Guardians of the Galaxy ($140mn) is the second-highest opening of the year, behind Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” ($175 mn), and marks a solid official start to the summer movie season.
Genre :- Fantasy/Sci-fi/Adventure/Comedy
Runtime:- 2 hrs 15 mins.
Cast: - Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Elizabeth Debicki, Sean Gunn, Chris Sullivan (XII) Cameo by Sylvester Stallone.
Director: - James Gunn
Plot – The Guardians' troop continue the adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos with a view to keeping their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage with a mysterious outer space army chasing to kill them.
Direction and Screenplay:-
After a quick flashback prolog, we find the Guardians in an off-the-wall opening credits scene, battling a space monster while Baby Groot dances to "Blue Sky" in the background. Meanwhile Raccoon ticks off the members of a powerful race consisting of Gold-colored aliens, and they find themselves on the run, along with some foe turned friends. And things go haywire from here. To be more specific, the script does. There is not much power or innovation involved in the script. It's the same "Save yourself, Save the world" shit. But there are many reasons as to why this basic ship doesn't sink.
Directed and written by the writer of sleeper hits 'Slither' and 'Dawn of the Dead,' this one is fresh as far as the characters are concerned, who continue to interact in an effortless manner supporting the story’s narrative involving the notion that family always comes first (too many similarities to Diesel's FnF Franchise).
The first was well-made and profoundly clever in its use of nostalgia as part of its storytelling rather than just appearances, but the sequel has a more perfect magic - emotional honesty. This is a real roller coaster of emotions right from the word go.
The intergalactic battle sequences, lots of quirky humor with adorable antics of Baby Groot are scene-stealers, along with an extraordinary lot of CGI except the ending.
Editing and Cinematography:-
▶ Editing by Fred Raskin and Craig Wood is fine but some of the scenes feel pitch-forked and immaterial to the aura of the scenes.
▶ Editing by Fred Raskin and Craig Wood is fine but some of the scenes feel pitch-forked and immaterial to the aura of the scenes.
▶ The Shangri-La esque cinematography by Henry Braham of a larger-than-life planet bursting with colors, bubbles, lush vegetation, and waterfalls appear more animated than dimensional but that's a good thing considering the comicbook accuracy. Also, ACES used for the color space works wonders for the most part of the film. But heaven knows why they chose to distribute the reel with such a big blunder towards the end.
Music :-
Can a mixtape save the galaxy? If you're James Gunn, perhaps. After Gunn's film Guardians of the Galaxy exceeded all box office expectations, the soundtrack comprised of 70's and 80's era tunes that the film's protagonist Peter Quill kept handy in his Walkman, also made a major impact.
Thus giving way to the Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which is the type of Spotify playlist I'd want to dive into — a healthy dose of rock education punctuated with a few familiar favorites like "Wham Bang-Shang-A-Lang" and "The Chain" to hold my attention.
Can a mixtape save the galaxy? If you're James Gunn, perhaps. After Gunn's film Guardians of the Galaxy exceeded all box office expectations, the soundtrack comprised of 70's and 80's era tunes that the film's protagonist Peter Quill kept handy in his Walkman, also made a major impact.
Thus giving way to the Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which is the type of Spotify playlist I'd want to dive into — a healthy dose of rock education punctuated with a few familiar favorites like "Wham Bang-Shang-A-Lang" and "The Chain" to hold my attention.
The Highs -
▶ Remember that scene at the end of GOG? The part where Baby Groot dances whenever Drax isn’t looking and freezes whenever the big guy turns around? Well if you found that adorable, you're in to spend all your "Awws" for the day, every time the little man's on screen.
▶ Most of the scene-stealers are devoted to a wise-cracking Raccoon (Rocket) and a miniature tree trunk creature (Baby Groot) recalling Ally McBeal’s Dancing Baby.
▶Gunn manages to make this installment pleasantly weird by including pop-culture references to “Pac-Man” and Julie Andrew's “Mary Poppins.” Plus there are a couple of Stan Lee cameos (continued straight from Civil War), along with “Awesome Mixtape #2.” (One of the tapes that Meredith left for her son Peter before her death). Also, it marks the return of 'Howard the Duck.'
