Marvel has done a war movie. They’ve done a fantasy film. They’ve done a spy movie. Now, in the form of Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel tackles sci-fi. Granted, super hero movies are generally sci-fi, but this film is very sci-fi.
Characters
Peter Quill, Star Lord, is the main protagonist. He’s a human in space. Armed with some great tech and his walkman, he ravages areas to sell goods. Along with him are Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot. Each are actually more like anti-heroes. They aren’t really together to save anyone but themselves. But, they end up heroes because it’s at their core.
Each actor and actress did a great job with their respective roles. I had been concerned about Chris Pratt’s performance as Star Lord, but he really performed well. I think he kept his often silly and sarcastic brand of humor, which doesn’t always separate out from other roles he’s had, this was still Peter Quill. Zoe Saldana did great as Gamora. Dave Bautista portrayed Drax as naive, but smart. Bradley Cooper delivered lines superbly as Rocket Racoon. He stole the show quite a bit, though he was just a voice. Groot rounded out the comedy with his simple “I am Groot” and animated features.
Even side characters did well, but it was the central group that did the best. Ronan the Accuser, played by Lee Pace, was a very evil villain, but I feel like there wasn’t a lot of depth to him. He was evil, but it was just that. No real conflict in expressions. Very simple. He was just a space villain.
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Music
Mr. Daps and I noted that some of the themes seemed like it took a queue from Avengers. What’s nice is that it ties into its sister Marvel film. But, it also doesn’t make it too unique. Nonetheless, it didn’t distract within watching. It had some nice touches. It just would’ve been a great change up to have something unique to the space franchise of Marvel Studios.
The other piece of the soundtrack is Peter’s Awesome Mix Vol. 1. This is a mix tape that he carries with him and different songs from decades past are heard. Each had an appropriate place and made a connection to Earth as this was all set in deep space. I really like the mix tape soundtrack idea. It was just fun.
Effects
It seems like most of the movie was computer graphics. Rocket and Groot were definitely CG characters. Much of the settings were made by computers. But, it was fantastic! Rocket and Groot were believable. Usually, I’ll be able to tell when things are computer generated, and I still was. But, I was able to let it go and saw the CG as part of the overall feel of the movie. It’s one of the few movies that I wasn’t distracted by the graphics. Even some movies like Star Wars has some characters or background that distract me a bit. Guardians didn’t have that for me.
Story
The Guardians are formed around an artifact that Quill finds, and others want. It’s hard to not divulge much of the story without spoiling it. It’s a simple outline of a movie, though. Misfits must save the universe. Chaos ensues.
I liked the plot, and could follow it all. But, I think I was only able to follow it having read a lot of the comics that inspired the story. I knew the characters already. I knew their motivations. It wasn’t as much of an introduction for me as it is probably for others. I think it does get a little convoluted, but those that watched with me seemed to follow everything. So, though a lot happens, it’s not hard to figure out what is happening.
Conclusion
Guardians of the Galaxy is like a big party, where you can mix and mingle with a bunch of people. Only a few you are going to get to know somewhat well, but it’s enough that you’re intrigued to find out more. I think Avengers, a super hero team movie, had the introduction of previous films to make it a great film. Guardians doesn’t have the luxury of individual films.
Though it sounds like it wasn’t a great film, this was one of the most fun films out of all the Marvel movies! It was action packed and exciting. Comedic timing was perfect. It was one of the best sci-fi films made. Already announced is a sequel, but I can see quite a bit of films that will spin out of this one.
So, my conclusion is to give it a 4 out of 5. At the risk of sounding undecided, I would maybe give it 3.5 out of 5. It wasn’t the best Marvel movie, but it wasn’t the worst. The feeling of it as an introduction doesn’t make it a great film. We don’t get to see a lot of the characters have an in depth personality. It also is very much a sci-fi film. I know I keep saying it, but the Marvel films up to this point have some grounding in reality. Guardians is a space flick. With that type of genre, it may not appeal to all people.
Overall, I do recommend watching it in theaters! It’s a fun, blockbuster film. There are great characters and it’ll launch many other films in the future. It is definitely another Marvel hit!
Until next time, have a Marvel-ous day!
