It’s all fun and games until somebody’s closet full of bones arises in the collective psyche. Then someone’s bound to lose an eye, have their ship blown up, or experienced their heart being cracked open. And indeed, amidst the punctuation of crackling dialogue, all of that transpires in this comic action adventure movie that doubles as a Father Issue cinematherapy flick.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 extends the adventures of a family of friends and frenemies led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), whose oft-prickly exterior hides the unprocessed grief of a boy connected to his loving mom only through wistful memories and a mix-tape of 70s pop songs. His loss has left him wide open for emotional manipulation by a too-perfect vision of Disney icon Kurt Russell wooing Mom in the woods behind the Dairy Queen. Turns out the father and son reunion is going to be less of a harmonious soft rock duet than a clash of visions, however. Rescue and happily ever after at daddy’s side bears a high cost, it seems.
It takes a pair of badass sisters still living out the story of rivalry spun by their own daddy long ago and a bitter pair of soul brothers, whose only connection to their own vulnerability is their affection for a ridiculously adorable junior teddy-bear creature, plus a few other colorful characters, to wake Peter out of his starry-eyed stupor. Watch this movie when you’re smarting from old parental wounds. It will remind you to beware of Greek Gods with archetypal names like Ego who come bearing gifts and to consider giving your imperfect parental figures second chance.
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