An excerpt from my script review for which will be available 11/27/17:
3.) Quality of Characters
Feel bad going over this after the Captain did so as well, but the supporting cast was a serious issue with the script.
Most of the characters used as comic relief kept trying to outdo each other with one liners.
Drax, Mantis, Rocket, and Groot kept tripping, joke after joke.
Remember to diversify your characters, even in a comedy.
As the story went on, and the jokes forced down our throats, lines became more annoying than they were funny, and I really had a hard time stomaching some of the characters, especially Rocket this time around.
His sole purpose seemed to be to annoy Quinn, until he delivered lines that were very similar to Drax.
What was his motivation for stealing the batteries other than being a complete dick? His character seemed drastically different than the clever rodent we were treated to in the first film.
Again, not all of your characters needs to be a comedian.
Drax going on and on about his nipples.
Mantis and her “on the nose” jokes via characters feelings.
Rocket and Groot constantly misinterpreting each other.
Other characters calling Rocket every sort of mammal vermin there is…
All just too much.
If we’re trying to make sense of it all, I guess we could argue that there are two serious relationships…
Quinn and his Dads (Ego and Yondu).
Quinn and Gamora.
So there needs to be two humorous relationships so shit doesn’t get too heavy, maybe?
Mantis and Drax.
Rocket and Groot.
But again, this second set felt so forced at times, and seemed to miss the charm of the original.
However, I will point out that I really enjoyed the serious relationships.
First, the love dynamic between Gamora and Quinn. I was unsure how we left things in the original, but I thought it was interesting that these two hadn’t really hooked up yet.
Putting it into the 80s dynamic of Sam and Diane from Cheers made perfect sense, and even at the end Gamora references the “unspoken thing” between them, not coming out and saying anything. Things still could be up in the air come Infinity War!
Second, I really enjoyed the Ego/Yondu father/daddy bit.
Yondu having a backstory was really good, especially giving some explanation as to why he didn’t just turn Quill over.
It was heartfelt, thought out, and at no time did it feel forced on the audience.
The redemption that Yondu experiences, and with it the paternal realization of Peter at the end, makes the sacrificial ending all the more powerful.
These sorts of experiences are memorable for audiences and what lead to sequels.
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