Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead; 2nd Viewing
I had to f**king cleanse my soul after watching Wonder Woman 1984 and this did just the trick. The Gamora vs. Nebula jealousy dynamic is literally just the Diana vs. Kristen Wiig jealousy dynamic but done adequately. Can’t forget, this movie is actually funny for a change as well, maybe even more so than its predecessor; from the Sovereign society with their videogame piloted ships, spotting Howard the Duck and Sylvester Stallone in an alien-android prostitution ring, Peter and Rocket’s relatable bro-drama, Mantis’s psychedelic powers that reveal even the tabooist sides of us, Rocket parodying the stupid “World Engine” in the sky from Man of Steel, Drax making a million penis comments, Taserface’s deserved name slandering, the most sensationalized game of ball I’ve ever seen, Baby Groot being used like a piece of wood, “COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER,” the trippy-ass, face-warping galaxy jumping, a literal giant Pacman, and to GOOD LORD THE WORST FATHER IN THE EXISTENCE OF THIS FRANCHISE WHETHER IT BE DUE TO HIS CELESTIAL MISOGYNY OR CHILDREN GARBAGE DISPOSAL.
The set design, framing, coloring, lighting, and CGI here sky-rockets past even Thor: Ragnarok or Infinity War too, for me personally, no matter how over-utilized it can occasionally be; James Gunn shot this movie way too creatively for it to be considered bottom-tier MCU fare. It is, although, kind of played out like a TV-episode-sitcom with two storylines concurring at once, stringing together a line-up of quirky, over-the-top sequences, but that’s partially a part of Volume 2’s charm? Of course, that bloated finale sort of abandons this idiosyncratic guidance to rather dive into the same melodramatic, formula crap just as the first movie had suffered from. Nonetheless, the weirdness leading to that climax/conclusion is what ultimately proves James Gunn to being an above worthy inclusion for the MCU.
In other words, who really needs new Star Wars movies anymore? This s**t rocks harder. ALEXA, PLAY THE BEST FLEETWOOD MAC SONG AGAIN!
Verdict: B-
The Marvel Cinematic Universe Ranked
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is now available to stream on Disney+.
Burning the Celluloid 
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