I feel like we should talk about director James Gunn’s
fascination with Howard the Duck. Another Guardians film; another cameo. Is a
remake coming? Will he be directing it? Or is this just one of several memes to
be associated with future appearances of The Space Avengers.
The biggest meme in regard to The Guardians of the Galaxy –
even Volume 2 – is that, for lack of a better term, they just do shit. The
Avengers managed to save New York and by extension the World, only after
screwing it up the first go-round. The Guardians saved the Galaxy on their
first try, but mainly for their own benefit.
A few years ago, they were a bunch of jackasses standing in
a circle. As the movie begins, we see them as a bunch of rich jackasses
standing in a circle; prepared to defend the Sovereign space colony from a giant
monster that wants to feed on their power source. Rocket is not a giant space
worm, but he is a scoundrel and also shows interest in the Sovereign's batteries.
The ensuing chase and space battle leaves the team stranded
on a distant planet where they meet Kurt Kenobi Russell, Peter Quill’s long-lost
dad who left his only son in the care of space pirates as the boy’s mother
slowly succumbed to a brain tumor.
The rest of the movie only vaguely resembles the Super Space
Road Trip that the first movie did (subsidiary plot line notwithstanding). No,
Vol. 2 in the Adventures of Star-Lord and Pals is all about family and the
lengths we are willing to go for them.
Is this different? Yes.
Is this good? Also yes.
It’s a bit more of an introspection, this flick. As a
sequel, it definitely feels like one. It’s bigger and it’s longer, but its
themes are largely its own. Peter and his dad have catching up to do. Gamora
and her sister Nebula have a score to settle. Rocket has his own issues and
Captain Yondu is reeling from a mutiny on his own ship.
Whether or not you can get through that might decide what
you think of this movie, because once we get to the action, dammit, it’s time
for action.
Now, some notes from my screening.
Full disclosure: I am from Missouri. It’s where I saw this
movie, and so when the first shot of the movie is of young, CG Kurt Russell
driving through what the movie has titled as “Missouri” 1980, the theater
promptly loses their minds. I had to look over to my friend in question. What
exactly were we cheering for?
The crowd was active the entire night, just like when I saw
the first Guardians. The movie was
funny and they responded throughout. Midnight Movie Madness takes a bit to
recover from, especially when I decide to write directly after, but it’s always
a treat with films like this.
The soundtrack, once again is great to listen to and Big
Dave Bautista continues to be a revelation as Drax the Destroyer. Having
watched him for a decade as a pro wrestler, I can safely say that this is my
favorite version of him. After his run with Marvel is through, I hope we haven’t
seen the last of him on screen.
I’ll get into a brief spoiler discussion after the jump
below (beware!) but I had fun with this one. It’s not as good objectively as
the first movie – it’s cartoonish to the point of absurdity and some of the
performers really seem to ham it up with that in mind – but it’s not without its
own merits. If your selling point for the original was the characters and the
humor, you’ll love this, because you’ll get to spend a lot more time with the
Guardians: the jackasses who get to save the Galaxy twice.
3.5 Stars out of 5
So, Star-Lord’s dad Ego (a bit on the nose, huh, folks?) is
revealed to be a celestial being of unimaginable power. He tells Peter he is
immortal and has been alive for eons, quite literally spreading his seed
amongst the stars.
Right away you know something is off. Never mind he calls
himself Ego. He is depicted in the
movie, as I said earlier, by the veteran Kurt Russell – grey beard and all. But
if he’s immortal, why come to Peter in the shape of an old man? Wonder Woman is
immortal, too, but she never ages more than her prime years.
Sure enough. Ego’s plan is akin to dimensional genocide. He
looks to spread his “light” throughout the cosmos, at the cost of countless
lives. However, he makes the same mistake General Zod did in Man of Steel when he was convincing
Kal-El to let him destroy humanity.
Also, sit tight after the credits roll. There are a number of stingers in this one. Most of them are just funny slice-of-life gag reels but there is one that has significant bearings on the future of the MCU. I had to do some research myself, and just happened to find an article that puts things into perspective from a comics standpoint. 2018, here we come!
