By Cynthia Ayala

“Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ continues the team’s adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage.”

    —IMDB

One word: amazing! Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 does not disappoint. The film looks at the characters allowing for character growth while also establishing a family unit for the characters. The movie goes back to trace back the origins of Peter/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt). But there’s more to this film than just that. It had heart and focuses on the Guardians not just as a group of heroes or friends, but as a family. And that’s one of the things that makes this film so good because everyone focuses on the characters and their dynamics with one another. They care about each other, they fight with one another and for one another. They are a strong unit and the cast and crew make sure that that resonates off the screen.

This film is so successful in so many ways. There is a rich story here about who Peter’s father is and soon it takes a dark turn, but the dark turn, once again, gives the story so much depth to it. It forces the characters to see within themselves, their love and their fears. This a film that takes some very dark turns, many of which are heartbreaking. But that doesn’t detract from the hilarious moments in the film. And that’s also what makes this film so successful. There is a perfect balance between the serious moments and those heartfelt moments. And there are so many great moments in this film that will just fill the audience with joy. Baby Groot is hands down the most adorable thing ever, and the film really utilizes this little guy by tapping into that sweet innocence of the film and the humor attached to his somewhat limited understanding of the other characters. It’s perfect.

All in all, this is such an exceptional film and in some ways, it is better than the first mainly because the family unit has been established so the love between the characters is something more to the film, something that can be explored deeply. The characters and their chemistry, who they are, both serious and not, they make the film what it is and the actors who play them, they are the characters. You couldn’t pick a better team to be the Guardians of the Galaxy. This is winning cast with dynamic chemistry with excellent people (James Gunn) behind the scene making sure that everyone feels the love for the Guardians. (★★★★ | A+)

—Film Credits—

Directed by James Gunn

Written by James Gunn

Based on Guardians of the Galaxy by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone & Kurt Russell

Rating | Length | Genre: PG-13 | 2h 16min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures