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Guardians Of The Galaxy

Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 – Crank Up Your Walkman!

Crank up your Walkman, lace up your Reeboks and buckle your seatbelts for one fast and funny ride through the cosmos.

The much-awaited Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 picks up shortly after the last one ended and does not disappoint (or slow down) for a second of its two hour and 16 minute running time.

The opening scene begins with the motley crew of Peter, Gamora, Drax, Rocket with Baby Groot in tow defending a highly-valued battery source on another planet from a giant, slug-like creature with razor sharp teeth. 

While the crew works together to fight the beast to the sounds of Mr. Blue Sky by ELO, Baby Groot dances his way amid the action. The result is like watching a child play in a very dangerous, but familiar playground. 

As payment for defeating the creature, the team is not paid with the money they were promised, but rather are presented with the prisoner Nebula, Gamora’s angry half-sister who is determined to kill her. 

Perplexed by this turn of events and their unexpected guest, the team departs to turn Nebula over to the proper authorities. 

As they leave the planet, Rocket reveals to Drax that he helped himself to a few of the precious batteries so the fight was not in vain. They share a laugh, but it is not long before a squadron of vessels are hot on their tail from the planet they just left. 

What saves them is the sudden interference of a mysterious stranger … a stranger who just might be Peter’s father.

There is much to love about this newest installment of Guardians of the Galaxy. Written and directed by James Gunn, the film is built around the theme of family and there are surprising moments of real connection amid the flurry of special effects.

All of the characters we loved in the original Guardians are still here and more fully developed:

  • Rocket is unpredictable and ornery
  • Drax is humourless
  • Peter is cocky
  • Gamora is all business.

With the addition of Baby Groot for cuteness and Nebula as a wild card, the growing family of outlaws is more interesting, but not without its growing pains.

The group finds themselves on a new planet, brought there by Peter’s father, Ego (Kurt Russell), and his underling, Mantis (Pom Klementieff), a bug-eyed woman with antennae who will play a pivotal role in the ending scenes of the film.

Russell plays Ego with a calm, likeable assuredness. The CGI flash-back scenes showing a young Kurt Russell with Peter’s mother Meredith (Laura Haddock) are eerily realistic.

While Peter is enjoying getting to know his absentee father (even going so far as to play a game of “energy ball catch” with him), all is not as it seems and it isn’t long before the rest of his team shows up in an attempt to save him from certain doom.

Several previously unresolved character relationships are made clear in this episode including Peter’s perplexing relationship with Yondu.

A surprise cameo by Sylvester Stallone is simply icing on an already delicious cake.

What makes Guardians of the Galaxy work is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Throughout the film, there are quips and references that let us, the audience, know that the filmmakers are in on the joke and that makes the dialogue even more amusing.

Is it great art? No.

Is it a great night of action and real belly laughs? You bet.

It’s what we were all hoping for and just a little bit more. I am groot.

I give this film 4.5 out of 5 hearts.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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About the Author

Kim Foreman-Rhindress is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and London Western Conservatory of music for piano and voice. 

Kim has been performing in theatre and film for over 30 years in Canada, NYC, Palm Beach, Los Angeles, and the Netherlands. She has written several plays which have been produced in Canada and the U.S., and is the founder of Kelowna Voice Lab - helping people find their voice, be it singing or acting. 

A working musician, she performs regularly in Kelowna with her husband, Jim Rhindress, in an acoustic duo Smitten, and with her vintage trio Kitsch 'n Sync.  



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The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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