Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Blu-ray Review

Marvel; PG-13; 136 minutes; Walmart

Available now on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD from Marvel Studios is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It's already available on Digital HD and Digital 4K Ultra HD.

Directed by James Gunn, the film stars stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Tommy Flanagan, Laura Haddock, with Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell.

Based on the Marvel comic books of the same name created by by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 picks up shortly after the first film, where Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Baby Groot are now known around the galaxy as the Guardians of the Galaxy. After retrieving valuable batteries from a inter-dimensional monster, the leader of the Sovereign race agrees to hand over Gamora's estranged sister Nebula. Everything goes as planned, well, until Rocket insults the Sovereign race and steals a few batteries. The Guardians barely have to time hop into their spaceship, before the Sovereign unleashes their drones upon them.

After crash landing their starship, Quill, Gamora, and Drax are rescued by Quill's long-lost father, Ego, and an alien named Mantis, who take them to his "home" planet while Rocket and Groot both stay behind to repair the starship. Well, that is until a group of Ravagers tracks them down and takes them hostage

BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):
Blu-ray:

The Making of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” – A four-part, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, done in the style of classic-rock album liner notes.

Visionary Intro – Director James Gunn provides context on how he continues and expands the storylines of these beloved characters in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”

Guardians Inferno Music Video – Join David Hasselhoff and special guests for a galactic retro dance party.

Gag Reel – Laugh out loud at all the hilarious off-script shenanigans and bloopers that took place on the set of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” featuring all your favorite Guardians.

Four Deleted Scenes – Check out four specific scenes that had to be cut from the film, including two extended scenes and two deleted scenes.

Audio Commentary – Check out a special narration of the film by director James Gunn, who guides fans through an inside look at the making of the movie.

Digital:
All the features listed above plus four extra exclusives:

Three Scene Breakdowns (Digital Exclusives) – We’ll reveal the anatomy of a few key scenes from the film. Discover the process in bringing these scenes to life. It starts with a doodle and the rest is film history. Audiences will be given the option to view 5-6 layers of specific scenes in the film. Scenes include “Eclector Escape,” “Gamora and Nebula,” and “Rocket and Ravagers.”

Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! (Digital Exclusive) – Get an exclusive sneak peek inside the most anticipated ride at Disneyland, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!. We’ll dig into the concepts and inspiration, and talk about what it took to bring the most epic ride at Disneyland to life.

Final Thoughts: Similar to the first film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 stands out from the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films, mainly thanks to it's blend of humor, CGI characters, and rock n' roll music. The main plot/villain is a little silly at times, but thanks to a well-written script with witty funny dialogue, the film is enjoyable. The visual effects look great throughout the film, though a few scenes towards the end are a little cartoony.

The picture and sound quality on the Blu-ray are topnotch. There are plenty of behind-the-scenes features and bonus extras.

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is as good as the first film. Despite it's 136 minutes running time, the movie flies by quickly. All the characters are fun to watch, but the scenes with the CGI characters Rocket and Groot are the best parts.