Review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) by Jens M — 10 Aug 2017

Will the price increase to save the galaxy for the second time?

The inaugural chapter of the most irreverent galactic mercenaries from Marvel was a gigantic turning point in the path set by superhero movies. "Guardians of the Galaxy" was one of the best - and completely fortuitous-proposals in 2014, a carefree sci-fi film that divorced in full from the general storyline that, by requirement, has to follow regarding the super longed final outcome called "Infinity War". Its massive success was mainly due to inexorable features as the different and unusual-at that time-humor types present in the characters, the visuals as artificial as extraordinary or a soundtrack based on the 80's Walkman, which were developed with ease on the three true foundations: Story (screenplay), Actors (performances) and director (decisions). From all, that colorful and hilarious mix comes the expected "Vol. 2 ", which remains stable in relation to the first one and satisfies the enormous expectation that was on the shoulders of the guardians, who not only saved cosmic characters, also a couple of terrestrial individuals.

If the creative outbursts of the writer seemed eccentric in the first film by virtue of the composition of apparently nothing correlated tones and genres, in this one, James Gunn is fully unleashed from any impediment in a story of living planets, hybrids between deities and humans and allusions to Mary Poppins. The director preserves his characteristic flame innovating and relating exotic formulas even in the opening since later in the astonishing 80's introduction, the initial sequence ratifies a cosmic and comical aura almost equal to its predecessor, orchestrated by multi-functional Gunn, a man who knows perfectly how to manage the tools at his disposal. After it sets us in the atmosphere, the plot slides, unlike the previous one, to delve into the traumas and the open questions, including the leitmotif of the feature film: to find Peter Quill's lineage, while each one of the characters receives a meritorious treatment of their past in the form of dyads, having behind them an intergalactic ships army and a father with wicked purposes, getting an emotional and tension level according to its outstanding visual risks.

Here, the triad of elements, that were as original as refreshing in the first installment, are strengthened, getting the same heart with a similar wrapper, it's really a continuation, not a clone. The most important pillar is the story, the plot around which the movie will have to be meant. Before it was about setting up a dysfunctional family, now, it's about being a dysfunctional family. With a general structure established, its writer, who is also a director, chooses to explore and clarify the past of his pieces, since due to its dazzling introduction was possibly a wide and amusing deepening of its roots. In addition, this study is applied to the introduction of new Guardians: Mantis, Yondu, and Nebula, who arrive to transform the quintet into an octet of light hearted fun, finding in them a new breath to irreverence of the core stars. Likewise, within that sea of fabulous inclusions, the scriptwriters insinuate and strengthen what they have been announcing for some time: Independent of the appearances in "Infinity War" or future movies, the story-as a team-of the Guardians will have three films, nothing more, nothing less, however, the filmmaker has insinuated that although the official closing of the cycle of Stard-Lord and his gang ends with the longed for third one, we could see more movies, in the distant future, of the Guardians, but... Of who? With great feasibility may be referring to the ancestors of Gamora and Groot, the former Guardians who, as cameos, make their first glimpse into the universe, a new crew led by master Sylvester Stallone, of whom it has been spoken will have a leading role in the development of Phase Three, but, would Marvel is willing to change the unbridled tone of the guardians, which served as a lighthouse in past years for the atmosphere of its movies, for a more serious one of the guardians of before? It's unlikely but lucrative.

Marvel risks its life with an unseen masterstroke in its film compendium so far, a knack that added and reduced at the same time, a narrative skill called Ego the Living Planet. With a brilliant performance by Kurt Russell, this living man-planet not only catches the attention of the new characters but also steals easily the antagonist of the central villain: Ayesha. Elizabeth Debicki seems wasted in this commotion of modernistic faces, her mean and authoritarian attitude, besides having a little time on screen, doesn't get a real impact, the trouble is that she was the main villain, not a supporting character, her impetus of revenge against the guardians are taken to the extreme and despite her excellent performance within the bright chrome and extravagant golden suits, her evildoer has neither effect nor tact. Despite all, it displays the care that Marvel is taken in villains, its weakness in most of the preceding movies, in which the hero is conspicuous by the absence of a real malignancy.

It happens with very few motion pictures, "Guardians" is in that strange but thankful section. Even though humans will always get swept up in visuals, seeing is believing!, James Gun's film, like its predecessor, presents an authentic, nostalgic and a maddening musical compendium from the late 1970s/early 1980s, hits enhancing the scenes with regard to the seen ones in the universe. While "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra provides the best and most monumental opening for a Marvel movie,"The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac orchestrates one of the most mind-blowing sequences that Phase 3 of the MCU has been able to set up, to this mix of yesteryear, we can add it a few songs that are right on target in the dramatic moments, which also make way for the best of Marvel. One can feel the value and the impact that a simple melody can have in the cinema, and here, all his team appreciates it and gives the indicated treatment to such an emotional tool, and it happens with very few motion pictures.

Do you want an appetizer? See the teaser trailer. Another extra? See the official trailer. But in case you are still overcome by doubts, another one? Delight yourself with the opening sequence. The pictures are sickeningly sweet like a visit to a candy shop, prevailing and vigorous like the guilty pleasure of entering the shop. The range of colors is phenomenal, and its application boosts greatly that feeling, moreover, the way to sort the components in the scene is beautiful, colorful; a harmony vis-à-vis with each character. However, they episodically fail in the well-known "more is less" proverb, even thought Ego's planet is paradisiacal, the screen is crowded of pigments and dizzying gadgets for the spectator, tarnishing the beauty of photography, from superhero world newcomer Henry Braham. It's worth highlighting the remarkable work in the editing room, that in addition to vivify scenes, produce mind-boggling IMAX and 3D screenings, that will leave you astounded. Also, it's meritorious to applaud the exact length of the film, those two hours and eighteen minutes don't feel unused at all.

And Gunn keeps on to inscribe rules for upcoming superhero movie directors. The filmmaker concludes his feature film, his work, his son, his beloved in an intimate and melancholy way, producing a breath of hope and affliction at the same time, something that, at first glance, doesn't fit into the atmosphere of the story, but that after following the crazy adventures of our guardians for two hours feels phenomenally effective. A smile and a goodbye hurt more than hundreds of blows and Gunn has shown (also) to know how to handle it. He's a peculiar director, that has pros and cons like any other man-but more pros-, the priority for music, the character design, the importance of comedy and drama, the tidiness imposed on frames and a few hazards crossing their minds. It seems Marvel will continue at the service of the demands and ideas of this talented man and his squad of characters, demonstrating in this installment more of everything, duplicating what we liked about the first one, but giving it personality to a film as fun as tear-producing simultaneously.