Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 (2017)

[The Laughing Fish]

I watched this today.

Let me first say that while I thought the first Guardians was overrated, I still enjoyed it. For what it was worth, it was a good time to spend a couple of hours being introduced to obscure characters that most people weren't familiar with. And you could get behind this team of weirdos defying the odds and save the universe.

But as for the sequel? I didn't like it. As I first feared when seeing the trailers, the humour has become overdone and even more juvenile to the point that it ruins whatever dramatic tension happening on screen. For example, Drax was a melancholic, tragic character in the first film, but in Volume 2, he has been reduced to becoming this clownish buffoon who laughs at nearly everything. Another mindless attempt at comedy relief. The less said about Mantis, the better. I couldn't stand her. And Baby Groot...need I say more?

I can't be bothered going through spoilers right now, so I'll summarise with this: the novelty for the Guardians have worn off for me. I may have been very critical of Civil War in the last couple of months, but even that was a much better film than this. Doctor Strange is certainly better than this.

GOTG2, in my opinion, is the MCU's weakest film since Iron Man 2. And to think these misfits are going to feature in Avengers: Infinity War. 

[The Dark Knight]

So the movie was a letdown?



I don't have anything to do with Marvel. I wouldn't take anything to do with Marvel on Free Comic Book Day. I won't watch or read any of their crap, even if it's free. Say what you want, but I don't care. That's my stance. The only reason why I'm posting in this thread is to talk trash.

[johnnygobbs]

It's funny that after the riddler quite rightly highlighted the idiocy of IMDb trolls going on certain boards simply to attack and criticise films and franchises they don't care for, we're now seeing exactly the same mindless nonsense here from the die-hard DC fanboys.

Absolutely pathetic.  If you don't like Marvel or the MCU guys, no one is forcing you to watch their films.  In the meantime, I'll trust the 82% of professional critics who have rated this film a success.

By the way, blockbuster movies should be fun.  Not exercises in interminable violence and gloomy misanthropy.  If I want that, I'll go and see an art-house film that actually deals with subject matters worthy of such sombre and brooding treatment (i.e. not grown men dressing up in tights).

[The Joker]

Let's see here, on the plus side, cause let's start off positive (!), GOTG2 felt like one of the more self-contained MCU films of late. I mean, other than the "Adam" tease in the credits, and Nebula's desire to kill her father, it's not really doing alot setup work.

The villain, to me, was actually pretty good! Which is surprising to say when talking about the MCU line of villains. Definite improvement over the villain in the 1st GOTG. However, I could have cared less about the Gold people, and I would find myself sighing when they kept popping back up.

Some good jokes, but damn, a lot of misses too. Probably more misses than hits to be perfectly honest here. If only the humor was dialed back a bit. There doesn't need to be a joke, or an attempt at one, literally every 10 seconds.

Good ensemble cast, and they seem much more comfortable this time around. So that's good.

Stuff I wasn't really big on, but perhaps wouldn't classify as a negative are things like the overuse of music. It actively felt like a gimmick this time around, especially particular scenes with characters (in some instances, not even the Guardians) finding excuses to play songs from Star-Lord's Awesome tapes. Also, wasn't really sold on the execution with how Rocket and Yondu being BFF's after one quick, forced scene, where "we're the same." changes everything. Speaking of forced, Gamorra just happening to stumble into the remains of the villain's other offspring by pure coincidence is just another example. 

Negatives? I found GOTG2 to have some obvious pacing issues, especially as much as it was trying to cram in there. Relying heavily on the gimmicks/schtick from the first one, but ultimately the movie just wasn't as cohesive as it could have been. Also, and ONCE AGAIN, the continual undercutting of dramatic moments with the snarky, sarcastic humor went way too far at times. For me, it's difficult to be fully invested in a in-story world wide/intergalatic threat when snarky lines are being thrown around at a rapid pace.

There is a death that is highlighted in GOTG2, but the foreshadowing is incredibly on the nose.
I'm paraphrasing here, but it's like; "You broke the code! When you die, you will not receive an honorable ______ funeral!"

Me: "awww... he ain't making it to GotG 3, is he."

And sure enough ...... 


Ultimately, GOTG2 was entertaining enough, but not without noticeable problems, and just overall less fresh than the first.

[The Dark Knight]

Dumb sheep side with the Tomato Meter. They're nothing but a die-hard professional critic fanboys. That's what makes them absolutely pathetic. The Tomato Meter thinks for them. They don't think for themselves.

These idiots only deserve ridicule and shame. And believe me, they get plenty of that. I get PMs about a certain user from time to time. And they're not complimentary. More people here absoutely hate them. More people here just wish they disappeared from these forums never to return. I have to agree with their sentiment.

But back to Marvel. I don't give a damn about anything Marvel. I can't stand their McDonald's assembly line of films and I'll shout that from the rooftops. I'm not being forced to see their films is just a dumb comment. That goes without saying. Only a simpleton would say something like that.

[Azrael]

By the way, blockbuster movies should be fun.  Not exercises in interminable violence and gloomy misanthropy.  If I want that, I'll go and see an art-house film that actually deals with subject matters worthy of such sombre and brooding treatment (i.e. not grown men dressing up in tights).

1992. Tim Burton took a movie about grown men (and women) dressing up in tights and did some gloomy, sombre and brooding stuff about outcasts instead of delivering the standard and fun blockbuster. What were they thinking?

