Earlier this year saw the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the 15th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While I didn’t review the film myself, I very much agree with our own Cam Clark, who gave it an A-. Thanks to its comedy, as well as its huge heart, it managed to claw its way to my top five MCU films. I’d even go so far as to say I found it to be a superior experience to the first film, which is a statement I feel the need to explain.

When the trailer for the first Guardians of the Galaxy hit, I expected the film to really indulge in the weird. While it did sort of touch on it, it was very clear that it was a rather traditional film. Vol. 2 very much continues being a somewhat traditional film, but rather than play it safe, Marvel Studios allowed director James Gunn to go all out on the weird, giving me something that was more in line with what I was hoping for the second time around. As such, someone like me (whose favorite comic ever is a weird manga called One Piece) was finally able to get their weird quota met.

RELATED: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Review

So, I liked the movie, but how does the home release fare? More than any other franchise in the MCU, it seems like Marvel Studios really let James Gunn do whatever he wanted. With most other movies, we can see a real studio hand, but with Guardians, I feel more that it’s the work of an auteur, and that extends to the special features. Not only do we get the traditional commentary, gag reel, and making of featurette (which is nearly 40 minutes long), but we get a nice intro from Gunn himself — something I’m more used to in smaller more personal movies. With this in mind, it really drives the point home that despite the big budget, this was a personal film for Gunn, and it makes me happy that the studio allowed it to get made.

All in all, this is a solid home release, full of all kinds of goodies that film buffs and Marvel junkies will love. My only “complaint,” if you can call it that, is that I’m still waiting to find a new one-shot one a home release — though if we are to believe the stuff that comes out of actor Tom Holland’s mouth, the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming release may indeed have one for us to enjoy.

Now let’s take a look at the home release specs!

BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):

Blu-ray:

• The Making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – A four-part, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, done in the style of classic-rock album liner notes.
• Visionary Intro – Director James Gunn provides context on how he continues and expands the storylines of these beloved characters in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
• “Guardians Inferno” Music Video – Join David Hasselhoff and special guests for a galactic retro dance party.
• Gag Reel – Laugh out loud at all the hilarious off-script shenanigans and bloopers that took place on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, featuring all your favorite Guardians.
• Four Deleted Scenes – Check out four specific scenes that had to be cut from the film, including two extended scenes and two deleted scenes.
• Audio Commentary – Check out a special narration of the film by director James Gunn, who guides fans through an inside look at the making of the movie.

Digital:

All the features listed above plus four extra exclusives:

• Three Scene Breakdowns (Digital Exclusives) – We’ll reveal the anatomy of a few key scenes from the film. Discover the process in bringing these scenes to life. It starts with a doodle and the rest is film history. Audiences will be given the option to view 5-6 layers of specific scenes in the film. Scenes include “Eclector Escape,” “Gamora and Nebula,” and “Rocket and Ravagers.”
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! (Digital Exclusive) – Get an exclusive sneak peek inside the most anticipated ride at Disneyland, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!. We’ll dig into the concepts and inspiration, and talk about what it took to bring the most epic ride at Disneyland to life.

DVD:

• Does not include any bonus materials.

SPECIFICATIONS (applies to film content only):

Product Offerings: Digital = 4K UHD with HDR (HDR-10 or Dolby Vision), HD, SD

Physical = Cinematic Universe 4K UHD Combo Pack (4K UHD with HDR, Blu-ray, Digital Copy),

Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Copy), DVD and Exclusive Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack

On Demand – August 22nd – check with your local provider

Feature Run Time: Approximately 136 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Audio: 4K UHD Blu-ray = English Dolby Atmos, English/Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus,

English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital

4K UHD Digital = English Dolby Atmos (platform dependent), English 5.1, English 2.0

Blu-ray = English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English 2.0 Descriptive Audio,

French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks

DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks,

English 2.0 Descriptive Audio

Subtitles: Physical: English SDH, French & Spanish

Closed Captions: Digital & DVD = English

Will you be getting Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in its home release? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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