As Soon as Marvel Studios announced the Guardians Of The Galaxy would be getting their first ever film in Phase 2 fans and critics alike wondered, “Why Guardians of all the marvel properties?” Myself among the naysayers, I was pleasantly surprised with James Gunn and his first round with the team. The film felt more like a tribute to classic 70’s Sci-Fi, Star-Wars included and needless to say blew everyone away and turning the Guardians into a household name, skyrocketing them to similar heights as Iron-Man and Spider-Man. With such a massive success on their hands, a sequel was guaranteed. With Vol. 2 hitting in Phase 3 it had huge shoes to fill following in the footsteps of the first volume and Captain America: Civil War, the film that kicked off the third phase of the MCU. After a three year wait, I can say with confidence that the film more than delivers of the wait and again gives us some of the best of what Marvel Studios has to offer. Coming off the trail of the lackluster Doctor Strange, James Gunn once again proves why he was chosen to introduce and expand the Guardians to hardcore and mainstream audiences, giving us one of the funnest Marvel films since 2012’s The Avengers.

Taking Place a mere three months after the events of Vol. 1, we pick where we were left, with the team protecting the galaxy, as a sort of team for hire for other factions and races across the galaxy. Very early on, Ego, played wonderfully by Kurt Russell, catches up with the team and introduces himself as Star-Lord/ Peters father, things pick up as the team gets split up for most of the film. A risky move on Gunns part, after showing in the first and some of Vol. 2 how well the team interacts and works with each other. This is a move that ends up paying off well, giving everyone their own moment to shine, or elaborate on back-story that wasn’t available for Vol. 1. With the team being separated and stuck on their ship/ planet, there isn’t a huge sense of adventure as Vol. 1 had, with the movie moving constantly and showing off so many locations, that Vol. 2 doesn’t have the same feel, but it gets to show off and really invest in the locations the team visits this time around. With the “origin” aspect of the film taken care of in Vol. 1, Vol. 2 really gets to delve into its characters and their relationships. Focusing on the Family aspect that the first film ended on, Its really brought to the forefront this time, dealing with Peter and his relationship with Ego as well as his mother before the events of the first. The teams family dynamic and how they function in and out of battle is a big part of the film, really investing viewers and getting them to somehow love these “A-holes” more. Supporting characters Yondu and Nebula (Michael Rooker and Karen Gillan) get a bit of spotlight and work their way onto the team come the films conclusion, on top of getting touching and emotional moments and fitting themselves into the family dynamic the movie presents.

The cast really came into their own in Vol. 1, you’d ask, “Can it get any better?” Yes, it can. From Chris Pratt, to newcomer Pom Klementieff, everyone gives it their all on this one and take their respective characters to new heights given the opportunity to expand on what was touched upon in Vol. 1. Chris Pratt, now a huge stat after the three years between the two, has really come into his Han Solo-esque portrayal of Star-Lord/ Peter Quill. Getting more time to focus on the mother/son relationship, while still discovering things hed never known from his father Ego, our leader really gets to expand upon his unknown origin/ parentage story as well as showing how far hes come as the team leader. Zoe Saldana becomes a more likable Gamora, showing her full hero side, rather than riding the line between good and evil. showcasing her struggles with Peter and her sister Nebula, giving the character a more relateable arc and struggle to overcome.  Dave Bautista as Drax, continues on the path of understanding humor and often proves to be the funniest parts of the film, while still giving the character a dark undertone when reminiscing about his family and loss. Bradley Cooper as Rocket, is still the wise ass of the group, but is given great chemistry with Yondu, for most of the film he and Michael Rooker show off their chemistry as the misfits of their respective group. Vin Diesel as Baby Groot will be the obvious standout of the film as being the cutest thing put to screen in recent memory. Aside from being the main marketing tool, Groot is given much to do aside from being the adorable tree character. Pom Klementieff and Kurt Russell are the new additions as Mantis and Ego, both welcome additions to the franchise. I for one hope that in the future Mantis is given a more meaningful role, other than a sort of comic relief character.

For this being a space film, the special effects are top notch here, managing to make a tree and space creatures look realistic, while also managing to make Kurt Russell look like he once did in the 80’s for the films prologue, really showcasing how far the studio has come since its inception in 2008. Of course, whats a Guardians movie without an amazing soundtrack? The soundtrack for Vol. 2 manages to be better than the first, with tunes that go with the films tone, like Cat Stevens’s Father and Son and Looking Glass’s Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl), that add a depth of emotion to some key scenes as well as the excellent score from Tyler Bates once again. With a little too much humor throughout and one scene in particular that in my opinion was over the top and unnecessary, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 manages to be a more fun, and wacky ride than Vol. 1, but still keeps the attention focused on the characters, and having more heart than most of Marvels Previous entries. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 ranks as one of Marvels crowning achievements and is not to be missed.

9 out of 10

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