Now With 100% Less Hooked on a Feeling

Rating: 5/10 (24 May 2017)

Hooked on a Feeling was a modest 60's love song performed by forgotten pop star B.J. Thomas. A simple love song, I mostly enjoy it for the electric sitar intro. No, this is not the tune that resurged during the summer of '14. You're thinking of Blue Swede's cover, a track whose abrasiveness can only be matched by the band's pun name. Unoriginal kitsch. Even the (questionably racist) ooga-chakas were hijacked from an earlier cover. I loathe this song, the anthem of the first Guardians of the Galaxy. So naturally I enjoyed Vol. 2 more.
Three years ago I walked out of a theater befuddled. I enjoy space adventures. Guardians had both worthwhile characters and a few good laughs. Yet, I remember feeling largely unsatisfied. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 offers a bit of clarity. The introductions and backstory are all out of the way, now we can finally have a couple hours of quality time. This is a welcome change. My revelation is that it is not the plot or the middling protagonists that carry Guardians, but the side characters with their (literally) colorful world and humor.
Plot. Star Lord Quill (Pratt) and his band of misfits are back, albeit their tree is one tenth the size but thrice as cute. The Guardians get a gig with the imprisoned blue sister villain (name forgotten) as a reward. However, Rocket botches the mission by pilfering the cosmic batteries they were supposed to protect, only to be saved by a mysterious man with unbelievable power. This is the subtly named celestial Ego (Russel), Peter Quill's father and Yondu's (Rooker) original employer. Ego invites Quill and his friends to join him on his utopia planet where he hopes to have some bonding time with his son. Half the crew remains behind to fix the ship, blue sister escapes then rampages, and a mournful Yondu is ousted in a mutiny. Basically hijinks that I won't spoil for your ensue leading up to a final confrontation on Ego's paradise. There is a secret and a purpose beneath the surface of this beautiful lifeless planet. So dark that Ego's servant Mantis (Klementeiff) is reluctant to share. The Guardians will have to save the world a second time and I guess learn a lesson about family.
Guardians Vol. 2 evoked in me, an almost Zen reaction. As the movie winded down after the final climax I almost wondered if I had missed an act. Lights on, curtain down, power up the cellphone, lo and behold I had just watched a two hour fifteen minute film. Nothing really happens, nothing was unfinished, and I was never bored. Not your typical blockbuster fare. The story is just a device, not why you're watching the film.
Chris Pratt is the new age Hollywoodified anti-hero, he is supposed to be cool because he transcends cool. His character never has the right words and can only expresses himself through dated pop culture references in a universe where no one could possibly understand. Although endearing, Pete Quill should not be a captain of ship nor a movie, fortunately in Vol 2. he has a crew with which he can share responsibilities. Rumors of Gamora (Saldana) having personality or appearing in this film have been grossly exaggerated, but Drax (Bautista), Groot (Diesel), Rocket (Cooper), and Yondu are the side character lesser films dream of. They each have carved out their own comedic space. Their lines and shenanigans are uniquely identifiable. I did not care for a moment what was going on in Vol. 2, but I did care about who it was happening too.
Half the footage in this film is inessential. That is not a criticism from me, but I am sure some will disagree. If you enjoy the inconsequential and the associated comedy you are going to enjoy Vol 2. Humor is arguably the most subjective element in film, but I cannot imagine anyone enjoy the original and hating the sequel. One unfortunate side note. I am not interested in political correctness, but Mantis is a caricature of a racist stereotype. I am not saying I was offended and you should be too, I was just baffled I was seeing this in 2017. Even more astonishing was I had trouble finding any similar reactions. Maybe I am out of touch, but if this is tolerable social media warriors need to go out and fight the real enemy. Still, I can forgive this oversight. I have never seen an episode of Star Trek, but Vol 2 is what I imagine, just grander. Almost campy, with its multicolored humanoids and pop rock, but forever lovable because of the charming crew.