Review by Megora
If you’re a fan of Marvel comics and movies, this is one you don’t want to miss. If you’re a fan of the super-hero genre, this is one you don’t want to miss. And if you’re simply a fan of good movie-making, then this is definitely one you don’t want to miss.
Guardian of the Galaxy expands Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmic realm, and it does so in formidable style. The movie follows the formation of the Guardians, the unlikeliest group of misfits roaming outer space, who get tossed together and into a galactic battle, and suddenly find themselves having to protect the universe. As a combination of an earthling thief, a talking raccoon thug and his “tree” bodyguard (don’t ask), and two revenge-seeking alien assassins, they certainly don’t fit the generic super-hero mold, but you can’t help but root for them all the way through.
Much like Captain America: the Winter Soldier earlier this year, this Marvel installment does not miss a beat: not a second is wasted in director and screen-writer James Gunn’s narrative, producing a script that is captivating, moving, and ridiculously hilarious at the same time, in addition to CGI that enriches the storytelling (instead of smothering it), and perfect casting.
I never would have believed that Chris Pratt was capable of playing a movie lead with as much force and screen presence as to draw comparisons to Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, or that Dave “Batista” Bautista, of WWE fame, can evoke emotion while spouting off the dialogue of an ancient warrior. Lee Pace is unparalleled as Ronan the Accuser, and Bradley Cooper gives as much wit, gravitas and feeling to a raccoon as he did to his Oscar-nominated performance in Silver Linings Playbook. And finally, I dare you to keep a straight face any time Groot is on screen and you hear Vin Diesel’s voice coming out of a tree.
With Easter Eggs galore, fans will be enthralled trying to put pieces of the puzzle together, as overlapping characters and storylines help layer further the intricate web that has become the Marvel Movieverse. A sequel is already slated for 2017, and I for one cannot wait to join the Guardians on another ride.
Conclusion
Don’t write off Guardians as yet another cookie-cutter adaptation out of the super-hero-franchise baking machine; it is a uniquely fun movie-going experience, with intelligent storytelling and solid characters to boot, and marks what will hopefully be an exciting new chapter in Marvel’s expanding production line.
Megora Rating
A+