One thing that does not get talked about all that much with Marvel is it's rather admirable ability to make substantive sequels. Yes, Iron Man 2 was an astonishing waste of time, money, and Mickey Rourke, and well, there's really nothing all that nice to say about Thor: The Dark World...or Thor, for that matter. It's not a rule that counts across the Marvel spectrum but with movies as entertaining as Captain America: Civil War or as surprisingly soul-searching as Iron Man 3, it's got a better track record than almost any other franchise on the books. It's the reason Avengers: Infinity War is still promising to me despite thinking the original Avengers was about as compelling as warm milk and a sheep-counting session.

Heck, even Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron are pretty solid popcorn fare when all is said and done. One might argue that their entertainment value veils a general lack of emotional resonance or compelling ideas but honestly, does anyone think they're looking for that in these movies? With the singular exception of Iron Man 3, and partial exemptions for Ant-Man and Doctor Strange, all these movies are driven predominantly by familiar plots and flimsy stories. In the case of Doctor Strange, the thin nature of the story itself allowed director Scott Derrickson to create a visual wonderland. No other Marvel film is even half as inventive and thrilling with it's imagery as Derrickson's is and none of them have the humor and the shaggy-dog tone that makes Ant-Man so unique. These are action movies with better budgets and cooler wardrobes. That's kinda it, for the most part.

Still, one cannot ignore the amount of attention and positive press that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has been getting recently. Earlier this week, it was revealed that the sequel had been given the best possible grade during test screenings, coming home with the rare 100 score that only Iron Man 3 and the original Avengers movie brushed up against. The latest TV spot for the movie, which you can take a look at below, does not give a clear impression as to what the story will investigate while reuniting Star Lord (Chris Pratt) and his father (Kurt Russell), but there's a lot of action and most of it looks quite involving. The original Guardians of the Galaxy deserves to be named in the same class as Ant-Man, Iron Man 3, and Doctor Strange and if it's sequel is nearly as visually dazzling, funny, and just plain fun as the original, Marvel's increasing durability in the marketplace will only rise.

Here's the new TV spot for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2:

Here's the official synopsis for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2:

Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.