With Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, the answer is: I'm not sure if it's better, but it's just as good as the first film. (And that's high praise indeed.)
The first film had the advantage of being new, fresh and funny.
This time around, we're familiar with the characters, so it can't be as fresh - but it is just as funny.
Vol. 2's focus is on family - including the ones we build (with friends and co-workers) and the ones we gain through blood relations.
At the center is the long-awaited revelation of the identity of Star-Lord's father. We know his father is an alien, but which one out of Marvel's vast collection?
The answer is Kurt Russell. Well, he plays the part, and does so wonderfully, with great humor and gravitas.
As always, humor is a key element in the series, and each character gets a chance to earn some laughs - including Drax's delightful lack of guile, Rocket's eternal cynicism, Gamora's earnest "straight man" approach, Baby Groot's undeniable cuteness, and Star-Lord - well, he's just as much a wiseass as ever.
Add in Yondu, the delightfully gruff (and deadly) leader of a crew of Ravagers, Gamora's deadly sister Nebula, who gets to do more than just be angry, and several new characters, including a Mantis who doesn't bear much resemblance to the comic book character - but is a sweet addition to the team.
The visuals are stunning, the music is tremendous, the story builds nicely and includes genuinely moving moments. It's not easy for a movie to take you from laughing one moment to crying the next.
It's a great addition to the Marvel movie universe, and proves me wrong again (I thought Marvel was crazy for doing a movie based on such a little-known team).
The actors are perfectly cast and they deliver terrific performances (which is one of the keys to Marvel's film success).
Needless to say, stick around through the credits, and pay special attention to the song that runs under the credits - it's great fun!
You know... like the rest of the movie!
Grade: A
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