GOTG Vol. 2
My new favourite film, because it’s full of FEEL
SPOILER ALERT! I’m going to be talking about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 with a bit of depth here so YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
I’ve just got back from my second viewing of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and I have a strange compulsion to write about it. I’m not sure why. I haven’t written like this in a long time (probably university essays), but watching GOTG2 again spurred something in me and I felt like I needed to write it down.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is now my favourite film. Other films that have had the Dan Parkes accolade of favouritism include the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Inception, Social Network, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, The Incredibles… it’s a pretty high calibre. So why GOTG2? I’ve read a lot of reviews and heard a lot of opinions saying the film suffers from sequel syndrome or that the plot has some room for improvement and I accept those issues. There are plenty of valid points out there. I’m here to provide a different point of view.
I think the suffix Vol. 2 has something to do with it. It’s not Guardians of the Galaxy 2: Celestials and Stuff. It’s a volume; an easily digestible piece of entertainment, like a sitcom. I love sitcoms. Why? They have bits of plot that provide a narrative but the entertainment is in the joke driven dialogue, the characters that you come to know and love and the relationships between them all. You’ll get new characters popping in, introducing themselves. They might stick around for a season. Or maybe just a one episode cameo. That is what GOTG2 felt like to me, and I loved it for it.
Its loose dad-problems narrative allows it more room for not only hilarious banter between our guardians (now established from GOTG1, like any sitcom’s first season), but for a series of wonderful visual gags and clever culture references, and cinematically stunning sequences like that Yondu / Rocket escape sequence to the sound of Come A Little Bit Closer.
I am in awe of the entire GOTG2 creative team (I want to thank you all individually, but those credits were so BIG. You know who you are. You’re great). Their approach to every shot oozes in something that I’m now going to have a little talk about, and is inspired by many a chat that I’ve had with my dear friend and colleague Gavin Stewart: FEEL.
As someone working in game development, mainly from a design perspective, I often analyse media across all creative mediums and try to work out what it is I like about them. Most likely, it will come down to the FEEL. There’s a lot written about game feel in particular. Using an example from my fave game at the mo, Overwatch: when you get a headshot on an enemy, you get a little red crosshair overlaying the base crosshair and an incredibly satisfying ding on top of your standard attack sound. Junkrat’s grenades in his frag launcher jiggle around whilst you’re frantically trying to deal with Genji. These extra quality touches provides a lot of feel that makes the game enticing to the player.
Although game feel is definitely a thing, I think feel applies to all creative arts, and GOTG2 is full of it. The weapon system on the mining vessel that Yondu and Rocket bring into the centre of Ego is a perfect example. The way those laser orbs roll around in the grooves on the side and then congregate to produce one full beam… sublime. That thing could have just had lasers. Bog standard lasers. But no! Those orbs are so satisfying to watch. Forget being a celestial. I want that frickin’ mining vessel.
I think its comic book origins help. A lot of comic book based movies (Frank Miller films are great examples) indulge in stylised visuals inspired by the great artwork from the comics. These visuals, in both the comics and the films derived from them, capture ideas and concepts in such a way to create this same feel. When done correctly, it gives the media an additional addictive quality. You want to see more of that pure awesomeness.
When I think of films based off comic books, I think of the action sequences where every shot looks like a panel, coming to life in the most visceral way possible. In Kickass, when Hitgirl comes out of the elevator and destroys everyone in that hall. In Kingsmen, when Colin Firth gets lairy in a church.
As part of the Bafta Crew 2017, I recently had the wonderful opportunity of going to a talk about telling stories in games at Guru Live. One of the panelists for the talk was Dan Abnett who, along with Andy Lanning, wrote the Guardians of The Galaxy comic from 2008, which James Gunn based the film on. He mentioned that comics and games differ to TV and film in that the audience must actively engage with the media. They also provide a passive experience like TV and Film with the visuals, but this active nature of comics and games helps create a stronger connection to the narrative. I think feel is part of that conversation as well. Those polished innovative concepts and ideas that provide that feel factor, bring the audience in and get them involved.
There’s so much more I could say. I do wish I could be part of the Guardian’s family (Ohana, no one gets left behind). Saving the galaxy seems like an awful lot of fun. But these films almost make that dream of mine, to be a Guardian of the Galaxy, a possibility. It FEELS tangible and THAT is why Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is my new favourite film.
James Gunn, I’m available for dinner dates.
