Big Screen Favorites: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Can any Guardians of the Galaxy movie be as good as the first? It is a difficult task, mainly for the reason that the original had the element of surprise going for it. The promise of talking raccoons and trees did not sound appealing to many, but the James Gunn-directed Marvel film was released to staggeringly positive reviews from both audiences and critics. A sequel was inevitable, but with almost unrealistic expectations facing it unlike the first time around, will it make loyal fans happy? I was highly entertained by the movie, but there are a few flaws that hold it back from surpassing the original story in quality.

The core cast of characters is just as fun and dynamic as in the original, and the movie does its best to give each individual an arc and development. Unfortunately, with the addition of several new characters and focus on previously supporting ones, there are some balancing and pacing issues. The middle portion of the movie in particular is a bit of a drag, as the cast is split up into two storylines; it is pretty easy to tell that the script just did not know what to do with them in some parts. While the original Guardians had me engaged the entire way through, this one felt as though it could have been trimmed down just the slightest to make for a more cohesive experience.

But that is not to say that Guardians 2 is a disappointing experience--anyone who enjoyed the first will still have a blast with this one. As mentioned before, the cast is fantastic, with Michael Rooker and Kurt Russell perhaps being the best parts. The visuals remain a standout--the vibrant colors and creativity of the different alien designs once again make this film a far more interesting experience than Marvel's usual fare. And in spite of the aforementioned pacing issues, the film manages to regain its footing with a fantastic final thirty minutes that blend humor, excitement, and surprisingly powerful, emotional scenes. James Gunn has achieved success with this sequel, although there are a few mistakes that he hopefully won't repeat for the third chapter in the series. I would award Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 4 stars out of 5.