“Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2” Review
Starring a massively goofy team of aliens, rogues, talking raccoons and tree monsters, “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2” is a roaring good time with so much comedy to offer the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After “Guardians of the Galaxy” proved to be a big money-maker for Marvel, a sequel was inevitable. However, would the film be a grand sequel like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” or more disappointing like “Thor: The Dark World?” Gratefully, “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2” proved to be the former by improving upon the first film and making this cosmic, ragtag team of renegades an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Set just a few months after the first film, The Guardians of the Galaxy are now freelance protectors-for-hire as they go across space stopping evil while still having a mischievous sense of fun. After a job gone wrong, the Guardians find themselves stranded with many different people after them for either money or revenge when a mysterious man named Ego (Kurt Russell) rescues them. After revealing himself to be the father of Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Ego takes the Guardians back to his home planet where they discover that Ego’s intentions with his son aren’t just to spend quality time together.
There’s a weird split between fans of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies. While most fans like both films, about half like the first film more while the remaining half prefer the second. I am among the latter because there’s so much about “Volume 2” that enhanced the cosmic characters that we love so much.
A lot of the improvements come in characterization. In the first film, the Guardians had to learn to like each other. I mean, at the beginning, both Groot and Rocket Racoon (Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper) are trying to kidnap Star Lord for a reward, Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) is attempting to steal from him and Drax (Dave Bautista) wants Gamora dead for the role her adopted father Thanos played in the death of his family. However, they come together as a team and eventually save the day in a delightfully comedic manner.
But what I love about the sequel is that all of these characters are depicted as a dysfunctional family unit which I find to be more entertaining. I love Gamora being this voice-of-reason mother-type who can still swing a sword and kick some ass while Star Lord feels so much like a dad just trying to keep the kids from killing each other. Everyone seems to alternate from acting like siblings to acting like parents and this leads to a lot of goofy comedy.
The inclusion of Baby Groot (Vin Diesel), a reborn version of the lovable tree monster that was seemingly destroyed in the first film, was a very smart choice on behalf of writer/director James Gunn. When most comedies introduce a baby, it’s often very pandering with most of the jokes being “look at the baby” and it often gets annoyingly cheesy (with a bizarre exception being the comedy classic “Three Men and a Baby”). However, Baby Groot often behaves like a little shit and it’s really funny, especially the son-father relationship that forms with him and Rocket.
So much of the humor comes from how perfectly James Gunn takes epic imagery and infuses something silly into it like breaking out of prison to the sound of a Spanish-influenced R&B song.
As for the rest of the comedy, James Gunn descends into humor that ranges from childish to surprisingly mean-spirited, all of which I love. Most people going into “Guardians of the Galaxy” and its sequel know that it’s going to be comedic but James Gunn takes it to a whole new level. Watching this film for the first time made me laugh so hard and I continue to love this film’s comedy five years later.
Also to be expected from a “Guardians of the Galaxy” film is a fantastic soundtrack full of classic rock hits. The soundtrack of “Volume 2” is even better for a few reasons. First, I just love so many songs featured in the film like “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, “Bring It On Home To Me” by Sam Cooke and “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison, my favorite Beatle.
So many songs not just there to sound cool, they directly affect the film and are often diegetic since most of the songs are played on Star Lord’s Walkman. The opening of the film is an amazing display of brightly colored spectacle and humor with the Guardians fighting a huge monster to the tune of “Mr. Blue Sky” by The Electric Light Orchestra. However, that’s not the focus. Instead, Gunn keeps the camera on Baby Groot who’s dancing while his friends are being pummeled in the background.
Another comedic scene in the film sees Rocket, Baby Groot and Star Lord’s former captor Yondu (Michael Rooker) breaking out of a brig after a mutiny by Yondu’s crew. When they break out, the three of them kill goon after goon to the sound of “Come a Little Bit Closer” by Jay and the Americans. Seeing Baby Groot chase after grown men who are terrified of something less than a foot tall is so hilarious to me.
The music is very integral to the story because it’s what connects Star Lord to his mother. It makes him feel like she’s still around which is why he desires a family so much, first from his friends and eventually Ego, who’s a fantastic villain. Kurt Russell brings his usual charming persona to the role and, at first, it seems like he wants to be a good dad to Star Lord. However, it’s revealed that Ego, as a godlike Celestial, wants to expand his consciousness across the entire galaxy and needs the energy of his son to do it. Since that process would essentially wipe out every living thing, the Guardians obviously have a problem with that.
What makes Ego cool is not just his persona, but his powers as well. Kurt Russell’s form actually isn’t Ego. It’s an avatar that Ego uses to communicate with people and to roam the universe. He actually is a planet. I repeat, he’s a planet with his brain being the core. The Guardians of the freakin’ Galaxy are going up against a planet with godlike powers. Can you get cooler than that?
Not only is the concept of “Volume 2” amazing, so are the visuals to accompany it. As of now, there’s quite a few films in the MCU that show the cosmic side like the four “Thor” films, “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Eternals,” and “Captain Marvel,” but “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2” has one of my favorite visual styles. The color palette is so bright and it’s a truly epic film. It’s like reading a 1970s comic book while on acid.
The introduction of Kurt Russell as Ego not only provided a fun villain, but also effectively ended the onslaught of disappointing villains in the MCU.
I feel like “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2” was the film that James Gunn really wanted to make once he established this world and characters. There’s just so much drama that is balanced very well with the comedy. Unlike the first film, where the heartfelt moments could feel a bit forced, they seem so genuine in the sequel.
The film addresses the family we’re born with versus the family we choose and it’s expanded towards many characters. Star Lord comprehends his relationship with Ego, his biological father who wants to kill the universe, and Yondu, who essentially kidnapped Star Lord from Earth when he was a child and became a kind of fucked-up father figure. Just based on the first film, I never thought I would get teared up by scenes with Star Lord and Yondu but James Gunn proved me wrong, especially with the use of “Father and Son” by Cat Stevens. Don’t you just love how comic book films are capable of making you cry?
Along with Star Lord, characters like Gamora and her psychotic adopted sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) have a surprisingly meaningful conversation about their traumatizing childhood while Rocket, Drax, Groot and a new character with empathic powers called Mantis (Pom Klementieff) all come to accept this crazy group of outlaws-for-hire as their true family.
With an epicly goofy tone, bright visuals and improved characterization, “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2” is way better than the first film and is probably the best comedy film in the MCU. It’s a crazy good time and both films about these cosmic mischief makers make me so pumped for the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” coming out this December and “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3” which is, at long last, being released in May.
