New video: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ is less surprising but more visual than the first

New on Blu-ray

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (Disney/Buena Vista DVD, $26.99; Blu-ray, $39.99; 4K, $44.98; also available on VOD)

The interstellar superheroics of the original “Guardians of the Galaxy” become even brighter and zippier in the sequel, which puts Chris Pratt’s Peter “Star-Lord” Quill in touch with his long-lost father, a planet-sized immortal named Ego (perfectly personified by Kurt Russell). A subplot involving Quill’s old space-pirate buddies brings Sylvester Stallone into the fold as a veteran Ravager, making the picture feel even more like a classic adventure. Though less surprising than the first film, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is more visually inventive, stringing together one eye-popping set piece after another. It’s blockbuster moviemaking at its best.

[Special features: Commentary by director James Gunn, deleted scenes, a gag reel and extensive behind-the-scenes featurettes]

VOD

“Bushwick” (available Aug. 25)

On a seemingly ordinary day in Brooklyn, a college student named Lucy (Brittany Snow) emerges from the subway to find that the borough’s been invaded by masked soldiers from some undetermined army. She quickly meets up with a helpful, burly stranger (Dave Bautista) and together they try to scramble to safety while piecing together what the heck has happened. Shot in a way that approximates a single take, “Bushwick” is a cleverly constructed and pulse-pounding exercise in low-budget dystopian action with unexpected contemporary political resonances. It’s the kind of thoughtful, stylish B-movie that genre fans will embrace.

TV set of the week

“The Walking Dead: The Complete Seventh Season” (Starz/Anchor Bay DVD, $70.98; Blu-ray, $80.99)

The controversial seventh season of AMC’s zombie epic “The Walking Dead” began with the death of two major characters and ended with the suicide of a third. In between, the show amped up the violence and despair to a greater degree than it ever had before. But it also introduced cool new characters like King Ezekiel (and his pet tiger!) and the gun-toting feminists of the Oceanside colony. More importantly, last year set up what should be an action-packed Season 8, as the various human factions wage “all out war” to determine who’s going to control the scant resources of a land infested with the undead. In the long run, warts and all, the 16 episodes contained in “The Walking Dead: The Complete Seventh Season” set may turn out to be pivotal for the entire series.

[Special features: Commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and featurettes]

From the archives

“Whale Rider: 15th Anniversary Edition” (Shout Select Blu-ray, $22.97)

It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since writer director Niki Caro’s sleeper hit “Whale Rider” arrived in theaters, introducing the world to actress Keisha Castle-Hughes. The novice starlet plays Pai, a 12-year-old Maori girl who stakes her claim to be leader of her tribe over the objections of her grandfather, who prefers to preserve the patriarchy. A mix of distinctive cultural detail with magical realism, “Whale Rider” is still a fascinating and uplifting motion picture — a tale of tribal tradition and female empowerment that’s like a live-action model for Disney’s “Moana.”

[Special features: A Caro commentary, deleted scenes and featurettes]

Three more to see

“Kill Switch” (Lionsgate DVD, $19.98; Blu-ray, $24.99; also available on VOD); “La Poison” (Criterion Blu-ray, $39.95); “Sid & Nancy” (Criterion DVD, $29.95; Blu-ray, $39.95)

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