The first “Guardians of the Galaxy” left moviegoers with a sense of joy not many other films had captured around that time. It was fresh, original and unlike any other superhero film that came before it. Its sequel was therefore faced with the near-impossible task of attempting to beat it–falling short in the end.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” features a rag-tag team of heroes, consisting of Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Drax (Dave Bautista) and Groot (Vin Diesel). The Guardians are on the run from a hierarchy of aliens called the Sovereign, when Star-Lord’s father suddenly appears to his long lost son. Calamity erupts as the team is forced into a sticky situation with the Sovereign, all the while trying to learn who Star-Lords father really is and why he suddenly came back.

The plot’s pacing is by far it’s weakest point; frankly, the script is a bit of a drag for the fun that Guardians is known for. The film focuses less on childlike glee and action set pieces, instead emphasizing character and the relationships between character more than anything. This is generally something I would praise in a film, especially one like this, but this sudden shift upsets the pacing of the plot overall — many “developmental” scenes feel forced instead of coming from a natural progression of the story.

The first act of the film is filled with expository dialogue, but redeems itself through the extra emphasis it places on supporting characters. Rocket and Drax come into their own with this film, delivering some of the most gut-busting comedy I’ve heard from a Marvel film in recent memory. Seeing some of the most interesting characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as a whole get more screen time was one of the film’s greatest assets.

However, this also works to the movie’s detriment due to the fact that characters like Gamora and Mantis (Pom Klementieff), the new addition to the team, don’t get enough screentime. The original film worked around this by focusing on the team as a unit, but Vol. 2 treats characters that were once staples of the team as devices to progress the plot of Star-Lord, Rocket and Drax — a sad thing to admit.

When the movie works — it works. The action sequences present explode with an energy you won’t find in many other movies, are beautifully shot and all serve to progress the plot. The camaraderie within the Guardians is all there, and the relationships between the characters is well thought out while remaining endearing to watch. Topping it off is yet again another unique score that reflects the newfound maturity of the team.

Did I mention that the movie is really, really, REALLY funny? It’s really funny. Just saying.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is a bit like frozen pizza — some people love it better than when it’s fresh out of the oven, yet the general consensus remains that it’s better hot than cold. When you’re hungry however, it’ll satisfy just as good as anything else. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” earns a B+.