The Marvel Universe films are no doubt the biggest franchise in the world right now and none were as big of a surprise hit than 2014s Guardians of the Galaxy. The film not only raked it in at the box office, but entertained a legion of fans and non-fans alike while taking Marvel into the world of science fiction. Now the bad guys turned good are back with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but could this new entry capture the same magic as the original or will it be a galaxy not worth saving?

​

Set to the backdrop of 'Awesome Mixtape #2,' Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team's adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill's true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes' aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand. All the cast are back including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper with new additions Pom Klementieff and Kurt Russell joining the adventure. One of the best parts about the original film was the lack of really knowing what they were going to do with it, so I was a bit concerned to see if it would be able to still hold up that same spark. Thankfully it not only has all the things that made the first work, but at times even more.

​

Going into this film everyone kind of knows what they are going to get after already being introduced to this world, but you can’t help to want to see where this dysfunctional family goes. Everyone dives right back into the roles like they never left with each of them getting their own arc that really helps to move them forward. Some might have an issue with the team being separated up for most of the film, but it serves a greater good and allows these characters to do more than be sidelined by someone else. The storylines here are really a continuation of the previous film with the focus being directly on Quill’s dad played by Kurt Russell. I was most concerned on how they were going to pull off this character since anyone that knows the comics knows that Ego is not a normal human, but they managed to do a great job with it. Russell is the best here he has been in years bringing all the cocky swag of Jack Burton that plays perfectly alongside Pratt’s Star Lord.

​

The rest of the cast all kill it as expected with some of my favorite moments coming from Bautista’s Drax and  Klementieff’s Mantis. They both are so mismatched and perfect together their scenes are hilarious and heartfelt all at once. On the other side of all of this already great character building is the story featuring Rocket and Yondu. This might be the most unexpectedly deep of the entire film and serves to not only further these characters stories and growth, but to also glue together everything else this film is about. Much like the first film this one offers up some visually stunning worlds and outer space adventures. It is filled with vibrant colors and interesting worlds that makes the universe all the bigger than it already is.

​

This film offers up everything you want from these characters and more taking a much deeper approach to their development while still infusing plenty of the action and fun that makes this easily the best series in the Marvel Universe. There are so many great Easter Eggs throughout including the best Stan Lee cameo to date. There are also some new characters that will no doubt play a larger role at a later date and I cannot wait to see where they take it. As with all Marvel films stay through the credits as it offers up numerous bonus scenes all throughout the credits right up until the very end.

​

In addition to the film this release offers up some fun bonus content including deleted scenes, a gag reel, commentary, featurettes taking you behind the scenes and the hilarious music video " Guardians Inferno". Join the intergalactic fun when Guardains of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hits Blu-ray, DVD and 4K Ultra HD on August 22nd from Marvel Studios.