Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Spoiler Talk

Amassing approximately $146 million in the U.S. in it’s opening weekend, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 appears to be another hit in a long run of popular flicks for Marvel.  With such a large amount of people seeing the film, it’s certainly worthy of deeper exploration.

A spoiler alert is in effect for this article. If you haven’t done so already (or if you haven’t seen the film), check out my spoiler free review.  For the rest of you, let’s get started!

What I Liked

I really admire James Gunn for his cyclical writing.  Every moment in the film is either repeated with an extra ounce of emotion for dramatic heft or is fleshed out even more to add another laugh or element to the movie.

The funniest moment in the film where this idea is at hand is Drax and his overly sensitive nipples.  We get in a little quip about how the rocket pack hurt his nipples in the opening action sequence against that weird intergalactic octopus-like monster (which works in its own right for a large amount of humor).

Then in the middle of nowhere as Drax is trying to save Mantis from Ego’s clutches, he blurts out, “OWW MY NIPPLES.”  Not only is this line hilarious, but it acts as a perfect, unexpected quip that had a moviegoer next to me crying with laughter.

image via ComingSoon

On the other end of the spectrum, Gunn’s cyclical writing really works as Starlord and Gamora discuss the “unspoken thing” that is between them.  The first time the two discuss this idea, they go through a wide variety of emotions such as flirtation, happiness, and anger.  After the rubble clears and the Ravagers are having a viking funeral for the fallen Yondu, Gamora brings this idea back up.  You can see it in her eyes that she means it this time (whereas Starlord meant it the first time around), which adds to a really sweet ending.

What I Liked…Continued

Luckily for all of us, Marvel has finally created a villain is memorable and pretty evil to boot.

Kurt Russell does what any smooth talking villain should do by sweet talking his way into the good graces of our heroes.  From the moment that Ego and Starlord starting playing catch with an energy ball, it appears that Ego has the best intentions.  However, after he drops the bomb that he killed Starlord’s mother, that somewhat lovable nature that Ego possesses quickly goes by the wayside.

image via Screen Rant

The best trait of Ego (and most other good villains for that matter) is that you can understand them from a twisted point of view.  For millions of years, Ego lacked purpose.  He was a Celestial god without something to keep his mind occupied.  But then, once he found other forms of life, it was pretty disappointing considering he’s a god with unimaginable powers.

He then found his calling with his plan that he called “the expansion.”  And when Starlord’s mother threatened the culmination of that plan due to her charming nature, he did what he had to do to continue his goal, which meant the death of Starlord’s mother.  While you’d never condone Ego’s actions, you certainly understand him more than other Marvel villains like Malekith or Ronan.

image via Screen Rant

What I Didn’t Like

But let’s be honest, the Sovereign (the gold people) are just the worst.

All they do is bog down the story and become annoying with their video game fleet of destroyer ships.

I’ve mentioned this thought to other people and they’ve responded mostly with thoughts like “they were only there to be a plot device.”  I would’ve agreed with this idea until the end credits where the film showed that the Sovereign is creating Adam Warlock.  Because of this, it’s obvious that Marvel has a plan for this group of people moving forward so they can’t just be a plot device.

I would’ve been fine with them if they were only used in the opening action sequence, but they only come back to muck up the final act of the film only be to vanquished in a matter of seconds.  There is nothing compelling nor intriguing about the Sovereign other than the fact that they are gold.  It was a weak setup for characters that we’ll most likely see again.

image via IGN Africa

What I Didn’t Like…Continued

However, the Sovereign are a lesser part of the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.  My main concern, as mentioned in my spoiler free review, was that the film has serious pacing issues that make it appear as if the film’s actual plot doesn’t kick in until there’s fifteen minutes left in the film.

After the opening action sequence that has the film start out on a very high note, the film falls into a lull of which it never really recovers.  I love that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 tried to focus on character as the driving force for the film.  Few big budget films have the nerve to do so.  However, the presentation of the characters and the deepening of their bonds was incredibly formulaic and repetitive.

image via Digital Spy

After our heroes land on Ego, the film jumps from monologue to monologue as each character expresses their fears and regrets only to have each moment undercut by a joke.  This rhythm became pretty noticeable as the film progressed, making me (and a few moviegoers around me) quite bored.  The fact that Ego’s plans aren’t revealed for a very long time also doesn’t help this notion.

Many people will not be bothered by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s formulaic nature, but it stood out like a sore thumb to this critic.

Conclusion

I watched Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 again in preparation for this spoiler discussion.  I did happen to like it a little more the second time around, although I still have my issues with the film as mentioned above and in my spoiler free review.  However, because the characters are so great and lovable, I continued to stay invested in the film and look forward to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 which will be here before we know it.

image via Collider

Thanks for reading!  What were your favorite moments of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2?  Comment down below with your thoughts.

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