Marvel Studios has had spectacular success critically, and financially, with their cinematic universe, but they couldn’t keep up with Iron Man and Captain America forever. It was time for a change. That change was Guardians of the Galaxy, released in August.
The Guardians have been around for decades, but have received little to no attention. Since people like space adventures and superhero team ups, it seemed like a perfect leap for Marvel to take. But can the Guardians of the Galaxy protect Marvel’s reputation?
Peter Quill, aka Star Lord, was abducted from Earth right after the death of his mother and raised by a band of thieves known as the Ravagers, and then teams up with a number of interesting characters. Rocket, a gun-loving bounty hunter that looks like a raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, a warrior who wants vengeance on Ronan for the death of his family, and Groot, a large tree-like alien. After discovering the importance of the artifact that Peter stole, these outlaws must work together to stop Ronan and save the galaxy from destruction.
It feels like Marvel’s equivalent to the older Star Wars movies. There are a lot of memorable charcters with distinct looks and personalities, who viewers will know well by the end of the film. It’s an impressive feat for having five main characters, and even the supporting cast are made interesting from a visual and acting standpoint.
The film doesn’t take itself too seriously which helps ease the superhero atmosphere. It has great visual effects and sets. Nothing feels bland and everything is colorful in well-choreographed action that takes advantage of the characters’ abilities and weapons. If the movie doesn’t make the audience nostalgic for Star Wars, then it will make them nostalgic for ‘80s music with its soundtrack. Not only does it contribute to the movie’s lightheartedness, but it is also an essential part of Star Lord’s character.
The movie’s plot certainly isn’t perfect, though. The movie slowly establishes the new characters. Certain elements felt introduced just for the sake of referencing the comics, to have an Easter egg, or to set up sequels. Ronan’s hunger for power and Gamora’s sibling Nebula has a case of sibling rivalry, both the motivations are pretty bare bones with the only thing memorable being their looks.
Thankfully, the actors make up for the movie’s faults. Chris Pratt continues his hot streak from The Lego Movie as the charming, cocky, and hilarious Star Lord. While I was not a fan of Zoe Saldana’s work in Star Trek or Avatar, I really enjoyed her serious and conflicted portrayal of Gamora. I am somewhat mixed on wrestler Dave Bautista’s performance as Drax. It felt forced, but did go with the character. Bradley Cooper’s Rocket and Vin Diesel’s Groot are show stealers. Rocket had great lines, and Groot’s animation and iron voice added some complexion to what seemed like a simple character. Plus, the expression Groot made after beating up some thugs had me in tears.
Guardians of the Galaxy is what a summer movie should be: fun, memorable, action packed, smart, and not mindless. It has good action, memorable characters, a well written script, and established that Marvel’s risks can pay off in tremendous fashion. It is still plagued by typical Marvel movie problems such as sequel building and uninteresting villains, but that doesn’t ruin the movie. Thanks to the success, we will be seeing Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in 2017, but until then, let’s see how Marvel handles Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man…
-Brady Lass