In cinemas April 28th!
Once upon a time, Marvel Studios decided to take a risk. They announced that during Phase Two of their Cinematic Universe, they would include a movie centered around a gang of misfits that include a sentient tree and a wisecracking, gun-toting racoon. If anyone had said that not only would the film be an overwhelming success, but that those characters would become two of the most-treasured in all of the MCU, lots of pointing and laughing might have been the result.
Cut to three years and and a $773.3 million box-office return later, the newly infamous Guardians of the Galaxy are back. In the simply yet aptly titled 'Vol. 2' the action picks up a mere two months after the original, with the loosely-defined heroes on a mission for a society of self-proclaimed perfect beings, The Sovereign.
Needless to say, with The Guardians as prone to mischief as they are valour, things rapidly go awry and they find themselves scattered and on the run.
Cut to three years and and a $773.3 million box-office return later, the newly infamous Guardians of the Galaxy are back. In the simply yet aptly titled 'Vol. 2' the action picks up a mere two months after the original, with the loosely-defined heroes on a mission for a society of self-proclaimed perfect beings, The Sovereign.
Needless to say, with The Guardians as prone to mischief as they are valour, things rapidly go awry and they find themselves scattered and on the run.
Tackling the script solo this time around - and seemingly free of the shackles that noticably plagued Joss Whedon over the course of filming 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' - James Gunn, returning also as director, creates is an unmistakable sense of freedom as Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and his merry band traverse new planets and encounter weirder friends and foes. Even more importantly, he creates an utterly captivating sense of fun...even right through the credits and the brilliant post-credit sequences. Each of which set-up 'Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.3' in much more organic ways.
Marvel films of late has faced criticism from some audience members regarding its lightness of tone, especially when defensively compared to the recent output from DC and Warner Bros. Almost in answer to that, James Gunn demonstrates even further the deft hand he has in weaving a tale that is packed with equal parts heart and humour. You will laugh. You will cry. You will laugh until you cry.
Marvel films of late has faced criticism from some audience members regarding its lightness of tone, especially when defensively compared to the recent output from DC and Warner Bros. Almost in answer to that, James Gunn demonstrates even further the deft hand he has in weaving a tale that is packed with equal parts heart and humour. You will laugh. You will cry. You will laugh until you cry.
Though the plot, on the surface, is quite a simple one, it is far from lacking in nuance. 'Vol. 2' provides something that is a surprising rarity in the world of cinema: A pure and unadulterated adventure. One that the likes of the Transformer franchise could only dream of being. One that is more than just a series of interlinked explosions and set-pieces. One that whisks you away to a different place and time, and which could easily be put on par with the likes of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and the original Star Wars.
At a run-time that extends well over two hours, proceedings never feel as though they are dragging.
Whilst the first volume suffered from a slight lull towards the end of the second act and a climax that was mildly uninspired until a certain dance-off challenge, the second successfully learns from its history. Even when the charismatic quintet are separated by their own missions and sub-plots - and engage in quieter, reflective moments - the steady stream of heart-wrenching depth work, genuine tension, and laugh-out-loud moments keep things moving at a swift and thrilling pace. All building to one of the most action-packed, high-stakes, and emotional conclusions of any Marvel film to date.
At a run-time that extends well over two hours, proceedings never feel as though they are dragging.
Whilst the first volume suffered from a slight lull towards the end of the second act and a climax that was mildly uninspired until a certain dance-off challenge, the second successfully learns from its history. Even when the charismatic quintet are separated by their own missions and sub-plots - and engage in quieter, reflective moments - the steady stream of heart-wrenching depth work, genuine tension, and laugh-out-loud moments keep things moving at a swift and thrilling pace. All building to one of the most action-packed, high-stakes, and emotional conclusions of any Marvel film to date.
Benefiting from being an already (dys)functional unit, the cast are on equally charming form as in the first. Each of them taking their fair share of the spotlight and enough memorable lines for the audience to quote over the coming months, no matter the personal favourite of the bunch. Though Drax (Dave Bautista) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) again prove themselves the standouts in terms of laughs. The biggest - and most surprising - impact, however, stems from the increased focus on Nebula (Karen Gillian) and Yondu (Michael Rooker), whose layers are peeled back to reveal new facets and endearing depths to their characters.
Such is the greatest accomplishment in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. Though it is as standalone from the rest of the MCU as you could possibly get, it doesn't simply refresh and repeat. In the spirit of all truly great sequels, it refuses to rest on its laurels. It takes what was already there and was already great - both in terms of the world and the characters - and expands upon it. Rather than give the characters fresh wounds to deal with and explore, it merely delves deeper into the ones established in 'Vol. 1'. Be it Drax reflecting further upon the family he lost, Peter reconnecting with the Father he never knew, or Rocket coming to terms with and reconciling the conflicting aspects of his nature. All the while strengthening the bonds between the characters, but between them and the audience as well.
Such is the greatest accomplishment in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. Though it is as standalone from the rest of the MCU as you could possibly get, it doesn't simply refresh and repeat. In the spirit of all truly great sequels, it refuses to rest on its laurels. It takes what was already there and was already great - both in terms of the world and the characters - and expands upon it. Rather than give the characters fresh wounds to deal with and explore, it merely delves deeper into the ones established in 'Vol. 1'. Be it Drax reflecting further upon the family he lost, Peter reconnecting with the Father he never knew, or Rocket coming to terms with and reconciling the conflicting aspects of his nature. All the while strengthening the bonds between the characters, but between them and the audience as well.
And all to a perfect, equally addictive soundtrack.
Review by Jay Thomas.
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