Is it as good as the first? No. Is is still an incredibly fun and visually stunning space adventure film to seal the series fate as this generation’s Star Wars. Yes!
The crass and lovable Guardians return in a more self aware and cartoonish sequel that delivers big laughs and surprising character moments. The cast as a whole has some fantastic chemistry, with each main character dishing up some incredibly memorable moments of snappy comedy (Yondu makes the most quotable line in the movie) as well as some heartfelt moments that balance the adventure nicely. Baby Groot again steals the show and makes us question how many effects had to be added to Vin Diesel’s gruff voice to make it work. The main man himself, Chris Pratt as Starlord, seemed to take a back seat allowing his co-stars to shine.
I’m not as big of a fan of the decidedly more cartoonish humor, as it really feels somewhat bizarre despite how irreverent GotG already is at times. I can appreciate, however, the times when Guardians gets weird with it’s world-building as it still features some of the strangest and creative fiction visually – its neon soaked landscapes and bizarre alien cultures/species make it a feast for the eyes.
The plot revolves around Starlord and the gang meeting Peter’s Dad, discover more about Peter’s past, shake up the ravager fleet, and once again save the galaxy. It’s a decidedly less focused plot as compared to the first, and it has some juicy twists in the latter half (along with some comedy gold as well). It’s also way weirder as compared to the almost grounded original.
And what of the “Awesome Mix Vol. 2” music selection? I didn’t feel that it was as strong and as perfectly integrated into the film as the first, but man are there some excellent picks throughout. The parents that have no interest in comics will appreciate the music when they take their kids. 
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a great example of a strong sequel. While not as fresh or as captivating as the original installment, it adds upon the lore of the Guardians, as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
