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Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2

You only get one chance to save the galaxy twice.

2017136 minPG-13Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Director
James Gunn
Starring
Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel

The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill's true parentage.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2?

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 earns 10 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% in Action.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 worth watching?

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2's Midcredits score is the 94th percentile of all films, from 3.3M ratings across 6 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

94th percentile

Better received than 94% of films

97th percentile among Action95th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)91st
Approval (how many liked it)94th

75 /100

91st percentile of all films

96th percentile among Action91st percentile among 2010s

Critics 67 · Audience 76

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.7 — people broadly agree on this one.

84% liked it

94th percentile of all films

96th percentile among Action95th percentile among 2010s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Critics 85% · Audience 87%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 15 wins / 61 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Visual Effects

84th percentile

3.3M ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Action85th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26

Box office

Budget$200M
Opening weekend$147M
Domestic gross$390M
Worldwide gross$864M

Returned 4.3× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A bigger, louder, more sentimental space opera that leans heavily on character drama and nostalgia, even when its plot feels thin.

Fans praised

  • Emotionally resonant family themes
  • Strong character arcs for Yondu and Rocket
  • Dazzling visuals and bold color palette

Detractors panned

  • Overstuffed, slow-paced middle section
  • Forced humor that undercuts drama
  • Weak villain with unclear motivation

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive85

Excellent retro soundtrack well integrated; songs enhance emotional beats

ActingDivisive80

Cast chemistry strong; Bautista, Rooker, and Gillan standout among ensemble

Effects and spectacleDivisive80

Impressive CGI and action sequences; some find overwhelmed by digital chaos

CharactersDivisive75

Deeper exploration of Yondu, Nebula, and Rocket's backstories; some find arcs forced

Emotional impactDivisive75

Powerful tearjerker finale with Yondu's sacrifice; some find sentimentality heavy-handed

HumorDivisive65

Frequent jokes, strong Drax and Baby Groot gags; detractors call them forced and juvenile

DialogueDivisive65

Wit and one-liners land often; detractors say too many forced jokes

Plot and storyDivisive55

Thin, conventional story focused on father-son reveal and family themes

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men even
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is funny, never lets up and leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
JoyfulThrillingMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its material with heartfelt sincerity, blending comedy with genuine emotion and visually extravagant style.
The rideThe film bounces between energetic action-comedy and emotional dramatic beats, with the heaviest emotions concentrated in the third act's sacrifice and funeral.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional chronological order, with a prologue and a linear progression of events.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film balances fun and heartbreak, leaving a mix of joy and melancholy from Yondu's sacrifice and Peter's rediscovery of family.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Quest
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1% (this title)
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Pilgrimage: The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.

10% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypePeter Quill's journey to meet his father Ego is a transformative pilgrimage, while the team's mission to stop Ego's terraforming plan drives the plot.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Sacrifice · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Cosmic stakes: Consequences reach beyond the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on discovering what truly makes a family—biological versus chosen—and shows characters sacrificing themselves to protect the ones they love.
StanceThough the conflict is universal, the film affirms the value of found family and self-sacrifice over biological ties, celebrating these bonds with an earnest core.

The world

ContemporaryOuter spaceWildernessScience fiction
Orchestral modernRockPopForeground music · hybrid
SettingThe Marvel cosmic universe, including space stations, Sovereign planet, and Ego's living planet
MusicThe soundtrack heavily features classic 1970s and 1980s pop and rock songs, especially 'Come a Little Bit Closer' and 'Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)', woven into the narrative.

Content guide

Is Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 okay for kids?

PG-13

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive content” (MPAA). As of August 18, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (62/100), sexual content at moderate (40/100), language at moderate (48/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (32/100) and frightening material at moderate (58/100). Overall it is heavier than 75% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 36 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Argentina+13
  • Austria12
  • BGC
  • COPG-13
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary18
  • ID13+
  • IsraelAll
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • MOB
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia16+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan15+
  • Türkiye13+
  • UA12+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 47% of all filmsHeavier than 75% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 77%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 76%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 65%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 52%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 70%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 have?

MovieCove's classifier found 8 depicted content warnings in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, all withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory (behind the spoiler gate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2?

Cast

6 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Chris Pratt
as Peter Quill
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Zoe Saldaña
as Gamora
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dave Bautista
as Drax
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Vin Diesel
as Baby Groot
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bradley Cooper
as Rocket
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Kurt Russell
as Ego
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Michael Rooker
as Yondu
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Karen Gillan
as Nebula
Pom Klementieff
as Mantis
Sylvester Stallone
as Stakar Ogord
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2?

Movies like Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 include Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) and Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by James Gunn, and half are space operas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby wrote 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2?

86 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: god. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.