Review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) by Cameron G — 14 May 2017

There is so much to like about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and it doesn't really surprise me much as James Gunn hit a home run with the first one. Marvel has been on such a roll over the past few years and I'm sorry to tell the haters: They're not out of gas yet. I knew it would be funny from the trailers, but the humor hits you in different ways from the monumental to the subtle. It's sci-fi action that succeeds because of the funnybone at its core. For the most part it never takes itself too seriously.

Again, the trailers left me with certain expectations, one of which being that I had seen a good chunk of the good parts. Not so in the least. In fact, you remember that trailer scene where the Guardians are battling it out on the platform with the massive space monster? Yeah, that's just the first ten minutes. The movie is jam-packed with cool surprises that keep you on your toes even as the credit rolls. My lips are sealed, but be sure and stay on the lookout at all times for cool easter eggs.

I'll get off my praise horse for a moment to address my one gripe. While the film was excellent bordering on brilliant at times, I thought there were other times where it tried too hard. There were a handful of sentimental moments that were over the top reminding me of something I might find on a Lifetime movie. Gunn was forcing it, just as he found himself doing with a handful of the jokes that tried a little too hard to be funny. In his defense, there are few movies that get this completely right. In a film that feels like a walking punchline, there's bound to be jokes that fall flat. Not to mention it's better to try to hard than look like you never really tried at all.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 succeeds without there being any kind of plot to drive the ship. The cast's familiarity with each other shines onscreen. You have a better feel for these guys this time around which makes their actions and dialogue even funnier. Everyone will rave about how awesome and cute Baby Groot was, but I personally think that Drax steals the show this time around. He's over impulsive and his decisions tend to drive the direction of the group, mostly in directions they never wanted to go in the first place. The blunt way he puts things will leave you cracking up.

Not quite as good as the first, but still a strong sequel. I give it an 86.