By this point, Marvel Studios
is practically unstoppable. They’re
cranking out two movies a year that kill at the box office and generally get
good to great reviews. Even without its
two biggest properties (X-Men and Spider-Man), Marvel’s done very well with
taking the second string heroes and kicking them up to the A-list. At this point they could be content just
putting out more Iron Man and Captain America films until they stop
making money. Instead they’re expanding
beyond the mostly earthbound Avengers with even deeper cut characters like in the
new Guardians of the Galaxy. Directed by cult favorite James Gunn, Guardians is a true blast; a refreshing
change of pace from the bleakness clogging up modern blockbusters.
Guardians focuses on Peter Quill (Parks and Recreation’s Chris Pratt, whose performance here may be
his breakthrough), an earthling abducted as a kid and raised by mercenaries. He’s sent to pick up the MacGuffin in the
film, a MacGuffin that can produce devastating effects. Through his ordeal trying to sell it he comes
across Thanos’ adopted daughter & trained assassin named Gamora (Zoe
Saldana), a warrior with a Spock-like mindset named Drax the Destroyer (David
Bautista), an anthropomorphic tree with a three word vocabulary named Groot
(voiced by Vin Diesel) and a wisecracking raccoon/science experiment named
Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper). As
Quill finds himself targeted by villain Ronan (Lee Pace), he gathers his gang
of antisocial misfits to become the title group.
Director Gunn, who also
co-scripted, has created easily the funniest of the Marvel films. The film plays like an irreverent Star Wars, as if all of the heroes were
Han Solo. There is some fun with
language and tropes of actions movies that’s reminiscent of the dialogue in Airplane! Also part of the genius of the MCU films:
this film rewards fans of the series and the comics, but is just as enjoyable
for new viewers. Even people who have
never seen a second of any of the MCU films will get a kick out of it. While this film also has the most world
building of any Marvel film since the Thor
series, it never becomes burdensome or too hard to follow.
The one big demerit is the
villains. Ronan, as well as his
associates Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Korath (Djimon Hounsou), suffer from the
trend in Marvel movies having lackluster villains (except for Loki). They serve their function, but I was left
wanting a little more out of them. There
are also certain character moments that seem underdeveloped, like they know
they’ll use it in the sequel even if it probably would’ve made more sense to
use in this film.
Despite that, Guardians of the Galaxy is a non-stop good
time. It’s the best space adventure
since Serenity, and is up there with
the original Iron Man and Avengers for the MCU films. With blockbusters deciding “dark” and
“gritty” are synonymous with quality, Guardians
states loudly and clearly that that couldn’t be further from the truth. The film is clever and hilarious with a
memorable team of characters at the center of it. There is something to say about enjoying the
swagger of storytellers who are on a roll, and Marvel is on one right now.
Grade: A-
Miscellaneous Notes (SPOILERS):
-Of course I have to mention the
music, which is perfectly curated for stuff that sounds straight out of Reservoir Dogs K Billy’s Super Sounds of
the ‘70s. It works so well for a film
that refuses to take itself too seriously.
-Much like Black Widow and
Captain America in The Winter Soldier,
I’m glad they didn’t have Gamora and Quill automatically become a couple at the
end. They clearly have the chemistry,
but it’s a good way to show she offers more than just being a potential love
interest.
-Between Rocket Raccoon and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, this has
been a great year for cinematic mammals handling weapons.
-Man, the bar just rose really
high for JJ Abrams.
-At this point, part of me
wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up rebooting Howard the Duck. They are so confident now almost anything is
possible.
-I am Groot!
