Predictably excellent.
This James Gunn sci-fi / superhero film scored over four times its $200 million dollar budget
following its May 5th release in 2017.
The original film is one of my favorite action / comedies of the last five years - and it's
also my second-favorite MCU film, trailing only "The Avengers".
Which is why I am stoked to report its sequel is a worthy successor.
The 136-minute adventure reunites the titular squad for another round of, what else, galaxy-saving
action and antics.
The Guardians battle alien forces while attempting to unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's long-lost
father.
The hugely talented ensemble cast includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin
Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki,
Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell.
The core group of characters really do feel like a family at this point, with everyone
doing an great job; especially considering they're usually performing opposite CGI-characters
in front of giant blue screens.
Russell, and his marvelous mane of hair, is a particularly tremendous addition to this
cast - and feels so effortlessly perfect as Pratt's on-screen father it's amazing they've
never worked together before.
Sadly though, he doesn't share any scenes with his former "Tango & Cash" co-star; who
appears briefly in a role that will likely be expanded in follow-up films.
Elsewhere, Bautista provides a hilarious straight-man comedic foil to newcomer Klementieff, who
portrays a lonely and somewhat naive empath.
Every scene they share together is complete gold.
But it's Rooker's inclusion as a nefarious space-buccaneer and surrogate father-figure
that resonates strongest.
And least we forget about the adorable baby Groot, who delights with every appearance.
Although the PG-13 rated film is bursting at the seams with impressive digital-doubles,
visual effects, and animated worlds, it's the wizards at Lola VFX who impressed me the
most.
Their retro-aging treatment of Russell in the cold open is the most seamless use of
this technique we've seen yet.
The entire sequence literally looks like an outtake from 1980's "Used Cars".
And while the visual treatment of Russell's home planet are not as 'realistic' - they're
brimming with color and inventiveness.
And apparently, with its trillion plus polygons, this virtual-planet is considered to be the
biggest single visual "effect" ever created.
Impeccably chosen 70s-era pop music is threaded into the narrative in meaningful and effective
ways; grounding the otherwise silly moments and magical abilities with something Eartbound
audiences are actually familiar with.
I will say however that the song-selection for Vol. 1 included better, more recognizable
songs.
But Russell waxing poetic on the lyrics and relevance of Looking Glass's "Brandy (You're
A Fine Girl)" was an important scene; and a clear example of how these two mediums (movies
and music) can compliment each other like peanut butter and jelly.
These stellar musical choices also help propel an emotional epilogue to legitimate tear-jerking
status; something I didn't think was possible for this brand of movie.
With the exception of this final scene, the film has a somewhat pervasive habit of punctuating
these emotional moments of introspection or romance with a jokey response, like when Bautista
declares "We leave no one behind."...
before continuing towards Gillan, "Expect maybe you."
This is a fun, cameo-laden ride from the flashy opening titles to the Easter-egg filled ending-credits
and its five separate bonus scenes.
Despite the whiz-bang action and unfamiliar environments, "Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol
2."
is a surprisingly sweet-natured and grounded story with irresistibly charming characters.
Just shy of my top score, I thought it was AWESOME.
That does it for this review - but if you'd like to watch more "Movie Night", click or
tap the thumbnails on the left.
And don't forget to visit the Jogwheel YouTube channel to see full episodes of this show
in addition to the other content I produce.
My name is Jonathan Paula, thanks for watching and have a good Movie Night!