Review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) by Duff W — 18 Jun 2018

While much of the movie capitalized on retreading the same jokes that worked before, GOTGv2 also doubled down on the familial dynamic of the heroes. The Guardians represent a pivot that Marvel movies have made toward a cosmic and comedic style compared to the more grounded comic-book fare.

The additions of Kurt Russell (Ego the living planet) and his servant Mantis were compelling and memorable characters that expanded the mythos of the group and added elements of emotional depth, especially for Peter Quill and Drax.

Michael Rooker returns for a more substantial role and also provides an unexpected emotional core that establishes his character as one of the unsung standouts of the greater Marvel Universe. The villain (the movies glaring weakness) falls apart during the climax of his arc by ignoring the thoughtful set-up built through the first two-thirds of the movie and becoming a monstrous over-large CGI video game boss.

It's important to note; the Guardians are only part of a much larger MCU plan, and despite the bungling of this movie's antagonist, the story did a great job of setting up an even more important villain, Thanos.

Through one character's accounts of his brutal torture, they added to the mysteriousness that I'm hoping gets paid off in 2018's Infinity War. It goes without saying, Baby Groot is adorable, and I'm sure sold lots of toys.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 served as a great episode in what is basically a big screen Marvel Cinematic Universe television show.