Before I start this review, let me make one thing perfectly clear. Yes, this rant is almost three weeks too late. My most sincere apologies, work got in the way. And on that note, I realize A LOT has happened in that intervening three weeks. We lost one of the best comedians of our generation (R.I.P. Robin Williams). Warner Brothers announced nine additional DC films. Star Wars VII rumors ran amok across the wilds of the Internet. And the dreaded Ninja Turtles reboot was surprisingly not awful. All this and more I plan to address, but first, the latest addition to the MCU must undergo my thorough inspection.
To put it mildly, "Guardians of the Galaxy" was spectacular. Ten films in, and you'd think that Marvel had nothing new to shake up the formula. Who knew after all this time, they'd release one of the most original and entertaining superhero films in years? Scratch that, one of the most original and entertaining blockbuster films in years, and a pulpy space opera to boot. The fact that this film even exists simply boggles the mind. So how good is this film? Well, let's put it this way. Our main hero opens the film blasting '70s pop hits from a Walkman while scouring for an alien artifact. Prior to this, we get a prologue on Earth. The only time we even get to see our native planet, a first for a cosmic superhero film.
The opening seems to set an entirely different tone, more a deadly serious drama than a space-set action comedy. Our aforementioned hero, Peter Quill/Star-Lord, runs away after his mother dies from cancer. It's an emotionally gripping scene, but somewhat off putting given what the advertising promised. Then Peter is abducted by a wandering spacecraft (no, really) and the ride begins. Cut to an adult Quill, now a space pirate, dancing to "Come and Get Your Love", and the film really kicks into high gear. The title and opening credits play out over this dance sequence, channeling those feel-good movies of the '70s and '80s. Back when pop cinema was creative, engrossing, and above all entertaining just for the sake of it. From there, "Guardians" grabs you and never lets go.
Seriously, I've seen this film twice now and both times I was gushing with joy over it. As a comic adaptation, it's brilliant, but as a well-made film it's even better. Chris Pratt plays Quill as a cross between Mal Reynolds, Captain Kirk, Han Solo, and Marty McFly, and is having so much fun with the role you can't help but fall in love with him. But with all due respect, his fellow Guardians are the real stars here. In particular, Vin Diesel's Groot and Bradley Cooper's Rocket. Not only are they a pristine example of meshing CGI with human actors, but both are fully fleshed out characters.
I don't know how they made a walking tree who only says "I Am Groot" into a complex, fully realized person, but by god they did. And don't even get me started on Rocket. He nearly runs away with the film, not only in his Han Solo-Chewbacca dynamic with Groot but as the team's comic relief as well. The best part, though, is that he is never a cartoon character. A scene where a drunken Rocket bemoans how people treat him and his wish to have never been experimented on is heartbreaking. He is by far the film's best character, a marvel (no pun intended) of CGI, voice work, and superior writing.
The team is rounded out by Dave Bautista's Drax and Zoe Saldana's Gamora. These two are definitely the more straight-laced of the group, but while Gamora's hardened warrior never really gets a chance to shine character-wise, Drax is a pleasant surprise. His inability to understand metaphors means everything he says is literal, which makes for a hilarious running gag and some surprisingly heartfelt moments. There's no doubt, though, that together these wayward Guardians make for an incredible team, with their chemistry the beating heart of the film.
And really, it's the passion and heart that makes this film so great. But while this film wears its heart on its sleeve with pride, there are some niggling flaws that could be improved. If our heroes are the film's greatest strength, its villains are the weakness. I can't fault the performances, as Lee Pace's Ronan, Karen Gillian's Nebula, and Djimon Hounsou's Korath are all imposing and evil to the core. Their designs are perfection, their scenes are great, and they're all endowed with genuine menace. The problem is they aren't given enough screen time to breath.
While Ronan's religious fanaticism is a great motive and puts him a notch above the worst MCU villains like Malekith, he isn't explored enough to be truly effective. Nebula's sister relationship with Gamora should have been explored more, but they only get two short scenes to play off each other. Poor Korath is barely there, but makes use of what little time he does have. Ditto for the supporting players, like Glenn Close's Nova Prime and John C. Reilley's Rhomann Dey. Michael Rooker is a blast as Quill's adoptive father Yondu; his only crime is not being around enough. The real crime is under-using Benicio Del Toro as the Collector, who despite providing key exposition is in the film for under five minutes.
