Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a blockbuster masterpiece.
And I don't care how hyperbolic that sounds. I mean it.
Those of you didn't find it as good as the first, or good period... what do you want from a movie like this that you didn't get?
It was phenomenal.
The action, the effects, the humor, the emotion, the look, the vibe... this is as good as tried-and-true comic book filmmaking gets. I expected funny, but that was straight up hilarious. Consistently, and throughout. Maybe the funniest superhero blockbuster I can remember. And there were so many amazing action sequences that weren't just great action, but so beautifully choreographed and visually stunning. Before going in, I also kept seeing all these reactions about the plot feeling disjointed or not being as good as the first. Seriously? The plot here - both narratively and especially thematically - was tighter, and to me at least, felt far more fleshed out than the last movie (which I loved).
More than all that, though, the thing that made this so truly special was the character work. EVERY main character not only had a complete arc, but each one, in their own right, was so damn compelling. I can't remember the last time I saw any movie with a core cast this large tell such a complete and focused story for each of its characters. And then to weave them all together like that.... do you guys have idea how hard that is? To have each separate storyline come together in such a way to inform and propel the overall plot like that... it was legitimately masterful. The way Rocket and Yondu connected to better each other... the way Gamora and Nebula came to reconcile in their own way... Groot's absolutely heartbreaking stint aboard the Ravenger ship and subsequent revenge... the Drax/Mantis pairing (which was admittedly the least important but hands down the funniest)... and of course the Peter/Ego/Yondu dynamic. To take such a small thread in the last movie - the thread between Peter and Yondu - and turn it into what it became in this one... that's how you do a sequel. That's how you plant a seed and have it grow into something so unexpectedly poignant and emotional.
Overall, James Gunn milked the dynamic of this team and these characters for everything it's worth, in the best possible way. And sure, I get how the psychedelic space opera vibe being turned up to 11 might turn some people off, but at the same time... that's EXACTLY what Guardians of the Galaxy is. This was the perfect cinematic embodiment of what this comic always was and intended to be. How anyone can like the first one but complain about this one is beyond me.
It feels weird to say, because it's obviously not quite as integral or connected as the other movies... but I seriously think this might be my favorite Marvel movie ever. More than Iron Man. More than The Avengers. More than Winter Solider. I loved every scene, sequence, character, and song choice (the deep cut slower stuff really landed with me), and felt things watching this one that I haven't in any other movie in the MCU.
Holy hell, if this is any indication, we're in for an amazing summer. What a phenomenal start.
