Guardians of the Galaxy
Dir: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper,
Vin Diesel, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close
It’s always fun to cheer for the underdogs. The motley group
of heroes in director James Gunn’s adaptation of the lesser-known Marvel Comics
property will have you cheering with satisfaction. The superhero film has
saturated the movie market with mixed results of comic sequels and reboots,
though Marvel has been on a role recently with two quality offerings for the
summer, “Captain America: Winter Soldier” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past”. Mark
it three because “Guardians of the Galaxy” is the best of the exemplary group,
blending great characters with a none-too-serious comedic tone for an
impressive visual joy ride.
Peter Quill, an outlaw with the self-referenced moniker of
Star-Lord, has been making a life away from his existence on Earth scavenging
for rare artifacts. With a smart-alecky attitude Quill finds himself captured
and sentenced to a space prison after he steals a mysterious orb, which was
also being sought for by other outlaws and some particularly bad Marvel
universe villains. Quill reluctantly unites with four other outlaws vying for
the orb, a self serving assassin named Gamora (Zoe Saldana), an intimidating
giant bent on revenge named Drax the Destroyer, a tough talking raccoon named
Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and his steadfast treelike bodyguard known
as Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). Though not the best example for the definition
of “team”, they must join forces to defend the galaxy from destruction at the
hands of a powerful being known as Ronan (Lee Pace).
There is a lot going on, with a wealth of different
characters, but Gunn doesn’t overwhelm the film with unneeded exposition.
Instead he keeps his focus on the primary Guardians, working the chemistry
between characters, which takes them from a group of individuals with
self-gratifying ambitions to a cooperative with a defined purpose. It happens
quickly, perhaps too quickly, but it never seems unlikely for the group that is
battling their own individual tragic influences. Gunn, who also co-wrote the
script, understands the dynamics of the comic and utilizes the characters with
a lighthearted approach. However in a few moments the tone turns serious,
subtlety adding effective substance to their collective journey.
The comedy is consistently quick-witted, assisted largely by
Chris Pratt’s seemingly “off the cuff” performance. There is also a nice turn
by Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, a brut of a man whose literal
interpretations offer some laugh-out-loud moments. Not to forget Zoe Saldana’s
turn as Gamora who consistently offers something interesting to her performance
even when it’s done through green makeup. Still, amidst these great
performances, at the core of the story is some unexpected heart from two
unlikely characters, Rocket and Groot. Underneath the abrasive attitude Rocket
is the epitome of the group’s collective outlook; a group of underachievers
dealing with personal regrets and loss but are still compassionate and
inherently heroic. And Groot, a walking tree who only says three words, is the
beating heart of the film.
James Gunn gives this superhero film a unique personality
with unabashed comedy and underlying emotion. It can be difficult for a comic
book film to find an identity, most having a tendency to look and feel similar
even with unique heroes. “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a wonderfully envisioned world
that takes a straightforward approach at presenting the elements and characters
of the comic book genuinely, giving the film a uniquely immersive quality.
Director James Gunn has fashioned one of the best Marvel adaptations to date.
Monte’s Rating
4.50 out of 5.00
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