Friday 23 June 2017

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2

Which I enjoyed.  It might not have been as good as the first but it made me cry as much.

The main thing I disliked was that the characters were too broad in the first half so the reconciliation in the second half would work.  But it did work.  Probably better than the equivalent scene in the first one.

The character-is-a-screw-up-because-of-missing-Dad is a trope I could live without, but at least Peter Quill has a better reason than most.  Peter Quill is still the one of the gang I like the least but that is not Chris Pratt's fault, as he does a damn fine job.

The film struck all the "I'd still rather have the Farscape film this isn't" chords that the first one did.  Not helped by bonus Ben Browder.  (Who got this film's giggle of recognition.)

And also every other Australian actor I sort of recognised.  Although I want Elizabeth Debicki in all the films.  I really like how they did the Sovereigns (or however one is supposed to pluralise that), that mixture of dangerous and silly.

The cool thing about the Guardians of the Galaxy films is that they acknowledge that they're based on comics so they occasionally go "stuff physics and reality".  It is glorious.  As is James Gunn's direction.  Can he direct all the things?  Because he makes everything look so pretty.

Spoilers begin below

There was no real twist to the story.  The obvious thing was obvious and Yondu was far too cool to live. Also, he's a father in a Hollywood film.  But that's okay.  See Hollywood, films don't need twists.  What they need is character and motive.

This film is totally going into evidence as to why you never trust a guy who woos you with someone else's song lyrics.  I do like that they make it clear that Ego is lying while he's lying, just from the sculptures he shows.

I love Baby Groot less than grown Groot, but there are few characters I like more than grown Groot.  (I am Groot).  That being said Baby Groot's fighting technique and mine are horrifyingly similar.  And he is adorable.  I especially loved that scene with Baby Groot and Peter at the end when Father and Son was playing (hey, film, that's cheating).  I think it's because Peter was so worried that he's going to screw up like his father and Yondu did (accidentally on the part of Yondu) and eeee!

Gamora is such the big sister.  And loves Nebula despite everything.  I also <3 Nebula and her grim determination and her knowledge of who the major problem in her life is (Thanos, always Thanos).

I am totally here for the Expendables in Space with Michelle Yeoh if anyone wants to make it.  Really, please :)

All those who suspect Craggle is yet another lost boy Yondu picked up somewhere along the line say yeah.

Drax is my favourite (if we ignore Groot.  Temporarily.)  Although that highlights one of the things I like about GOTG is that I do actually like all of the good guys.  Drax is hopeless in the best possible way.  He's the character that suffers the most from the broadening in the first half.  But when it comes down to it, Drax is there for them, utterly.  I loved the shot where he lifts Mantis up as they're being eaten by the Ego-planet.  Because he's literally using the last of his energy to try to save her.

Of course I love Mantis, as I was supposed to.  The film does something interesting.  Normally, when there's a character who is "not pretty", the character is played by someone who is either 1) actually pretty and we're supposed to ignore that or 2) there's a reveal scene where they're "prettied" up and we're supposed to be shocked.  GOTG2 avoids this by making it clear that Drax is crazy, but it's cultural crazy so Drax can't help it.  I loved that that Drax doesn't love Mantis any less just because she is hideous to his eyes.

Rocket is a hard character to love, and that's deliberate.  I did love the scene with him and Yondu, because Yondu is right, they are so very similar.  I'm intrigued by the way Yondu has enough self-knowledge to recognise Rocket's brand of self-sabotage, but not enough to stop himself for doing it.  Because at least half of his downfall is him being an arsehole to his crew (don't be mean to your underlings is a lesson many people should learn).

At the same time, Rocket's Rocketness is what helps him save the others because you know Gamorra and Drax would have waited for Peter even if it had meant death.  Drax especially.  Which Dave Batista really sells.  At some point Dave Batista has become a more than passable actor.

Anyone who knows me can guess the precise second when I started crying.  And you'd be right with your guess.  The film viciously goes for my button of "doing a good thing with no expectation of reward", and then Yondu gets his reward and a proper Ravager funeral and ... well yeah, I cried and hard.

While it didn't quite work for me, I like that the film went full bore on its themes and linked everything together.