In conclusion, this film was a satisfying follow-up to the original, and I would struggle to determine which of the two is superior. The characters are as engaging as ever, the set pieces are glorious (despite a heavy reliance on CGI, rendered beautifully). The soundtrack is possibly better than the first (perhaps a little overused, but quality nevertheless), and the humour is largely on-point, but can be very in your face and ruin emotionally significant moments. All in all, this is worth a watch, and I will definitely be coming back to it once it is released on home video.