Review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) by Pfilip — 12 May 2017

A day or so after my second screening of this film, an odd sensation registered within me: complete satisfaction. I was concerned, going in, that Gunn couldn't possibly bring the same level of heart, the same exuberantly colorful visuals, and the same character moments that made the first film such a lightning-in-a-bottle moment.

I'm please report my fears were utterly unfounded. Volume Two is entirely satisfying on all fronts, and in fact, it's better than the original film on most fronts. Where sequels sometimes suffer from bloat, this movie felt like MORE without feeling like an unintelligible storm of narrative.

Every character--from Yondu to Rocket, Mantis to Nebula--gets standout moments, genuine emotional touchpoints that bring us closer to them and their struggles. The Guardians as a franchise-within-a-franchise remains a visual treat, dynamic and free-spirited, and as one reviewer put it (allow me to paraphrase), they're more of a team than the Avengers have ever managed to be.

I seriously cannot find fault with anything in this film: if you loved, really loved, the first GOTG, you're going to appreciate Volume Two immensely.