[The Laughing Fish]

Negatives? I found GOTG2 to have some obvious pacing issues, especially as much as it was trying to cram in there. Relying heavily on the gimmicks/schtick from the first one, but ultimately the movie just wasn't as cohesive as it could have been. Also, and ONCE AGAIN, the continual undercutting of dramatic moments with the snarky, sarcastic humor went way too far at times. For me, it's difficult to be fully invested in a in-story world wide/intergalatic threat when snarky lines are being thrown around at a rapid pace.

I thought the humour flat out sucked.

Although I wouldn't say the comedy in the first Guardians was high brow either, it was certainly much more creative the garbage served in Volume 2. That dance by Peter Quill to distract Ronan was way funnier than the constant idiotic dick jokes here.

There was one thing I found actually disturbing about this film: (***SPOILERS IN WHITE***) the way Yondu and Rocket massacre everybody on the pirate ship - gleefully, mind you - to the sound of a pop song in the background, reminded me of the repugnant Kick-Ass movie. And yet, because the whole scene is played for a cheap laugh, we're supposed to go along with it because it's "light-hearted fun"? That's quite inappropriate for a movie that's supposedly marketed for kids, especially that cutesy Baby Groot horsesh*t. Really, this movie has a lot of dark moments that get swept in the carpet in this manner.

Memo to Snyder: just play a catchy pop song in the background of your fight scene, and voila, the audience will be manipulated into thinking it's light-hearted fun. Quick, somebody edit the Batman warehouse scene in BvS with Toni! Tony! Toné's Feel's Good playing in the background. Or better yet, put Glenn Frey's The Heat is On as background music for the Batmobile chase scene! Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score guaranteed!

There is a death that is highlighted in GOTG2, but the foreshadowing is incredibly on the nose.
I'm paraphrasing here, but it's like; "You broke the code! When you die, you will not receive an honorable ______ funeral!"

Me: "awww... he ain't making it to GotG 3, is he."

And sure enough ...... 

(***SPOILERS IN WHITE***)

That whole Yondu sacrifice was so forced. As far as I can remember in the first film, he was an utter scumbag. But now we're supposed to buy this idea that he's Peter Quill's surrogate son? Please.

[johnnygobbs]

These idiots only deserve ridicule and shame. And believe me, they get plenty of that. I get PMs about a certain user from time to time. And they're not complimentary. More people here absoutely hate them. More people here just wish they disappeared from these forums never to return. I have to agree with their sentiment.

Define most?

I speak regularly to about half or so of the users here via PM, so if you're right that means there are a lot of very two-faced people on this forum.  Thankfully, I suspect you're wrong and your definition of 'most people here' amounts to about four members, one of whom doesn't even appear to post here anymore.

[johnnygobbs]

1992. Tim Burton took a movie about grown men (and women) dressing up in tights and did some gloomy, sombre and brooding stuff about outcasts instead of delivering the standard and fun blockbuster. What were they thinking?

That's interesting because I'd argue that both Tim Burton's Batman movies are fun (as well as occasionally dark and disturbing), and like Guardians of the Galaxy, deals with society's outcasts.

But we both like the films and have different interpretations of it.  That's okay.   What I will say however, is that unlike certain other comic-book movie franchises and filmmakers, Burton rarely takes himself that seriously...

[Dagenspear]

There was one thing I found actually disturbing about this film: (***SPOILERS IN WHITE***) the way Yondu and Rocket massacre everybody on the pirate ship - gleefully, mind you - to the sound of a pop song in the background, reminded me of the repugnant Kick-Ass movie. And yet, because the whole scene is played for a cheap laugh, we're supposed to go along with it because it's "light-hearted fun"? That's quite inappropriate for a movie that's supposedly marketed for kids, especially that cutesy Baby Groot horsesh*t. Really, this movie has a lot of dark moments that get swept in the carpet in this manner.

Memo to Snyder: just play a catchy pop song in the background of your fight scene, and voila, the audience will be manipulated into thinking it's light-hearted fun. Quick, somebody edit the Batman warehouse scene in BvS with Toni! Tony! Toné's Feel's Good playing in the background. Or better yet, put Glenn Frey's The Heat is On as background music for the Batmobile chase scene! Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score guaranteed!

Probably not. It wouldn't change the context of each scene or the tone of the movie. Where one is amoral space pirates, being amoral space pirates and killing psychopathic space pirates, as they escape. And the other is a main character who is supposed to be a hero needlessly, without point, killing people so he can get something to murder another hero character and then ignore it. I agree the scene isn't good morally and shouldn't be treated lightly. But the scene is still well crafted structurally and isn't out of character. GOTG 2 is rated PG-13. A character being marketed for kids doesn't make the movie for kids.

(***SPOILERS IN WHITE***)

That whole Yondu sacrifice was so forced. As far as I can remember in the first film, he was an utter scumbag. But now we're supposed to buy this idea that he's Peter Quill's surrogate son? Please.

For all intents and purposes the first highlighted specifically and had a character state that Yondu was always soft on Quill. Even to the point where when he discovers that he's been tricked by Quill and the orb has a troll doll and not the gem, he doesn't get angry, he laughs. This movie expands on him and adds more context to that concept. Have a very great day!

God bless you all!