Directed by James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista and Lee Pace
I’m hooked on a feeling and that feeling is child-like joy after watching Marvel Studio’s latest film “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
With all the energetic intensity of a four-pack of Red Bull laced with pop rocks, director James Gunn’s entry into the Marvelverse can only be described as an explosion of creativity, imagination and science fiction-action glory.
Is “Guardians of the Galaxy” sometimes too bloated for its own good?
Yes but that doesn’t keep it from being the most entertaining film of the year.
(Audience members who complain too much will be tazed…)
“Guardians of the Galaxy” tells the story of Peter Quill, aka Star Lord, who as a child is picked up by aliens and grows up to become a space pirate who steals artifacts for money.
After a mission to steal an ancient orb, he finds himself in the middle of a galactic conflict between the peaceful space nation known as Nova Corp and a fanatical tyrant named Ronan.
As the mysteries of the orb become more and more clear, Quill decides to team up with an unlikely band of heroes in order to stop the tyrant Ronan from wiping out Nova Corp’s homeworld of Xandar.
Child-like would describe both this film’s strengths and weaknesses.
It’s very much this year’s “Pacific Rim,” as the film may not have the best story, but it goes balls to the wall in the entertainment category.
(Yep, still awesome…)
The film is brilliantly witty, ferociously action-packed and in some ways its own science fiction masterpiece.
Gunn conducts a comedic, entertaining symphony with the script and the cast of characters play off it extremely well.
WWE star Dave Bautista is equally vicious and funny as the meat-headed, revenge-filled warrior Drax, while Zoe Saldana nails her role as the assassin Gamora as both a violent action heroine and entertaining supporting character.
The always loveable Chris Pratt feels so natural in his role as the wise-cracking, bumbling Peter Quill that it feels as if he was born to play him.
(Describes a large portion of this film hehe…)
The real show stealer was Bradley Cooper though, who voiced the trash-talking, guns-a-blazing Rocket Raccoon.
The CGI raccoon is a scene-stealer in every scene he’s in and fans will appreciate the joy and enthusiasm Cooper brings to the voice-work of the role.
Rocket feels almost like a smaller, furrier version of Han Solo in the film, especially with his wookie…er tree counterpart Groot voice by none-other than Vin Diesel.
(Talking Raccoon, with a big space gun, on top of a giant walking tree voiced by Vin Diesel…90 million opening day…)
Even “The Walking Dead’s” Michael Rooker hams it up nicely as the space pirate Yandu.
What is also handled extremely well in this movie is the creativity behind the world the Guardians inhabit.
With a talking raccoon, strange alien life forms and a bunch of other science fiction tropes this film could have easily imploded on itself over its bloated ideals.
But the Guardians’ universe has the best of both worlds as the alien worlds feel both real and beautifully imaginary and the results are often jaw-dropping.
(Keanu Reees voice whoa…)
The film as whole is like a mash-up of some of the best parts of Star Wars, Firefly and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and it’s an absolute feast for fans of the genre.
If there were any negatives to this film it might be that it’s too fast-paced and over the top for its own good at times.
The movie is like a great big juicy steak that’s devoured in five minutes; it taste great but wouldn’t it be better to savior it a bit more.
(mmmm…steeeaaak…)
The film misses out on some depth because of this.
Much of the back story is left to the imagination as very little explaining goes on throughout the film.
What is Ronan’s beef with Nova Corp?
Why was Gamora taken by Thanos as a child?
What led Rocket to becoming who he was?
(What’s my motivation? Being evil…)
These aren’t huge problems of course and in a film like this it needed to only be mentioned not told but still, it would have been nice to see a little more explanation here and there.
The story doesn’t take itself very seriously though, so these problems are mostly inconsequential in the end and will probably not bother too many people.
In fact the film is such a load of fun, you’ll be too busy laughing your butt off and “ooo”ing and “ahhh”ing at the CGI and special effects that you’ll probably forget that story isn’t particularly smart.
(Definitely smarter than this turd…) (this one too…)
But even though it’s not intelligent it’s still extremely clever and most fans will be blown away by Gunn’s film.
Is it better than its predecessor “The Winter Soldier?”
Maybe not, but it really doesn’t matter.
(Take a bow, Cap…)
Unless you’re emotionally dead inside, your inner-child will be smiling from ear-to-ear during this science fiction action-comedy masterpiece.
Chances are you’ll be hooked on a feeling too after this movie.
Verdict:
4.5 out 5
I hope “I am Groot” turns into a catchphrase in the future…