▶Nothing this summer will top the eyeball-popping cartoony of Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and Yondu (Michael Rooker) careening through jump gates.
▶ After all the unwanted CGI and sequences, James redeems himself with that twisted sense of humor and running gags. Involving around a debate over what kind of animal Rocket is, Drax and Mantis' conversations, Rocket and Quill's banter on who is better and much more.
▶ I like the way all the characters are all a beguiling mix of imperfections; there is no such thing as black and white. Even when it comes to who is the enemy. Battle scenes are elevated into an entertainingly choreographed ballet set to music: violence is refreshingly played down. Music is a tool for humor.
▶ You see tons of weapons in the deadly arcade, but none can compete with the small, shining eyes of Baby Groot, a creation whose immaculately crafted adorableness could level cities and sink small-to-medium continents. No, seriously guys, get your tissues along. 💓
▶ I like the way all the characters are all a beguiling mix of imperfections; there is no such thing as black and white. Even when it comes to who is the enemy. Battle scenes are elevated into an entertainingly choreographed ballet set to music: violence is refreshingly played down. Music is a tool for humor.
▶ You see tons of weapons in the deadly arcade, but none can compete with the small, shining eyes of Baby Groot, a creation whose immaculately crafted adorableness could level cities and sink small-to-medium continents. No, seriously guys, get your tissues along. 💓
 |
| Marvel/Disney |
The Lows -
▶The original “Guardians” was the coolest – and most surprising – movie of the summer of 2014. This second installment essentially kicks off this summer’s season – and let’s just say the ball is short of the end zone. It’s a letdown, especially at a strained 136 minutes. Not much distinguishes the two movies.
▶Gunn fires a lot at us all in unnecessary 3-D, of course with too many colors and CGI to distract us from the plot. A la "Too many cooks spoil the broth."
▶ The plot and subplots are too tangled to keep straight. I mean, nowadays, you don’t meet a hero without daddy issues. Come on Marvel, the father-and-son drama has been done time and again.
▶ Also, Marvel uses a new roster of boring villains. And to make things worse, lots of them are just a set up for the inevitable MCU phase 4.
▶ Also, Marvel uses a new roster of boring villains. And to make things worse, lots of them are just a set up for the inevitable MCU phase 4.
Performances :-
▶ Chris Pratt is reliably charismatic as Quill aka Star-Lord, but he is majorly coasting on his appeal in this installment, plodding through beats that you can see coming from the stratosphere. On the other hand, Pratt gets to play to more serious and heartfelt moments that deepen the character.
▶ Zoe Saldana as Gamora seems like she is stuck between a hard place and a rock, in both her not-quite-romance with Quill and her combative relationship with her sister Nebula.
▶ Baby Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), the star of the movie, the clone of the late co-Guardian, Groot is exploring his bombastic environment with all the wonder and innocence that childhood can confer. Brought to stunning animated life, his range of facial expressions, and general affability is far more eloquent than words. He is also gifted with the largest character arc, as his innocence is trampled, but not his spirit or his slow-wittedness.
▶ Dave Bautista as Drax, the brawny literalist, gets a better showcase, positioned as an observer of the other characters, offering filterless and often inadvertently insulting thoughts to whoever he’s with, and playing especially well off Ego’s naive servant Mantis (Pom Klementieff).
▶ Only the character Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) with his patented snarky smart-ass and that sassy smirk can, ahem, have the spheres or chutzpah to bring low the antagonist (Taser Face), who is about to kill him by pointing out that his choice of name is inordinately silly.
▶ Quill’s long-lost father, Ego, is played by Kurt Russell, with a full serving of mac and cheese (a metaphor for sweet and salty) and a gorgeous wavy Hasselhoff (Quill's idol) like flow.
▶ Michael Rooker, as Yondu, with his whistle-controlled Arrow, gives his best as the bright blue, extremely dangerous, disgraced Ravager who is an unexpected figure of emotional significance. Just as you feel it's getting drowsy, Yondu's arrival gives the film the jolt of momentum and genuine feeling it had been missing; Although he isn't cute as Groot and possesses a habit of joking about eating children, he is the real MVP by the climax.
