When I walked into the theater to watch “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” on Sunday, all that ran through my mind was how this was going to be yet another Marvel movie that would be over-complicated and drawn out. To my surprise, what was presented in the theater quickly changed my mind.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”, the highly anticipated sequel of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1” which premiered in July of 2014, had a lot to live up to. The movie, directed by James Gunn and produced by Marvel Studios, delivered what was expected of it – if not more.
Peter Quill, otherwise known as “Star Lord” (Chris Pratt), returns with his group of ragtag heroes and picks up right where the first movie left off; the Guardians are all still fighting the “evils” of the galaxy together. The opening scene features a dancing Groot (Vin Diesel) in the foreground while the rest of the gang engage in a dramatic fight scene. This playful opening scene sets the light-hearted tone for the rest of the movie.
In this movie, Quill reunites with his father, just one of the many scenes that speak to the central theme of “family.” Unlike the first film, Vol. 2 offers more insight into the familial relationships of the characters, giving more depth to the characters and allowing the audience to sympathize with them more.
Throughout the movie, the warm heart- felt scenes between Quill and his father are punctuated by witty banter. This eases any serious moments of tension between the characters in the movie and makes it more enjoyable for the audience.
Other examples of these heartwarming moments between family members occur when Gamora (Zoe Saldana) reunites with her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) and when Drax reminisces about his family back at home. These moments which fill Vol. 2 make a science-fiction movie far more relatable; while most Americans have never traveled to a far away planet, complicated relationships occur in many households.
By no means, however, is this film simply a sappy familial drama. Action scenes with weapons taken from the pages of science fiction novels persist throughout the movie. Without falling prey to the typical action movie tropes, Vol. 2 provides the kind of excitement moviegoers have come to expect.
The true merit of the movie, which sets it apart from most other Marvel movies, is the playful dialogue. Even at a climactic moment, the humorous Guardian Rocket, who vehemently denies that he is a simple racoon, shouts at Quill, “You have an atomic bomb in your bag! If anyone is gonna have tape, it’s you!”
While the movie leaves the audience with many unanswered questions about the Guardians, diehard fans need not fret that the successful franchise will leave these cliffhangers without a satisfying conclusion. The end credits include the words “The Guardians of the Galaxy Will Return.”
Although there is no release date for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, I will be at the theatre once again to catch a sight of the Guardians amusing adventures.
Sahasra Chigurupati – Staff Writer
