This Intergalactic Superhero Movie was Marvelous. What a blast!

Rating: 8/10 (8 May 2017)

'Guardians of the Galaxy' was once known, as one of the least recognized Marvel comic books of all time, even with 2008 reboot by writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. However, that all change in 2014, when director James Gunn create a cosmic masterpiece of a film, loosely based on this offbeat source. Nobody saw it, coming. It was like, 'Star Wars' for a new generation. A peculiar small popcorn flick that somehow became a successful, because how fun, it was to watch. It really did eclipses everything around it, at the time, even strong Marvel movies like 'the Avengers" series. It was a blockbuster hit that was mostly universally loved. So, it was no surprised to anybody, that a sequel was quickly greenlight, and put out in production. You don't need to see space to know, a shining star. Just like the original movie, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.' shines just as bright. It's equally as fun, as the first movie. Yet, unlike the first movie, this film does suffer from some long pacing issues. I found the movie to be, a bit slow at times. Mostly, toward the beginning of the film, where the story had to brand off, into multiply subplots for each character of the Guardians team. Don't get me wrong, I did like, seeing them, having something to do, while, Star-Lord AKA Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) learn more about his true parentage from Ego, the living planet (Kurt Russell) as we learn, more about them. However, I just felt, that the film could had speed it, up a bit. After all, did we really need long-drawn out scenes with Gamora (Zoe Saldana) dealing with family problems with Nebula (Karen Gillen) or Rocket (Voiced by Bradley Cooper) teaming up with Yondu (Michael Rooker) to take on, below-average, traitor, Taserface (Chris Sullivan). Couldn't these two problems, be solved, a lot quicker, than the 136 runtime. I get that, family is a big theme in this movie and serves as its unifying plot thread, but all these individual character arches needed to be better balanced. It doesn't help that the movie kinda waste time on jokes that somewhat fall flat for me. A good example is, most of the scenes with Baby Groot (Voiced by Vin Diesel). Yes, he's adorable, but do we really need to see him, dance around in a fight scene for so long. I didn't find it, as funny as I should had. If anything, it just slow the movie, down for me. Honestly, if there was one character that really makes this film, enjoyable to watch. It has to be Drax (Dave Bautista). Most of the jokes with him hit my funny bone, because how quick, they landed. It wasn't drawn out like the ones with Groot or Rocket. It was rapid and on the point. While, the movie is not as funny as the original, at least, the antagonist in this movie is a huge improvement from the last one. Without spoiling too much, he wasn't as one-note evil, as the others Marvel villains. He does seem, a little better-rounded; than the others, however, it does feel, a bit odd, that he would reveal Peter Quill's mother death, seeing how he's secretly trying to work with him. That was a bit, out of the blue. The same, can be said with Yondu suddenly becoming more of a father-figure to Peter, than the first movie. That was weird that he was willing to help Peter, seeing how he was trying to kill him in the previous movie. Still, I did like how the film, had more stakes in its climatic action, than the last film. Seeing important Marvel characters die in the battle really does add to the intensity & emotional impact of the action scenes. I love how Gunn isn't afraid to have this adventure cost the lives of some of his characters. That being said, it does kinda ruins the oncoming 'Infinity War' movies, seeing how a small group of people can kill a God. How can a normal villain like Thanos (Josh Brolin), do any better? Another thing, the battle was still a bit too massive and incomprehensible for a realistic action set-piece. Parts of it, was a bit over the top like the leap through space and time. However, the visuals were still impressive. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is as beautiful to look at as the first movie, with its bright, almost 1970s's style psychedelic aesthetic. Yet, the movie doesn't have the same amount of awesome with its soundtrack as the predecessor. Don't get me wrong, the movie does have some good songs, but it was just not as impactful. Some of the tunes, really didn't fit with the scenes, its sync with. The same can be said with its cameos. I really have no clue, why the movie would introduce the original members of the comic's 1969's incarnation of the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan without establishing their history, first. It's a hard sell for a spin-off film. Nevertheless, I dig the Stan Lee cameo, toward the end. That was nice. Also, if anybody was looking forward to any "Avengers: Infinity War' teaser in the end credit. They would quickly be disappointed. None of the mid- and post-credit scenes doesn't shows that. Overall: With all that say, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' doesn't really need to tie with any of the other MCU films. It pretty much works as its standalone sequel with everybody, old & new playing their part, well, even if some actors voices is a little bit jarring, like Michael Rooker. For the most part, it delivers on the things you love about the first movie, and improve on it. I highly recommended seeing this movie.