Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) ****

It isn't often that I like a sequel better than the original movie, but this is one case where I did. I found the original "Guardians of the Galaxy" film to be funny and action-packed, but weighed down by treacle in the third act. The sequel manages to replace most of that sentimentality with genuine emotion, allowing for some believable character development, while retaining all the action and humor.

Starlord (Chris Pratt), Gamorra (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (the raccoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper), and a tiny, adorable Groot (with his “I am groot”s still voiced by Vin Diesel) are still together, not so much guarding the galaxy as doing mercenary work. In the opening sequence, they battle a giant, multidimensional, Lovecraftian octopus monster, while Groot dances to Electric Light Orchestra's “Mr. Blue Sky.” (This frenetic, goofily-funny scene perfectly sets the tone for the movie, and you can reliably decide whether or not to keep watching based on your response to it.) The Guardian's payment for defeating the Cthulhu-beast for the genetically-engineered Sovereign is Gamorra's blue sister, Nebula (Karen Gillan), with whom she had the epic swordfight in the first film. It looks like a fair exchange until Rocket sweetens the deal by stealing a few of the Sovereign's priceless batteries, a theft that Rocket considers hilarious, but which quickly puts the vengeful Sovereign hot on the Guardian's trail.

The Guardians seem doomed until they are saved by a god named Ego (Kurt Russell), who just happens to be, get ready for it---Starlord's father. Ego has his own planet, not to mention a great head of hair, and it's a lovely family reunion at first. As Starlord gets to know his dad, though, he discovers that the old man has some very unsavory plans for the galaxy.

For me, “Vol. 2” is the movie that the original “Guardians” was trying to be. In the first film, the writers couldn't seem to cook up a believable motivation for all these renegades to team up, so they filled the void with some sappy crap about “friendship.” This time around, writer/director James Gunn seems to have figured out how to do character development without nearly as much groan-inducing syrup. The characters deliver action, laughs, and occasionally some genuine emotion, and the story makes just enough sense to keep you tuned in.

4 stars out of 5