▶ Karen Gillan, as Nebula (the avatar-like sister of Gamora), has got not much to prove her acting chops but enough to acknowledge her existence.
▶ Elizabeth Debicki, as Princess Ayesha, of the Sovereign, a snooty civilization of overdressed and overgroomed golden narcissists does fine with the deadpan expression and delivery.
▶ Sean Gunn, (brother of James Gunn) a side-kick to Yondu has been offered a significant role in GOG2 and he slayed it as the observant, loyal, lean and vulnerable lad.
▶ Cameo by Sylvester Stallone is as pointless as the "ay" in "Okay."
▶ Chris Pratt is reliably charismatic as Quill aka Star-Lord, but he is majorly coasting on his appeal in this installment, plodding through beats that you can see coming from the stratosphere. On the other hand, Pratt gets to play to more serious and heartfelt moments that deepen the character.
▶ Zoe Saldana as Gamora seems like she is stuck between a hard place and a rock, in both her not-quite-romance with Quill and her combative relationship with her sister Nebula.
▶ Baby Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), the star of the movie, the clone of the late co-Guardian, Groot is exploring his bombastic environment with all the wonder and innocence that childhood can confer. Brought to stunning animated life, his range of facial expressions, and general affability is far more eloquent than words. He is also gifted with the largest character arc, as his innocence is trampled, but not his spirit or his slow-wittedness.
▶ Dave Bautista as Drax, the brawny literalist, gets a better showcase, positioned as an observer of the other characters, offering filterless and often inadvertently insulting thoughts to whoever he’s with, and playing especially well off Ego’s naive servant Mantis (Pom Klementieff).
▶ Only the character Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) with his patented snarky smart-ass and that sassy smirk can, ahem, have the spheres or chutzpah to bring low the antagonist (Taser Face), who is about to kill him by pointing out that his choice of name is inordinately silly.
▶ Quill’s long-lost father, Ego, is played by Kurt Russell, with a full serving of mac and cheese (a metaphor for sweet and salty) and a gorgeous wavy Hasselhoff (Quill's idol) like flow.
▶ Michael Rooker, as Yondu, with his whistle-controlled Arrow, gives his best as the bright blue, extremely dangerous, disgraced Ravager who is an unexpected figure of emotional significance. Just as you feel it's getting drowsy, Yondu's arrival gives the film the jolt of momentum and genuine feeling it had been missing; Although he isn't cute as Groot and possesses a habit of joking about eating children, he is the real MVP by the climax.
▶ Karen Gillan, as Nebula (the avatar-like sister of Gamora), has got not much to prove her acting chops but enough to acknowledge her existence.
▶ Elizabeth Debicki, as Princess Ayesha, of the Sovereign, a snooty civilization of overdressed and overgroomed golden narcissists does fine with the deadpan expression and delivery.
▶ Sean Gunn, (brother of James Gunn) a side-kick to Yondu has been offered a significant role in GOG2 and he slayed it as the observant, loyal, lean and vulnerable lad.
▶ Cameo by Sylvester Stallone is as pointless as the "ay" in "Okay."
⏩ Watch o Not? Definitely. I know it's been a few days already (Yes yes, I am sorry). I earnestly request you guys to watch it in the hall for it's an effects laden spectacle propped up by its out-of-this-world (literally) ensemble. It will give you your money's worth. It's chock full of wild characters, action, comedy, music and locations. What brings it all together is color - eye-candy design, ear-candy dialogue, soul-candy emotion.
⏩ Verdict: It's more like the first but with more humor kicks and honest sentiments. If you were a fan of the first (I was) you’ll dig this one too, but your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance for redundancy and your willingness to succumb to Chris Pratt’s hotness, Rocket's sardonic humor and well, BABBYYYY GROOOOOOT! ❤ With stunning visuals and incredible chemistry from the ensemble cast, it's just as amazing and as fun as the Vol. 1.
PS - Stick around for the handful of credit scenes (Count - Five).
Ratings: 3.2/5
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