Marvel took a huge risk in 2014 by putting out a film based on the lesser known property of Guardians of the Galaxy. Thanks to multiple factors, the film was one of the most successful films not just for Marvel Studios, but for 2014 all together. The Guardians had become a household name, subsequently spawning their own animated series (the premiere for which I covered) and a video game from Telltale (which will be covered after the episodes have been released), both having their own music to go along with them. As the film's sequel approached, hype was just as high if not more than the first one; the initial trailer featuring "Fox on the Run" is one of my favorite movie trailers. But since the original Guardians film was such a fresh take for the superhero genre, could lightning strike twice and have the same impact? I'll put it this way: lightning not only struck twice, it hit a tree so hard that it was incinerated.
Pretty much from the first battle scene of the movie, it was an automatic win for me. It pretty much featured everything people loved about the first movie and the characters. A space battle with the characters being themselves, classic music, dancing, and of course Groot, now in baby form.
What makes this film even better than its predecessor is that it adds more emotional depth. While the first one did its job of introducing the characters, Vol. 2 gave us deeper looks into them, even for characters that didn't get much insight before, like Yondu and Nebula. Yondu is much more than a blue space hillbilly and Nebula does have emotions under all the cybernetics. Drax also gets a lot more focus, something I felt he lacked in the first film. He might have been my favorite character from the film. Since there is a time lapse from the first film, it shows the characters have grown more accustomed to each other as well, particularly Quill and Gamora; their relationship is growing, but it's a really slow crawl. You really get emotionally invested with these characters compared to last time, and it really tugs on the heart strings during the final moments of the film.
Of course, the main thing people will be talking about in this movie is Baby Groot. As you'd expect, he's just adorable. People may complain he was only there for a marketing standpoint, but I think it adds something new we haven't seen in a superhero movie before, with a character who's small and underestimated, but still capable of some things. Hell, he plays a factor in the climax, so he's not totally useless.
Two of the new characters brought in are Ego and Mantis. Ego, played by Kurt Russell, is Quill's father. Even though you know he's the villain, the film does a good job at showing him being father happy to be reunited with his son (with a game of catch thrown in to boot), which I think adds even more to the punch in the gut to show just how villainous and downright heartless he can be. In my opinion, it's what makes him one of the best villains of the MCU. Being he's a living planet, he has elemental powers, which Quill is able to use as well, which I think makes for a good substitute for his element gun that he uses in the comics (which he doesn't have here).
Mantis reminds me a lot of Drax from the first film, in that she isn't very good with social interaction. The two actually share some of the best scenes in the movie. It's just really interesting to see how she grows from when she's first introduced, and look forward to seeing where she'll be at the next time we see her.
In terms of tone, I think a good comparison is "Empire Strikes Back". I know a lot of sequels try to aim for the "Empire" feel, but Guardians is a film I feel truly reaches it. In addition to the characters getting more insight, there is a lot of darkness to the film in both backstories and actions. I mean, there's a lot of death in this film. Nothing gruesome, but it's a lot of death. But that doesn't mean the comedy isn't there. Hell, it's even stronger this time around. I was laughing my ass off.
In addition, there's a lot of 80's nostalgia in the film as well, including characters piloting ships remotely like an arcade. I'd say more, but that would spoil the fun of seeing those elements for yourself.
One of the major aspects of the first film was its soundtrack, the Awesome Mix Vol. 1. Of course, we get more classic hits with Vol. 2. Unlike the first film, I actually listened to the soundtrack before seeing the movie (I was on a long drive to the airport and wanted something to listen to along the way). Having now seen the movie, it's great to have some context to how the music is used within it, and they did a great job in how they were incorporated. I can't really say at this point which was better between the two, though I don't think it matters. It's just good classic music that any generation should be able to enjoy. My only gripes were that Sweet's "Fox on the Run" wasn't used in the film like the trailer, and that David Bowie's "Suffragette City" didn't even make it to the actual CD after being used in TV spots.
Marvel did a little something different with the extra scenes, splicing five of them throughout the credits. 2 of them are set-up for future plot points and 3 of them are more comedy based. My favorite comedy one focused on what I can only describe as "Emo Teen Groot"; that's all I'll say on that. The best of the set-up scenes is a tease for a character called Adam Warlock, who should make his debut in the third Guardians film. Personally, my casting for that role would be Matt Smith (#MattSmithforAdamWarlock).
In what was an unexpected move for me, I believe "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" to be the best film Marvel Studios has produced so far. The last time an MCU surprised me this much was "Captain America: The Winter Solider". Guardians 2 not only surpassed the first film but once again raised the bar. Marvel just keeps outdoing themselves that it seems what I feel to be their best movie can't hold it for more than a year. Hell, by this time in 2018, I bet I'll be saying "Infinity War" will be the best (I mean, when you have Avengers, Guardians, and Spider-Man going against Thanos, it probably goes without saying how epic it will be).
Overall, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is a fun ride for everyone, whether you already loved the first one or if superheroes aren't really your thing.
SCORE: 10/10
My Personal Marvel Cinematic Universe Film Rankings:
1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
2. Captain America: Civil War
3. Avengers: Age of Ultron
4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
5. Avengers
6. Guardians of the Galaxy
7. Doctor Strange
8. Ant-Man
9. Iron Man 3
10. Thor
11. Captain America: The First Avenger
12. Iron Man
13. Incredible Hulk
14. Iron Man 2
15. Thor: The Dark World
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