How can a studio follow up the 2014 hit Guardians of the Galaxy? It’s simple: go to the core of that film and create another awesome soundtrack. And that compilation of songs, cleverly titled Awesome Mixtape #2, is the heartbeat for the newest film, also cleverly titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Sure, there is more to it than just the music. The first film’s cast included some very unique heroes, from Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax (Dave Bautista) to the talking raccoon Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and the walking tree Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). Director James Gunn gathers all of these talented actors for a second helping of the characters they established, with the exception of Diesel, who now voices Baby Groot.
When Rocket gets sticky fingers, the Guardians find themselves hunted by Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) and the Sovereign. As they are chased across space by a seemingly unending supply of ships, an individual helps them escape the certain disaster they are about to face.
After a crash landing, the Guardians meet the person who helped them. Ego (Kurt Russell) claims to be Peter’s father, and he has a story to share with them. As Rocket works to repair their ship, Ego takes Peter, Gamora and Drax back to his home planet. Peter is excited to meet his father, but a bit confused on the timing of his entry into Peter’s life.
When Marvel adds characters to its ever-expanding Universe, it is careful to develop personalities who will hold our attention and make us crave what happens next. The casting of Pratt and Saldana has us cheering for a re-creation of Cheers’ Sam and Diane relationship before our eyes. The inflections in every utterance by Diesel as Baby Groot have us curious to see how Cooper’s Rocket translates. We hate Michael Rooker’s Yondu, but we love the intensity in his character. And let’s be honest, Bautista owns his tough guy Drax, and has a wicked-fun sense of innocent humor. These actors are a vital part of the film as they have developed memorable characters essential to the film franchise’s success.
As our story opens, the music is back as a focal point and works to provide that heartbeat for the film. A beat that thumps with adventure but can also be light and airy is our focus, and this Mixtape delivers.
There are moments in the middle of the film that tend to drag, and the 2-hour-and-16-minute runtime feels a bit much, but you don’t have to wait long until it all comes back together. A plethora of fun cameos and, of course, many scenes during and after the final credits roll are also there for some additional enjoyment.
I’m glad our galaxy is protected by these Guardians. For the soundtrack to my review, I’m singing “The Guardians are Back in Town” to the tune of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town” and I think all involved would approve, and that makes me smile.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is available now On Demand. check your cable system for availability.