Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is the big box office success sequel to the big box office success original Guardians of the Galaxy from 2014. Volume 2 is simply not as good as volume 1, I didn't expect it to be, the first film felt original, and it would be impossible for the sequel to feel original in that same way. Volume 2 is still a good movie, I quite enjoyed it, I even felt that the plot logically flowed from the original in a way that seems like it had been well thought out ahead of time, which of course is not always the case with sequels. Kurt Russell is fittingly cast as the father of Chris Pratt's Star Lord, and the movie boasts one or two unexpected cameo appearances. However it is that core original cast that makes the movie work, the writers know these characters and do a good job of putting them in the kinds of situations you want to see them in, even if they could have been a little more creative in doing so. The film focuses on the idea of The Guardians as being Family in a cloyingly sentimental, overly repeated Fast & The Furious sense of laying it on too thick, we know this, you don't need to keep reminding us. Though the plot places the galaxy once again in danger the film never the less feels smaller and less consequential then the first movie, but in a likable low key way, appropriate to the series brand. I even thought Drax was funnier in this film. Fine summer movie fair. ***