Good Morning Lovelies,

Finally, I feel like I can speak about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2! After taking a day to calm down, think about the film and tell everyone I know to go and see it, this review will now probably be the longest review on the blog.

Every year there is one film that comes and takes over my world. I obsess about it and think about it all the time until it comes out on DVD/Blu-ray and I start the whole cycle again. I knew from the moment we entered 2017 that film was going to be the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2.

Returning two months after the events of the first film, Star-Lord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and a now Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) set out on saving the world one step at a time. However, it is not all smooth space flying for them as Rocket and Peter fight for power, after ending up in a battle with newcomer Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), the leader of the Sovereign race and her crew over batteries.

As relationships begin to break down in the fold, Peter finds himself face to face with his real father, Ego (Russell Kurt), a planet/God who wants to rebuild his connection with his son. Not David Hasselhoff who he dreamed it was for many years (this comes a little later in the film). Yet, not all is as it seems and with the return of Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker) and Nebula (Karen Gillian), plus the introduction of newcomer Mantis (Pom Klementieff), the gang finds themselves facing an even bigger problem that could destroy all of space and humankind from Ego and Peter’s new father/son bond.

Pratt is on top form as the comical and often naïve Peter/Star-Lord, as he gives audiences everything they could possibly want from the character. But he isn’t the true star of the film this time around. Of course, Rocket and Groot are going to be the cutest film characters of 2017 (the deserve to be), but it is Rooker, Bautista and Saldana who rise above Peter to take the crown in this feature, as they wear their hearts on their sleeves. Especially Rooker, a main character in this one, as he leads the cast through multiple story platforms.

Unlike the first film, this is a feature about the bonds of family. In GOTG, we were given access to see what these characters were known for but we didn’t get to know what caused them to be this way. Now we learn why that need for a real family is so important. Peter wants to find out who his father really is and why he didn’t stay around, as well wanting to know why Yondu never gave him to his father, whilst saving the bond they share.

Nebula and Gamora reveal how their strained sisterhood comes from years of abuse from their father. Whilst, Drax’s sadness about his wife and child that is only truly represented through his connection to Mantis, comes to light to show the darkness behind a normally very comical character.

Director James Gunn has made the film an immensely entertaining feature, but with a lot of heart. Each exploration into the character’s emotions breaks down this façade that superheroes have no soul or connections to the world outside of fighting to save it. They are not your average figures but ones that have been modelled to rebel against the norm. In a world, full of amazing graphics and IMAX 3D features, which make the film pop with colours, sounds and over interaction actors. Something that always provides audiences with a sense of relief and delight.

As for the Awesome Mix Vol.2, James Gunn and the soundtracks creator have done it again. While at times it appears some of the more familiar songs are cut short in key scenes, there is an overriding amount of creativity in the placement of those songs in the film. Starting with ELO’s Mr Blue Sky, James Gunn instantly throws you into the heart of the songs. Leading us through the rest of the film with 70s classics such as Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang by Silver and the unmissable (but very short) Fleetwood Mac hit, The Chain. Before introducing us to a new David Hasselhoff classic, Guardians Inferno. All easily rememberable when you see Baby Groot dance along to them, starting with his first boogie that comes in the opening five minutes.  

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 is a story about family. Unlike trying to take down an evil figure – although they do – this film is about taking down the different sides of the characters that they have built a wall around. Gunn has given us the introduction and now the heart of the Guardians and now we will leave it to him to give us the whole formation in the third feature. Something that has been teased highly, as five post-credit scenes prepare us for a whole lot of action to come. And a teenage Groot to get to clean his room.

These Guardians have earned themselves this Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang of a rating…

5 Stars

Blog Soon,

Joey X

P.S. Thank you to the amazing IMAX 3D team for sending me to see the film. It was incredible!