Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

When Guardians of the Galaxy debuted in 2014, hardly anyone could have predicted the colossal success of this ragtag team of superheroes. But of course, the Marvel recipe has turned this obscure comic book property into a household name.

The emotional underpinnings of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 are definitely heavier than the first Guardians but it is not these emotions that weighted the film down. The narrative structure of Guardians Vol. 2 lacks the vigorous and effortless flow that propels the storytelling in its predecessor.

But this is more forgivable when you enjoy spending time with this “bunch of a-holes”. The film is smart to play to its greatest strength — the dynamic of the Guardians. Here, their relationships are more fleshed out and you will find yourself gladly devouring every moment of them bickering and butting heads with each other.

Speaking of team dynamic, one cannot help but draw comparisons to the other superhero team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers. What the Guardians have succeeded and the Avengers have failed to do is paying respect to each character. In Vol. 2, Gunn dives further into the emotional scars that torment and define each of the Guardians. Not a single one of them is completely sidelined in favor of a more popular character or simply there to serve as the punch-line. Their emotional conflicts, whether internal or external, are treated with patience and not simply forgotten because there is a bigger physical threat. As much as the Guardians bicker with each other, there is a real sense of camaraderie between them. This is why Guardians of the Galaxy is so much more convincing at pulling off the surrogate family trope than the Avengers. One could even go as far as saying that the Guardians of the Galaxy films were the Avengers films that Marvel promised us but never delivered.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is by no means a groundbreaking addition to the Marvel
filmography. Regardless, it is an action-packed space adventure that guarantees audience 2 hours of heartfelt entertainment and eccentric humour, stylised by visual effects and 70s music galore.

(Originally posted on 30 Apr 2017 @projectunwrapped)