Our favourite guardians are back doing what they do best – saving the Galaxy. Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot first leapt onto the big screen in 2014 where it quickly became the most successful Marvel film at the time.
This year, we’re introduced to new characters, new planets, and gain new love for characters we didn’t have much for in the first instalment...
The film all Marvel fans have been waiting for, for three years, is finally here. We left the first movie with the five characters accepting their new status as guardians of the Galaxy, and we begin this second instalment with the group of five still fighting the bad guys. However, there’s one significant difference; Groot is now Baby Groot.
Arguably the most beloved character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) so far, Groot – voiced by Vin Diesel (The Fast and The Furious) – dies in order to save the other four guardians at the end of Volume One. However, with a plant pot, some soil and a Groot twig, he was able to be reborn, and in turn he’s become not only loveable, but also adorable.
However, he isn’t the only character that’s changed. Nebula, played by Karen Gillan (Doctor Who) shows us a softer, more vulnerable side that adds an element of intrigue to where her story will take her.
But, the guy that truly steals the show isn’t Groot, or even Star-Lord, rather an unlikely blue hero named Yondu, played by Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead).
You may remember him from the first film. He and his Ravagers kidnapped Peter Quill (Star-Lord) from his home planet, Earth, in order to deliver him to Quill’s father, Ego. However, he decides to keep him because he’s small and can fit into small gaps that the other crew members can’t, in order to help them steal.
In this film, however, we see a very different Yondu. We see a broken man, we see his truly authentic, scared self, and finally we see a hero. He’s absolutely the stand-out character of the film, and Rooker has become not only a Walking Dead legend, but now also a Marvel legend.
We’re also introduced to new characters in Volume Two such as Ego and Mantis, who come as a pair, but certainly don’t leave as one.
Ego, played by Kurt Russell (Silkwood) is Star-Lord’s father who, from the off, seems like a kind, charming, perfect fit as a father-figure for Quill. However, all is not what it seems, and as a much darker side to the character is revealed, the guardians must battle him to save Quill and, yet again, the Galaxy.
Mantis, played by Pom Klementieff (Oldboy), holds empathetic powers and was raised by Ego. She has lived alone with him for the majority of her life, and so she doesn’t have the best social skills. However, this makes her as much of an odd ball as Drax, and therefore they develop a connection with one another.
Characters aren’t the only newcomers to this franchise, however, as we’re introduced to beautiful new planets, scary new aliens, and incredible new dance moves – mostly from Baby Groot.
There is also a more mature and relaxed sense of humour that sometimes felt a bit forced in the first film. Especially from Drax – who has a happier exterior, which is extremely refreshing – and Rocket, as we are introduced to a more likeable side of his.
Although it felt a little busier than the first instalment at times, with more twists and turns, more character development, and new characters being added in, Volume Two certainly didn’t disappoint. The Galaxy has never looked so beautiful, and you simply cannot take your eyes off the screen throughout the whole movie.
The humour never failed, the many eighties references (mostly in the form of cameos by actors) worked as little treats, and the soundtrack may not have been as good as the first, but it was certainly still good enough to go and download.
All in all, the film ticked all boxes. It was yet another masterpiece in sci-fi, and it just gets you even more excited for Avengers: Infinity War (2018). It will be remembered as one of the top films of the year, and once again, you must stay until the end of the credits.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is showing at most Nottingham cinemas
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on IMDB
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