GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)
Release Date: August 22, 2017
Studio: Marvel Studios Home Entertainment
Video: 2.39:1 1080p Widescreen
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, English DVS 2.0
THE RATINGS
The Movie Itself - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Special Features - ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰
Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
_____________________________________________________________________________
THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
"I have famously huge turds!"
"I have famously huge turds!"
Reviewed by Gavin King
Marvel Studios and director James Gunn impressed with 2014's smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy and succeed yet again with their highly-anticipated follow-up, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a film that's consistently action-packed, funny, and brimmed with an absolutely fantastic soundtrack, all mixed together in a wonderful crescendo of a big-budget major studio sci-fi flick. It's arguably an improvement over its predecessor, with tighter pacing, more engaging screenwriting, more emphasis on thoughtful character development, and brighter, more vibrant settings abound, whether it be zooming through space, in mysterious forests, or on a unique, eye-catching planet. In fact, it's a nearly flawless film that only ever-so-slightly (big emphasis on that ever-so there) pales in comparison to one other superhero movie that released this year. (The title of said movie will be revealed once it comes time to review that film.)
Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and a baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are up to the task to protect the Sovereigns' highly vital batteries. They've been hired by the race's leader, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), in which the Guardians earn her respect after defeating a giant monster known by the name of the Abilisk. All goes well on their mission, until they soon find out Rocket stole a few of their batteries for his own keeping. This in turns leads to the Guardians being attacked by a huge fleet of Sovereign drones. They're eventually crash-landed on a planet called Berhert, stranded and, for now, hopeless. Suddenly a mysterious ship enters towards the Guardians. It's Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter Quill's father, much to Quill's confusion. Him, Gamora, and Drax all enter Ego's ship and begin to learn the true meaning behind Peter Quill's parentage, all while Rocket, baby Groot, and a Ravager named Yondu (Michael Rooker) have plans of their own.
James Gunn crafts Vol. 2 in a way that every portion of the story weaves together organically without a single forced beat crammed in anywhere. Every character serves a purpose. Every location has a reason to be where it is. Every song gives meaning to the scene accompanying it. It's not a big mushy mess of forced action, phoned-in dialogue exchanges, or obligatory plot devices. In fact, it's the complete opposite. The story fleshes out beautifully and carefully on the screen, transforming what was a lesser known Marvel comic beyond its core roots and giving moviegoers a hugely entertaining, yet extremely diligent, superhero spectacle that's not all just big battles between good and evil - more on this in a moment - but also meticulously crafted storytelling that perfectly syncs the colorful on-screen visuals.
The film's soundtrack is its lifeblood. It's pretty much the reason the first film did so well, critically and commercially alike, and this sequel follows its predecessor's footsteps in gleefully toe-tapping, yet narratively essential, verve. The film kicks it all off with a truly amazing opening scene involving a baby Groot dancing to ELO's Mr. Blue Sky in what is, arguably, the best opening to a superhero movie in a long, long time. Things just get even better from there as the Guardians listen to Lake Shore Drive in their Milano ship, are greeted into Ego's Planet while My Sweet Lord runs in the background, and as Rocket takes out some bad guys to the tune of Southern Nights. After all, the music does play a hugely important role in the story, not just existing there in the movie to sell CD albums and win the hearts of classic music geeks. Awesome Mix Vol. 1 was after all a gift to Quill from his dying mom, and to keep the tradition of music going in his Walkman is something of not only true fan service but also care for following up on the first film.
Vol 2. sees a nice assortment of familiar faces and newcomers in the character department. The follow-ups enjoy a seamless, well-transitioned transfer from the predecessor, containing all of the lovable spirit that has made these characters an eventual tradition. Perhaps the most fleshed-out continuation here is the character of Drax, who was more or less a typical "tough-guy" in the first film. This installment sees the character's lighter side and, most importantly, more humorous. There's no shortage of wonderfully-introduced welcome additions here, too, whether Peter's mysterious father Ego or the much-welcome comic relief character of Mantis. Each of the film's big sci-fi battles never cease to entertain, with an abundance of seamlessly-integrated special effects that balance that very fine line, and very difficult to fight line, between appreciably campy and agreeably modern. This is fantastic stuff, a sequel that was totally worth the long-anticipated wait and improving upon its precursor in all the right ways.
We're the frickin' Guardians of the Galaxy!
Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and a baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) are up to the task to protect the Sovereigns' highly vital batteries. They've been hired by the race's leader, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), in which the Guardians earn her respect after defeating a giant monster known by the name of the Abilisk. All goes well on their mission, until they soon find out Rocket stole a few of their batteries for his own keeping. This in turns leads to the Guardians being attacked by a huge fleet of Sovereign drones. They're eventually crash-landed on a planet called Berhert, stranded and, for now, hopeless. Suddenly a mysterious ship enters towards the Guardians. It's Ego (Kurt Russell), Peter Quill's father, much to Quill's confusion. Him, Gamora, and Drax all enter Ego's ship and begin to learn the true meaning behind Peter Quill's parentage, all while Rocket, baby Groot, and a Ravager named Yondu (Michael Rooker) have plans of their own.
James Gunn crafts Vol. 2 in a way that every portion of the story weaves together organically without a single forced beat crammed in anywhere. Every character serves a purpose. Every location has a reason to be where it is. Every song gives meaning to the scene accompanying it. It's not a big mushy mess of forced action, phoned-in dialogue exchanges, or obligatory plot devices. In fact, it's the complete opposite. The story fleshes out beautifully and carefully on the screen, transforming what was a lesser known Marvel comic beyond its core roots and giving moviegoers a hugely entertaining, yet extremely diligent, superhero spectacle that's not all just big battles between good and evil - more on this in a moment - but also meticulously crafted storytelling that perfectly syncs the colorful on-screen visuals.
Father and son bonding time...
The film's soundtrack is its lifeblood. It's pretty much the reason the first film did so well, critically and commercially alike, and this sequel follows its predecessor's footsteps in gleefully toe-tapping, yet narratively essential, verve. The film kicks it all off with a truly amazing opening scene involving a baby Groot dancing to ELO's Mr. Blue Sky in what is, arguably, the best opening to a superhero movie in a long, long time. Things just get even better from there as the Guardians listen to Lake Shore Drive in their Milano ship, are greeted into Ego's Planet while My Sweet Lord runs in the background, and as Rocket takes out some bad guys to the tune of Southern Nights. After all, the music does play a hugely important role in the story, not just existing there in the movie to sell CD albums and win the hearts of classic music geeks. Awesome Mix Vol. 1 was after all a gift to Quill from his dying mom, and to keep the tradition of music going in his Walkman is something of not only true fan service but also care for following up on the first film.
Vol 2. sees a nice assortment of familiar faces and newcomers in the character department. The follow-ups enjoy a seamless, well-transitioned transfer from the predecessor, containing all of the lovable spirit that has made these characters an eventual tradition. Perhaps the most fleshed-out continuation here is the character of Drax, who was more or less a typical "tough-guy" in the first film. This installment sees the character's lighter side and, most importantly, more humorous. There's no shortage of wonderfully-introduced welcome additions here, too, whether Peter's mysterious father Ego or the much-welcome comic relief character of Mantis. Each of the film's big sci-fi battles never cease to entertain, with an abundance of seamlessly-integrated special effects that balance that very fine line, and very difficult to fight line, between appreciably campy and agreeably modern. This is fantastic stuff, a sequel that was totally worth the long-anticipated wait and improving upon its precursor in all the right ways.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Video Quality
Marvel Studios Blu-ray releases have generally been strong candidates for the Blu-ray format, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is most certainly no exception. It's another top-tier superhero movie presentation, with rich coloring and great detail abound. Each of the film's locations call for an abundance of pleasantly diverse color palettes. With vibrant golds in the Sovereign, lifelike greens in Berhert, neon reds and blues in Contraxia, and even bleaker grays inside the prison, Marvel's latest film utilizes its palette to incredibly varying effect, and it largely delivers. There's lots of strong detail to revel in here, too, with some of the finer examples being Quill's red jacket, the facets of wood on baby Groot, the giant gooey monster our heroes fight at the film's open, and rocky terrain in various places. Environments are sharp and span as well, making good detail out of every background element beyond the main, current focus of the camera. The digital source photography can push ever-so-mildly smooth in a handful of shots but overall the image maintains a crisp and clear facade. Skintones remain naturally representative of the surrounding environment and black levels always hold firm. An extremely minute level of banding can lightly be seen in a scene involving dense fog but it's cause for no alarm by any means. Another Marvel Studios Blu-ray, another top-tier 1080p presentation.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Audio Quality
