A unsatisfying, forgettable, but mildly entertaining movie.

Rating: 4/10 (22 September 2017)

I enjoyed the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie. I really did. Its humor and authenticity made for a wonderful film, as did its feel-good warmth.
However, its sequel lacks that human touch and replaces it with a grab- bag of Hollywood tropes. Every action that anyone takes is driven by desire for "family" which they insist on explaining on screen in length. Showing and not telling has apparently been forgotten since the first "Guardians" movie.
Ego's complicated motivations for destroying all life in the universe are given way too much screen time given how confusing they are, and the subplot about the Ravagers that culminates in the final fight is ham- fisted, though it is the most amusing part of the movie. That clumsiness is shared with that of Gamora, whose role in the movie is eminently forgettable.
The movie isn't totally boring, and the 80s flashbacks are fun as always. I had expected better though from both Marvel and the "Guardians" franchise. Hopefully the next movie will be more like the first than the second.
(I saw this on a plane on September 17, 2017.)