Well, I thoroughly enjoyed that.

It's not what I'd call a great movie but it is heaps of fun, which in many ways captures closest what reading a comic book is all about. This is, undoubtedly, one of the weirdest and most bizarre entries in the Marvel cannon - and one that feels so fun not just because of the great action and extremely addictive soundtrack - but because it doesn't really tie into anything. Marvel, for the most part, have allowed this movie to be its own thing, which I really appreciated. It's a lot messier than the first movie, and the plot is all over the place. Not everything works. But then again, it's also far more ambitious than the original, so it's only natural that some things won't work out. It definitely attempted to tell a more character-driven story, and whilst I'm not sure Kurt Russell's character totally payed off, you've got to give them credit for trying. The effects were great, practically seamless. The characters are just as likeable as before, as are their respective performers and James Gunn finally gives us a beautiful Marvel movie instead of the blandness that normally comes from the studio. The direction has style, the cinematography is gorgeous - this is a real visual treat.