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‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ review: Chris Pratt back in jam-packed space jaunt

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Directed by James Gunn

Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista

Rated PG-13

The first “Guardians of the Galaxy” was a huge surprise.

A team of unknown Marvel oddballs — a talking raccoon, a living tree, two green people and the goofy guy from “Parks and Recreation” — headlined a movie from a director best known for cult horror, and it turned out to be a massive blockbuster, a fun, kinetic space adventure that was both a breezy, funny jaunt as well as an epic sci-fi film.

The sequel takes all the things that made the first so enjoyable and overloads them. More weird characters, more quirk, more action, more planets, more aliens, more everything.

It’s still a fun, kooky time, but boy does it pack on the plot points. The film is about family: Peter Quill (Chris Pratt, ever the dashing rogue) looking for his father and Quill’s relationship with Yondu (Michael Rooker, stealing scenes left and right), his surrogate father; the Guardians team as a unit; Gamora (Zoe Saldana) dealing with her murderous sister Nebula (Karen Gillan); Yondu’s relationship with his band of Ravagers.

And that’s not even half of what’s going on here. The film begins with a flashback to earth and Kurt Russell, made younger by CGI, as Ego, who is courting Quill’s mother. Fast forward to the present day and the Guardians — Quill, Gamora, Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voice of Vin Diesel) — are fighting a giant monster. It’s a classic “Guardians” sequence, with a great ’70s tune in the background, lots dancing and tons of quips.

Rocket’s penchant for stealing gets the team in trouble, and thus one of the many plot lines starts to unfold, including chases, vicious space battles and bickering.

This leads to the return of Ego, now a powerful and godlike-being looking to bond with Quill, his real son. Many of Russell’s scenes are filled with heavy-handed dialogue and lots of exposition.

The film’s finest moments are saved for Quill’s surrogate father Yondu, with Rooker’s gritty, funny, yet emotional performance carrying the day. He’s a man torn apart by the people he trusts and his narrative is really the emotional core of the movie.

That and Baby Groot, who is just so darned adorable.

The first “Guardians” set an impossibly high bar, and this second entry can’t meet it. But as far as sequels go, “Vol. 2” offers a fun and, yes, thoroughly jam-packed experience.