Guardians of the Galaxy. A Review

Its safe to say that Marvel are on a bit of a roll. Since the success of 2008’s IronMan, the comic book giant has had hit after hit. With all this success under its belt, I find it strange that nearly every review I’ve read has referred to Guardians of the Galaxy as something of a risk. Well the film is excellent, but that didn’t take me by surprise, here I give you my imaginary pitch…

Hello mr Hollywood Producer man, I’d like to make a movie under the umbrella of the current box office champion Marvel studios. Its going to be a sci-fi, you know kinda taking influence from that little indie StarWars film. Marvel has done pretty well hiring geeky passionate left field directors (hi Joss Wheedon) so I think I’ll keep that winning formula going. Hmm we should probably have some big names on the poster so how about Vin Diesel of the Fast series and Bradley Cooper from the Hangover? Those guys not sci-fi enough? What about Zoe Saldana from Avatar and Karen Gillen from Dr Who? What’s that you say, audiences love cute animated stuff? What about a wise cracking racoon with a rocket launcher?  I’ll throw in a talking tree too, just ‘cause. I’ll see myself out…

Okay so maybe there were risks, who knew if Chris Pratt could carry off the leading man role? Who knew if James Gunn would be able to sell Marvel’s galaxy far far away? Who knew if wrestler Dave Bautista could act? Happily these questions are all answered within the the first 20 mins of the film. Chris Pratt is a joy to watch as Peter “Star-Lord” Quill, and earthling beamed into this new galaxy with nothing but a walkman and some 80s references. He steals nearly every scene he’s in, cracking quips and kicking ass in equal measure with and ease that would make Indiana Solo jealous. Pratt has a slew of leading roles coming up, including Jurrassic Park 4, it seems Hollywood is buying into his screen presence and its easy to see why. Sci-fi films can become overly complicated and expositionary, George Lucas if you’re listening I don’t give a crap what little microbes make the force work, can Qui Gon fight the red ninja man now please? Gunn treats the audience as though we are actually paying attention to the film and doesn’t explain everything 5 times. We soon figure out what the reavers are, who Nova and Kree are, and why Lee Pace is upset. He also seems to understand that if a picture is worth a thousand words then a moving picture is worth even more, for example a shot of Rocket Raccoon’s scarred back tells us more about the nature of his origin than some wordy backstory. The result is a film that unfolds organically but quickly, and you never have chance to think somethings ridiculous because something even brighter and funnier will be along. If Chris Pratt is a bet that paid off, Dave Bautista is a revelation. I’ve read that he was very nervous about his performance and didn’t want to let the side down (sterling features as ever at Empire!), he needn’t have worried, it seems like the role he was born to play, he expresses naiveté and earnestness while grabbing some of the film’s biggest laughs including my favourite literal interpretation of a metaphor ever! 

GOTG is funny too, I mean properly funny. The back and forth between the Guardians is always enjoyable, and often hilarious. Sometimes its outrageous lines, sometimes slapstick, sometimes just the chemistry between a cast that is even more remarkable considering two of the principals added their talents in post. The supporting cast all add to the comedic element, whether from comedy veterans John C. Reilly (whose character has a touching sign off) and Peter Serafinowicz,  Glenn Close in a pitch perfect cameo, or a spaceship full of hillbillies. Gunn has managed to get the tone almost perfect, matching the raucous humour with high stakes action and some more touching moments. 

GOTG is not without the usual problems that plague superhero-origin-space-comedy-actioners…. Villain Ronan (Lee Pace) is on good form but is not given enough to do, he is not as criminally shortchanged as Christopher Eccleston was in Thor: The Dark World, however he sacrifices a lot of his screen time to the assembling guardians. Also bullying Pace for screen time is Josh Brolin’s Thanos - Marvel’s big bad. I like that they are moving forward and including Thanos outside of an after credits easter egg, but it does take away from GOTG that it’s primary villain is nothing more than a pawn. Another issue is the amount of destruction in the film’s final act. Of course there needs to be a suitable amount of peril to earn the film’s ending, and the destruction is by design rather than wanton, but it still seemed the nameless folks of Xandar got a rough ride. Neither of these issues are deal breakers, they simply serve to highlight how hard it is to cover all bases when creating such a vivid and varied world. I would also say I would have happily sat through another half hour so that Gunn could add depth, but then again with blockbusters becoming more bum numbing every year, GOTG’s relatively fleet footedness is a welcome example that you can tell a grand tale in two hours. 

I could go on for hours about all the little touches that make GOTG so good; the soundtrack, the set design, Benicio del Toro! Really all I need to say, is that I enjoyed GOTG in the same way that I enjoy Raiders of the Lost Ark, is there any higher praise? Gunn has crafted a film with wit and soul, the thousands of hours of work from the production team build a world I’m dying to explore, and the cast fill the world with character and a real rebel attitude. 

WHO: Chris Pratt’s Star Lord. An earthling lost in a strange galaxy and having a blast!

WHAT: Awesome Mix vol. 1. Best soundtrack of the year. 

WHY: To vote with your feet that Marvel’s “risk-taking” is paying off.

WHEN: Yesterday. Seriously you should already have seen this film.

(Art from: http://designbump.com/brilliant-guardians-galaxy-fan-art/)