Classes are ending and summer is beginning which means big-budget superhero season is upon us.
2017 has already brought about plenty of super-powered action with the fantastically brutal Logan and the fun-filled reboot-that-nobody-knew-they-wanted Power Rangers; but as May opens up it’s now Marvel Studios’ turn to get audiences excited and remind everyone of what a “Groot” is with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.
Reminder, The Plainsman values our readers so this review will be COMPLETELY SPOILER FREE.
Returning director James Gunn opens the movie with the Guardians, composed of returning cast Chris Pratt as Star-Lord/Peter Quill, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Racoon and Vin Diesel as Baby Groot in one of the best opening scenes the Marvel Cinematic Universe has produced yet.
Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr. Blue Sky”, one of many classic rock songs that make up the film’s incredible soundtrack, blares as the team fights an inter-dimensional monster, all while cracking jokes and reminding us of how awesome the first movie was. Unfortunately, this scene is the highest point in the film, and the movie quickly goes downhill from there.
Unlike the first GotG which had a clear goal for our heroes to achieve, an obvious villain for them to face and a linear story that was easy to follow while entertaining to experience, GotG 2 suffers from too many characters doing too many different things.
While yes, I agree a statement like that can sound silly when last year's “Captain America: Civil War” featured over 15 heroes duking it out, and super hero movies have never been known to have the most compelling of stories, GotG 2 relies too heavily on segmented flash and flair without giving the audience a reason to care about what’s happening until the third act.
That’s not to say the movie isn’t entertaining, though. While the special effects and CGI are laughable at times, GotG 2 is a feast for the eyes whether you’re watching a high-speed chase through space-time, admiring a lush and vibrant alien planet or watching the entrails of a space beast spill out.
The dialogue makes for a hilariously good time when it wants to, but struggles in finding a balance between crude bathroom humor and serious moments meant to build relationships between characters. In one scene Drax is joking about his privates while in the next Peter is struggling with his need for a father figure; it just seems too choppy for it to have any semblance of coherence.
By staying lighthearted and goofy the majority of the movie, GotG 2 doesn’t take itself seriously enough which hurts it considerably when trying to make the audience stop laughing and start paying attention.
GotG 2 can perfectly be described as fun but flawed. While it has its good moments and likeable cast, it fails to leave the same impact as other MCU films.
Because of where the story fits in the grand scheme of the MCU, GotG 2 changes little about where all the characters are heading and what events are in motion, which makes it ultimately forgettable.
The film serves as more of an appetizer for fans to whet their appetite until Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok come out later this year.
If you are a huge Marvel fan I would say it’s worth a ticket, but if you’re anything but, waiting to rent it with a group of friends will suffice.
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