Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

*Spoilers ahead*

Even if I don’t particularly love the comics, I have to say Guardians of the Galaxy so far has been the gem of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Guardians may be peripheral compared to the big-hitters like Iron Man and Cap, but their movies don’t disappoint and are actually more fun to watch.

Guardians 2 matched up to the legacy of the first movie – and now that we have a gang fully assembled, it’s time to develop them, and this movie focuses on family. Do blood ties make a family? Could gruff father figures actually have acted with kindness all along? Should a gang of misfits start to consider one another a family?

The film does a lot, but ties the threads in well. There are three major storylines – the pursuit of the Guardians by the slighted Sovereign, Quill discovering his origins and Rocket’s escape from the rogue Ravagers who have mutinied against Yondu. All of them provide exciting scenes and all of them in some way build up the film’s conception of family bonds.  

The climax is a pretty standard battle of good vs evil and Ego’s plan for the universe seems a bit daft, as it seemed a bit strange he had to cover the worlds he’d visited in killer goop, but everything is wrapped up in satisfying style, with a touching self-sacrifice and final fireworks display that are classic tearjerker elements.

But what has become the signature of Guardians films is bathos, and here there are two superb examples centred on the idea of not focusing on what would seem to be the most important element. One is during the final battle, Quinn goes on a search for some tape. The other is the opening sequence, when the endlessly adorable mini-Groot dances his way past an epic battle, which is not only fun and entertaining but also a tour de force of CG. ELO provide the upbeat soundtrack to this scene in one of several masterful soundtrack choices, with other fantastic moments coming courtesy of Cat Stevens, George Harrison and especially Fleetwood Mac. Suddenly, songs friends might consider ‘dad rock’ are in vogue again!

Visually, there are few movies as impressive as this one. The makeup is amazing again, not only on returning characters like Nebula and Gamora, but on new characters like Mantis and Ayesha and briefly-glimpsed Ravagers like Charlie-27 and Aleta. The worlds visited are superb, and there are a number of amusing cameos, my favourite of which being the Watchers alongside a familiar face. References abound to the first movie, from a cybernetic eye to a certain duck, and the name ‘Adam’ is uttered for a possible future antagonist – scrapping the concept of an Easter egg I didn’t get in the first movie, the cocoon of Adam Warlock.

 This was a great sci-fi movie in its own regard, as well as a highly satisfying sequel and, most excitingly, piece of the large MCU puzzle. I can’t wait to see the clash of worlds in the next Avengers movie. I’m certain that it will be much enhanced by the presence of the Guardians.