Nothing dooms a comic-book movie quicker than when it takes itself too seriously.
Ponderous existential handwringing is a drag.
It was like watching a superhero sit on a whoopee cushion for two hoursand the gag never got tired.
Alas, inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol.
2, the gag is starting to feel like its getting a bit old.
The laughs are still there, but theyre less involuntary.
Perhaps that was inevitable.
No joke, no matter how well its told, is as funny the second time around.
There wasnt a Pip in the bunch.
They were all Gladys Knight.
But now there are clearly stars and supporting players.
Gamora is dealing with her own estranged family issues with her nasty sister, Nebula (Karen Gillan).
Hes barely in the film.
Maybe it was some sort of contractual reunion obligation with Russell dating back toTango & Cash…
Written and directed by the returning James Gunn,Guardians 2kicks off in Missouri in 1980.
Shes not someone you want to cross.
Which, of course, means the Guardians do just that.
As a reward, Debickis Ayesha frees a prisonerGamoras sister Nebula.
Can Quills omnipotent celestial father convince him to take his place by his side as a lower-case-d demigod?
But his part of the narrative is, hands down, the least interesting part of the film.
Worse, it robs Pratt of his winking postmodern action hero swagger for too much of the film.
Its the old Sam-and-Diane paradox.
But acknowledging the cliches youre trafficking in doesnt make them any less cliched.
Is it possible to be disappointed by a film and still manage to have a good time watching it?
2is Exhibit A of that.
Its smarter than most films, but not as smart as the first one.
Its funnier than most films, but not as funny as the first one.
1was so original and unpredictable and irreverent and silly and sublime thatGuardians Vol.
2cant help but feel like a step backwards.
Its a decent enough Marvel movie.
But the original was a true lower-case-m marvel.B
