"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" opened with the Missouri countryside in all its sunny glory, and Looking Glass singing "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)". It hit the top of the Billboard 100 chart in 1972, which would mean one thing. Love was in the air. It would reach the far corners of the galaxy. And younger moviegoers should be acquainted with the music scene from yesteryear one more time.
The sequel to "Guardians of the Galaxy", the top-grossing film of 2014, wasn't really a follow-up to the original. James Gunn (and Kevin Feige) still opted to explore the humble beginnings of this ragtag team, and it would be Peter Quill's parentage this time around. As any die-hard Marvel comic fan would tell (right away), Ego was Peter's father. Ego was a Celestial, one of the oldest entities in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This piece of information could excite moviegoers who were eager for more films from Marvel Studios. Peter Quill, a. k. a. Star-Lord, might likely meet the other Celestials in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3". (Gunn and Feige wouldn't dare think of another title.) If not the next installment (in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy), then it would be "Avengers: Infinity War". There won't be any doubt that the Guardians must play a major role in the Infinity War. Expect a spin-off as well.
Several scenes showed Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) together. Don't be surprised if Marvel Studios would give the green light to make a movie starring this unlikely duo. There would be five post end credits scenes, and one showed a reunion of the Ravagers, once Yondu's colleagues. Stakar Ogord, a. k. a. Starhawk, was the leader of this group. It would be a cause for celebration for Sylvester Stallone's fans. (The “Rocky” star plays Starhawk. Good guys do finish first.) The Ravagers, which included Captain Charlie-27, Mainframe, and Aleta, could round up the cast of this spin-off. But let's go back to "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2".
Here's the real score
James Gunn's witty script was partly a Freudian exploration, as well as being unabashed about one's feelings. All You Need Is Love. Lost in Love. Love Makes the World Go Round. It was too bad that these catchy tunes didn't make it to the "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" soundtrack. Some scenes turned physical, with references to Drax the Destroyer's nipples and Mantis's antenna. (She turned out to be a Eurasian gal who had abilities for astral projection, plant manipulation, and telepathy. But we would be getting ahead. The sequel showed her emphatic capabilities only.) There would be hints that the next "Guardians of the Galaxy" film would include hits from the 1980s. (David Hasselhoff, Heather Locklear, Pacman.) Let's go to the heart of the matter, and it has nothing to do with John Lennon singing "Imagine" to a crowd of hippies.
Did Gunn made a mistake in not considering another storyline from the Marvel Comics? Many viewers won't mind at all, as the galaxy was bathed in red, yellow, and orange. They would represent the 1960s and 1970s, when the Vietnam War, civil rights, and Watergate turned America (and some parts of the world) upside down. Olive green would be the traditional color of peace, but it won't fit in the groovy soundtrack. Time would tell if "The Guardians of the Galaxy" is the best trilogy from Marvel Studios. (Captain America's foray in political thrillers should be the on the top of the list for now.) This should bring us to the most anticipated part of the movie, which would be the five post end credits. It may surprise some Marvel fans, which were expecting two. Marvel Studios may be getting impatient at this point.
Kraglin, Yondu's second-in-command, was trying to control the telekinetic arrow and control fin. Starhawk and the rest of the Ravagers were about to bring trouble to the galaxy. Groot became a teenager. Ayesha, the leader of the Sovereign people, introduced Adam Warlock. And Stan Lee getting to know the Watchers. It would mean three things: The next "Guardians of the Galaxy" film should go in full blast, so there would be enough of the introductions; a spin-off featuring Rocket and Groot will likely happen in the immediate future; and "Avengers: Infinity War" would be like no other.
The end credits was a must see, as the cast tried their darn best to be as good as John Travolta (in "Saturday Night Fever"). There must be two kinds of people: Those who can dance and those who prefer to watch from the sidelines. It will be up to you to find out if they succeeded in dancing at all.