The big takeaway from these actors though is that each one manages to be memorable with what little screen time they have. They're really there to provide flavor to this universe and give more fodder for the Guardians to bounce off of. There's only one actor I didn't have a problem with in terms of screen time, despite having so little. Yes, we all knew it was coming. "Guardians" gives us our first clear look at the Mad Titan Thanos, along with a speaking part courtesy of Josh Brolin. And by god, he is PERFECT. The Emperor Palpatine to the film's "Empire Strikes Back", Brolin completely sells Thanos as the ultimate evil of the Marvel Universe. I can't wait for the Infinity Gauntlet to get here, so Thanos can appear in his full glory. This was just a tease, but it was more than enough to let you know that Thanos is out there and up to no good.
Speaking of the Gauntlet, that key exposition the Collector provides reveals more back story on the Infinity Stones. Our macguffin here is the Power Stone, contained in a metallic orb, and endowed with the ability to disintegrate any organic matter it touches. As a comic fan, it's a delight to have a third Stone pop up after the Tesseract and the Aether, but to casual film goers it may seem tiresome. Thank god Quill rattles on about the Orb's "Ark of the Covenant, Maltese Falcon" vibe. Self-awareness is the name of the game here, and the other key to the film's success. While there's an overwhelming emphasis on character here, the action and humor are always present.
I can't remember a blockbuster movie being this funny in years. The humor is oddball, to be sure, but director James Gunn is the perfect man to do it. Almost every joke is a winner, and makes for some of the best one-liners in a blockbuster film in a good long while. "You're making me kick grass", "Pelvic sorcery", and "Nothing goes over my head, my reflexes are too fast" are only some of the many instantly quotable lines to be found here. But the real humor lies in the dynamic between our characters, and the situations they find themselves in.
You'll find no RDJ improv or Cap/Thor fish-out-of-water jokes here. You'd think that Quill, being an Earthman (sorry, "Terran") would stick out, but he was raised in space, so he's just another space-faring citizen. Such organic humor makes the film hilarious, but the relentless onslaught of jokes also makes the quieter, more serious moments stand out. The aforementioned Rocket scene, Drax's heartfelt friend speech, Star-Lord taking command, and our last lines from Groot come to mind.
The tender mix of comedy and seriousness also plays into the action, which works with the pulpy, cartoon-ish tone but also gives off a sense of awe and wonder. The tone is really set by the music, all '70s hits from Peter's Walkman, that not only sell the overtly "Star Wars/Flash Gordon" vibe but also act as Quill's only remaining ties to Earth and his mother. You really get the sense that every joke, action scene, music montage, and character beat is planned out. There's a reason for everything, and seeing it all gel on screen is movie magic at its finest.
So as a movie, it's pretty much brilliant, even with a few flaws like underdeveloped villains. One could argue that the intense universe building is also a minor weakness, since the upbeat pacing never gives us a chance to breath and take in all the cosmic weirdness around us. But one could also argue (as I do) that the heartfelt tone, fresh character dynamics, and wholly organic humor makes up for it. Everything draws you in and makes for such a good time, that the few genuine flaws come off more as nitpicks than anything else. There is, after all, a confirmed sequel for 2017 that can iron out these few mistakes.
Besides Thanos and the Infinity Stone references, this film succeeds as a comic adaptation due to all the in-jokes for fans of Marvel Cosmic. Celestials. Kree. Sakaarans. The Nova Corps. Cameos from the Chitauri, Dark Elves, Cosmo the Space Dog, and (in a credits scene that came out of nowhere) Howard the Duck. All add to the rich flavor of this unique universe, and do more to set up potential MCU films than most of the other standalone movies. Ironically enough, besides the Thanos and Infinity threads, this film is actually the most standalone out of all the other MCU additions since the original "Iron Man".
Its cosmic setting and focus means the central story and characters come first. It just so happens that the playground here is so vast that it probably sets up twelve other films as an added bonus. It's a brilliant move, solidifying "Guardians" as one of the best films so far in the Disney/Marvel canon. The greatest triumph here, however, is that the premise and characters are so out there, and were pulled off with such success, that Marvel shouldn't be afraid to do anything now. In many ways this was a bigger risk than "Avengers", executing a D-List comic book property for a mainstream audience. And since this worked, it hails a landmark moment for the comic book genre.
It says that any property can be successful if brought to the screen with care and passion. And that's exactly what's happened here. If I were to rank "Guardians of the Galaxy", it'd probably tie with "Winter Soldier" as my fave standalone film, and is definitely one of the best up there with the original "Iron Man" and the first "Avengers". In one fell stroke, "Guardians" has laid the foundation for all things cosmic in the MCU, making this universe a whole lot bigger. The thoughts on where Marvel can go from here are mind-blowing. But what's really mind-blowing isn't just the future, but what we have right now. "Guardians of the Galaxy" is a triumph, and should be hailed as such. Gear up for 2017, people. I'm already drooling over what potential songs will be on Awesome Mix Volume 2.
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