“Guardians of the Galaxy” Review

(From Left) The cosmic misfits Gamora (Zöe Saldana), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), Star Lord (Christ Pratt), Groot (Vin Diesel) and Drag (Dave Bautista) unite to save the galaxy in “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe had mostly delighted audiences with their films, no one was quite ready for a film like “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Even when Marvel had handled cosmic heroes, like Thor, the plots were connected to Earth. “Guardians of the Galaxy” was mainly set in space with a variety of strange aliens, including a talking tree and racoon, as the heroes. But with just one trailer, our worries were availed and “Guardians of the Galaxy” has spawned a massive franchise and some of the most likable characters in the MCU.

After being abducted from Earth as a child, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is now a rogue named Star Lord and stumbles across an orb containing The Infinity Stone of Power which has the ability to wipe out civilizations in the wrong hands. With a psychotic warlord named Ronan (Lee Pace) seeking the orb, Star Lord teams up with a bunch of outlaws to save the galaxy while also evading the law and listening to good music.

Many Marvel films, especially “The Avengers” and “Iron Man,” have comedic tendencies, but “Guardians of the Galaxy” was the first film in the franchise to dive head-first into comedy. Most people who saw this film were blown away by the humor and I was one of them. When I first watched it, I was reeling in laughter and, years later, this is still a very funny film thanks to James Gunn’s imaginative direction and script. 

While Chris Pratt’s Star Lord is the main emotional focus, the ensemble cast of the film is incredible with The Guardians being comprised of Star Lord, the dense Drax (Dave Bautista), assassin Gamora (Zöe Saldana), the simple treelike Groot (Vin Diesel) and the psychotic Rocket Racoon (Bradley Cooper). 

Part of what makes the film fun is how well it balances the comedic and ridiculous with the drama and action.

All of these characters are investing, but the strength of the film is that it never takes itself too seriously. The lighter tone not only makes for a great comedy, but it also serves nicely in the larger franchise after more heavy ventures like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” 

But what everyone remembers about this film is the soundtrack. The songs of this film not only give it personality, but also give us a bit of insight into Star Lord since they’re all songs on a mixtape in his Walkman. With songs like “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Come and Get Your Love” and “Moonage Daydream,” this is a rockin’ fun adventure as well as a great introduction to the cosmic MCU.

While “Thor,” “The Avengers” and “Thor: The Dark World” technically have cosmic elements, this film embraces it fully. There’s spaceships, jet packs, weird aliens, a cameo from
Howard the Duck (he’s not getting a main role until he seriously thinks about the last time he starred in a film) and a plethora of laser guns. 

The biggest problem of the film lies with the villain. Lee Pace is a great actor but Ronan is your basic antagonist who wants to destroy everything. The best villain of the film is actually one on the sidelines. Ronan’s number-two, Nebula (Karen Gillan), is actually interesting because of her amazing design as a cyborg and her status as the adopted sister of Gamora. It’s also great to see Thanos (Josh Brolin), Gamora and Nebula’s father, who will become a major villain down the road. But these are supporting characters who outshine the bore that is our main antagonist. 

What is admirable about “Guardians of the Galaxy” is not just how good it is, but how much of a big risk it was for Marvel. Nowadays, we’re seeing big films being made about characters the average person might not have known. Without the massive success of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” it’s unlikely we’d see so many films like “Ant Man,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Eternals.”

But, on its own, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a fantastic film that entertains and shows us a new side of the MCU that is more about the fantasy than the real.