If the Marvel Cinematic Universe has taught us anything it’s that even the most obscure characters can not only be incredibly entertaining but also downright compelling. Tapping into the wellspring of the vast resources of The House That Stan Lee Built is one of the smartest moves the movie industry has ever made, providing excellent fan boy service and making a ton of money in the process. The successes have far outweighed the disappointments since this journey began, turning already highly respected actors and actresses into even bigger icons. From characters as familiar as Captain America to the more obscure heroes like Ant-Man, the MCU has made its residents permanent fixtures in our vocabulary.
There was no bigger and more pleasant surprise than the 2014 hit, “Guardians of the Galaxy,” bringing a team of dysfunctional characters together in a film that hit all the right notes and becoming an instant fan favorite. Before it even hit theatres, a sequel was already announced due to overwhelming positive buzz within the studio, which brings us to the latest entry in the MCU’s Phase Three, “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2”.
“Vol. 2” picks up with our beloved team of Peter Quill, aka Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) who quickly find themselves on the wrong side of Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), High Priestess and leader of The Sovereign, after Rocket double crosses her in a deal that netted them Gamora’s sister Nebula (Karen Gillian). After their ship is disabled, the team splits up after they are rescued by Ego (Kurt Russell) who claims to be Peter’s long lost father. Along with Gamora, Drax and Ego’s emapth handler Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Peter heads back to Ego’s home world while Rocket and Groot stay behind to guard Nebula and repair the ship. In the meantime, Ayesha has contracted the assistance of Yondu (Michael Rooker) to track down the Guardians so she can exact her revenge. What secrets does Ego hold to Peter’s past? Will Yondu finally put an end to the Guardians? Will Groot be an even better dancer this time around?
This film is about as filled to brim as a film can get: the action is constant, the imagery is unlike anything else out there, and the characters are just as endearing as ever. The middle does tend to drag just a tad, and the fight scenes get so busy and chaotic that it gets a little hard to keep track of what’s going on, especially on an IMAX screen. Regardless, the film is a worthy addition to the ever expanding mythology of the MCU, with cameos and surprises that are as enjoyable as anything this series has produced, yielding a record five scenes after the end credits enter the screen. I t’s an amazingly fun film with a surprising amount of heart at its core, and I can only imagine where the Guardians will take us from here, but I can’t wait to find out.