2017 | Dir. James Gunn | 136 Minutes
"Sometimes, the thing you've been looking for your whole life, is right there beside you all along. You don't even know it."
Peter Quill and his companions are on the run from an irate society of golden snobs after a mission to protect their valuable resources in exchange for custody of Nebula, Gamora’s spiteful sister, goes awry. They are rescued by Quill’s father Ego, an ancient cosmic lifeform with mysterious motives. Meanwhile, dissatisfied with their captain’s leadership, Yondu Udonta’s gang of Ravagers plot a mutiny.
Just like its predecessor, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a wonderfully off-beat science fiction action comedy with an earnest heart. With character introductions out of the way, this sequel throws Quill, Gamora, Drax, and Rocket straight into new emotionally satisfying journeys. Quill's relationship with his estranged father takes center stage as Ego is revealed to be the ultimate deadbeat dad. Nebula's raging vendetta against Gamora reaches a surprisingly touching resolution. Drax quickly befriends Ego's empathic companion Mantis, the pair bonding over their respective social awkwardness. While held in captivity by his traitorous gang, Yondu finds a kindred spirit in the prickly Rocket, both damaged outsiders who are reluctant to acknowledge their desire for love and companionship. The Guardians of the Galaxy come to terms with past trauma, transcending petty grudges and personal hang-ups, and become an honest-to-goodness family.
The visuals effects are truly spectacular. Ego's Planet alone is a showcase of strange and imaginative landscapes clearly inspired by trippy 1970's sci-fi aesthetics. The principal CGI characters Rocket and Groot are beautifully rendered. Rocket's guarded vulnerability masked by his boastfulness is subtle but moving and the Baby Groot is absolutely adorable. The action set pieces are thrilling and imaginative with a conclusion that pits our heroes against a fleet of remote-controlled space drone fighters and a colossal planet-sized enemy simultaneously. The catchy pop songs featured in the film, primary sourced from the second mix tape of 1970's hits gifted to Quill from his mother, fit the film perfectly with "Brandy" by Looking Glass featured as a prominent part of the story.
Chris Pratt effortless slips back into the role of Peter Quill, adjusting naturally to heavier dramatic material. Both Zoe Saldana and Karen Gillan benefit from having a good subplot for Gamora and Nebula this time around. Dave Bautista returns as the overly-literal Drax, delivering the funniest lines of the film. Michael Rooker reprises the role of Yondu, excellent in a larger, more emotionally resonant role. Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel once again provide the voices of Rocket and Groot respectively. Also returning from the first film are Sean Gunn as Yondu's underling Kraglin, Laura Haddock as Meredith Quill in the film's 1980 prologue sequence, and Seth Green as the voice of Howard the Duck.
Veteran actor Kurt Russell is both charming and menacing as the human embodiment of Ego. Pratt and Russell are fun to watch together; the pair shares a particularly cheesy but effective scene playing a father-son game of catch with a ball of celestial energy. The best addition to the cast is newcomer Pom Klementieff as Mantis, a perfect counterpart to Bautista's Drax with impeccable comedic timing. Elizabeth Debicki is a serviceable villain playing Ayesha, High Priestess to the Sovereign people. Chris Sullivan plays the idiotic mutinous Ravager Taserface, essentially the polar opposite of Debicki's Ayesha on the spectrum of villains. Sylvester Stallone appears briefly as high-ranking Ravager Stakar with Michael Rosenbaum as the crystalline Martinex along his side. The film also features cameo appearances by Ving Rhames and Michelle Yeoh as Ravager captains, and David Hasselhoff as himself.
Funnier, weirder, more action-packed, more imaginative, and more visually spectacular, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 doubles down on nearly every notable quality of its predecessor, borderline-schmaltzy earnestness included. Beneath its veneer of biting one-liners and CGI spectacle, the film preaches a sweet message about the true meaning of family and the importance of recognizing the unconditional love that is present in one's life.
MID-CREDITS STINGERS
- Kraglin experiments with Yondu's fin and arrow and accidentally injures Drax.
- Stakar honors Yondu's memory by reuniting their original team of Ravagers.
- Ayesha reveals to one of her handmaidens that she is creating a new superior Sovereign lifeform to destroy the Guardians of the Galaxy. She names this lifeform "Adam."
- Quill berates a sulking teenage Groot for not cleaning his room and spending too much time playing mindless video games.
STAN LEE CAMEO / POST-CREDITS STINGER
- On a desolate planet, Stan the Man in a space suit speaks with a group of cosmic beings known as the Watchers. During the film, he describes his time as a Federal Express man as he appeared in Captain America: Civil War.
- After the ending credits, the Watchers leave him, seemingly disinterested in his stories.
FRAGMENTS
- The Marvel Studios logo at the start of the film was updated to include footage from Doctor Strange
- The team of Ravagers Stakar reforms during the second end credits stinger is based one of the Guardians of the Galaxy team rosters from the original comic book series that began in 1969
- The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) briefly appears during the credits dancing to "Guardians Inferno" by The Sneepers featuring David Hasselhoff -- The Grandmaster is an antagonist in Thor: Ragnarok
SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
- Video: The Sneepers featuring David Hasselhoff "Guardians' Inferno"
007 CONNECTIONS
- Michelle Yeoh (Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies)
- Dave Bautista (Mr. Hinx in Spectre)