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is another one of those Blu-ray releases where the theatrical Dolby Atmos soundtrack is being reserved exclusively for the 4K release of the film. Still, it would be a lie to say that the included DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack isn't good, because this one's a beast, exceptional in practically just about every way. There's no beat missed in this one. Quite literally in some cases. The film's soundtrack sounds amazing here, with impressive stage handling as the track goes about its business with each musical number. It's all made even better with a great-sounding bass accompaniment; what's not to love if you're a hardcore fan? Of course, action battles are hugely enveloping. Whether emergency crash-landings, laser gun one-on-ones, an escape from a prison, or space escapes, listeners will feel part of the onscreen action, and it's all thanks to the sheer complexity that is this 7.1 track. The listen is also home to some excellent-sounding ambient effects that offer much-pleasing stereo separation. Birds chirp in forests, inhabitants party in Contraxia, and prisoners gather around in a jail, all of which place the listener into the location effortlessly and spotlessly. Of course, that essential dialogue is always clear, spot-on, and always 100% audible in that front-center spacing, enjoying the appropriate cross-channel effect when the scene asks. Crank this one up and have a blast.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Special Features
- Bonus Round: The Making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Consists of four parts:
In the Director's Chair with James Gunn The cast and crew sing their praises about the director, James Gunn. Gunn is also interviewed to talk up the film's elements.
Reunion Tour: The Music of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 This piece looks at how the importance of the film's soundtrack plays a vital part in the film.
Living Planets and Talking Trees: The Visual Effects of Vol. 2 A closer look at the film's wide visual spectacle.
Showtime: The Cast of Vol. 2 A run-through piece of the film's talented cast and the crew singing their praises.
- Guardians Inferno Music Video A catchy, fun little music video of Guardians Inferno by The Sneepers ft. David Hasselhoff. This is about as '70s as it gets, folks. Interlacing, 4x3 aspect ratio, cheesy special effects... oh, and can't miss that David Hasselhoff... er, I mean, Zardu Hasselfrau!
- Gag Reel The lovable Marvel tradition!
- Deleted Scenes include the following: Adolescent Groot Extended, Memorial to the War on Xandar, Kraglin and Quill Talk Tunes, and Mantis and Drax Feel the Sadness Extended.
- Audio Commentary Gunn's commentary is not only insightful and nicely detailed but is also a wonderful walkthrough through the film's behind-the-scenes elements, and is also great fan service. Enjoy this one!
- Bonus Round: The Making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Consists of four parts:
In the Director's Chair with James Gunn The cast and crew sing their praises about the director, James Gunn. Gunn is also interviewed to talk up the film's elements.
Reunion Tour: The Music of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 This piece looks at how the importance of the film's soundtrack plays a vital part in the film.
Living Planets and Talking Trees: The Visual Effects of Vol. 2 A closer look at the film's wide visual spectacle.
Showtime: The Cast of Vol. 2 A run-through piece of the film's talented cast and the crew singing their praises.
- Guardians Inferno Music Video A catchy, fun little music video of Guardians Inferno by The Sneepers ft. David Hasselhoff. This is about as '70s as it gets, folks. Interlacing, 4x3 aspect ratio, cheesy special effects... oh, and can't miss that David Hasselhoff... er, I mean, Zardu Hasselfrau!
- Gag Reel The lovable Marvel tradition!
- Deleted Scenes include the following: Adolescent Groot Extended, Memorial to the War on Xandar, Kraglin and Quill Talk Tunes, and Mantis and Drax Feel the Sadness Extended.
- Audio Commentary Gunn's commentary is not only insightful and nicely detailed but is also a wonderful walkthrough through the film's behind-the-scenes elements, and is also great fan service. Enjoy this one!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is, arguably, one of the best superhero movie sequels of all time. It's a total blast, populated with memorable characters, a fun and interesting plot, and plenty of sci-fi bravura throughout. Essentially, there's nary a misstep in here; it's an improvement over the first (at least, in this reviewer's opinion) and sure to make moviegoers of all kind with huge smiles all over their faces. Marvel's Blu-ray is excellent as well, featuring strong video, boisterously fun audio, and an all-around good smattering of supplemental material. This one comes highly recommended.
Additional screenshots:
No comments:
Post a Comment