Marvel Studios has taken advantage of their plethora of comic book storylines but “Guardians of the Galaxy” is an entirely new venture. At the moment, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” universe does not have the strong connection to other Marvel films like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor have had in relation to “The Avengers.”
It is an isolated storyline which gives it the opportunity to veer away from the conformity between other films with a comedic aspect. Despite my preconceived notions of this abstract storyline, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a lavishly enjoyable outlier.
This was Marvel’s humorous take on their own unique “Star Wars” story. The reluctant camaraderie between an unlikely group traveling the galaxy has a familiar “Star Wars” feel. The characters almost seem to emulate classic George Lucas characters but with a modern day infusion of humor and pop culture. While it may not be in the same league as “Star Wars,” the indirect similarities create a sense of enjoyable sense of comfort that puts like minded fans at ease throughout the film.
While the characters may resonate with certain niche groups, they also appeal to audiences as a whole with their own brand of snarky humor. At first it seemed that the amount of humor was going to be overbearing as I caught a few displaced laughs that briefly disconnected me from the film’s theme. But as the film progressed, the humor seemed less displaced and I recognized it as a mechanism for connecting those disconnected audience members and I joined in with their laughter.
Out of all the characters, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and Drax (Dave Bautista) were the most difficult to warm up to even though one eventually grows to enjoy them. The snarky Pratt nature we’re used to in his other projects definitely came through at times and Bautista’s caveman style dialogue could almost be perceived as bad acting.
Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) were the most intriguing with their intricate backstories and they also seemed more emotionally engaged in dire situations. As far as Groot (Vin Diesel) goes, his purpose in the group was enjoyable but perplexing as to why the role was given to a well known actor when it was a CGI character that only says: “I am Groot.”
The visuals in “Guardians of the Galaxy” were fantastic. It’s the most modern outer space film that we’ve seen from Marvel Studios and the visuals are pure eye candy. They are vibrantly fluid and rich as the characters bounce from planet to planet on their journey across the universe.
Overall the film was enjoyable. Its attempt at independence definitely succeeds, but catches you off guard if you’re expecting a typical Marvel Studios film.
The snarky humor may be a bit much at times but overall bearable and something that the entire family can enjoy. “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a film that I’m looking forward to seeing again and anticipating where it goes within the Marvel cinematic universe.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana
Running time: 2 hours, 1 minute
Release date: August 1
7.5 stars out of 10
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