Guardians Of The Galaxy Review : Space Avengers For The Win

Every once in a while comes a movie that has it all. All spectrum of emotions stitched onto a mannequin of a projection screen. It doesn’t give you a lot to take back with (except the funny moments) but takes away all your stress and worries. Guardians of the Galaxy is one such movie. You don’t need to be a comic book nerd, neither do you need to watch the older Marvel movies, though it’s advised. Just get your 3D glasses and bring out that inner child who is stuck in those corporate adult exteriors to laugh out loud.

The Plot

The Plot is the real star of this Marvel adventure

The people behind the screen have made a point to not make a movie directed towards a specific audience. You don’t need to know about the Guardians themselves or the Nova Corps or the antagonist Ronan either. The makers realized that they don’t have the luxury of explaining back-stories and supporting characters like the Avengers series. Instead, they let the beautifully written script drive the going on in the movie. It, of course, helps to have the actors who don the skins of the characters they play and don’t let the audience’s attention sway for even a second. The film follows the Avengers line of storytelling that has a bunch of bad-doers with hearts of gold coming together for the good of all. The only distraction or the low point in the movie was the interval and the subtitles, really annoying.

As Peter Quill/Star lord left the planet in 1988, the plot is laden with 1980’s US pop culture reference. The director makes no efforts to explain the reference, it’s like; you get it, or you don’t. It led to some awkward moments when some folks were LOL-ing while others just stared at the screen blankly.

Characters

Director James Gunn made sure that none of the characters overpower the others. Even though Chris Pratt is the lead, he is not the ultimate hero. The narrative of the film doesn’t shy away from showcasing the flaws of the character. Each Guardian has their specific strengths that make them shine out and make them remarkable. They all require their special mentions:

Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Starlord: The lead, the man, the galactic Tony Stark. As said earlier, even with him being the lead, the plot gives equal weighting to all characters. The show still rests on his shoulder, and he wins it, phenomenally. His previous act in The LEGO Movie had blown minds unanimously and with this, Mr. Pratt can get ready for big things in his life.

Zoe Saldana as Gamora: Following the act of a female badass essayed by Scarlett Johansson is a tough thing to do. Luckily Ms. Saldana has been known to kick ass in her previous cinematic adventures such as Avatar and Star Trek. Zoe creates her own space amongst the badass men.

Dave Batista as Drax: Probably the first strongman in cinema with an impressive vocabulary. Drax begins as a short-tempered red Alien with a personal vendetta against Ronan that leads to a bit of boo boo on his part. It seems like the years of pretend wrestling on WWE has trained Batista’s acting muscle. He is capable of some subtle humour which may sometimes even make you ROFL.

The Mo-cap characters will win your hearts instantly

Bradley Cooper as Rocket: This is one insane character. The character is so well executed and voiced that you forget that Bradley Cooper is voice behind the screen. Rocket will steal your heart in a moment. Rocket is a foul-mouthed Racoon with a lot of love for his partner Groot.

Vin Diesel as Groot: This is perhaps one of the most innovative characters ever created. Personally I would have preferred to hear a tree’s point of view about the world it sees, but even with the limited vocabulary, Vin Diesel steals the show with several special moments in the movie. The adorable aspect of this character is his innocent smile and expressions. He is capable of immense badassery but in the end you just fall for his baby like expressions.

Lee Pace as Ronan The Accuser: Now here is an indomitable antagonist who needs a worthy team on the other side to be defeated. Lee plays the menacing character with immense consummation. As an annihilation favoring character, he is capable of giving nightmares to a lot of young minds.

The surprising, non-exciting cameo of Thanos played by Josh Brolin was a bit disappointing but maybe Marvels is saving its biggest super-villain for a later movie.

Apart from them some notable mentions going to John C. Reily, who is in his forever hilarious shape. Michael Rooker as Yondu the leader of the Ravagers wins all the hearts in one incredible sequence of the movie (we won’t dare spoil it.)

The film did seem to miss an opportunity to bring a strong galactic Nick Fury in Nova Prime Rael played by Glenn Close. It felt like a waste of the amazing talent. Hopefully, they will give her a more substantial role in the future versions of the series.

Direction

The directors intention was to give an homage to classic Sci Fi movies

Top notch, simply top notch. James Gunn understood his limitations and made the best out of it. He is the real strength of the movie and is, of course, supported by a brilliant script written by Nicole Perlman and perfected by James Gunn. He gets the best out of all his actors and doesn’t let a single moment of yawn during its entire run-time and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It was an audacious endeavor on the part of the entire team and as the captain of the ship, James Gunn easily managed to bring the project to the ports of glory.

Graphics Visuals, 3D

If you have to use one word for the graphics of Guardians, it is ‘Winning’. Being the first galactic edition of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a lot was riding on the graphics and the film meets all expectations. A special mention should go to ‘Knowhere’, you don’t need to be a VFX specialist to appreciate the enormous effort that went into making that environment a reality. The scene of the blockade by the Nova Corp is simply mind blowing.

The movie is meant to be watched in 3D. The extra dimension acts as the perfect triad that mesmerizes you into the experience. The film makes full use of the 3D’s potential and sets a standard for others to match. Folks who say 3D is a marketing gimmick may realize with Guardians that 3D is very much alive and kicking.

The Music

This album will surely become your new summer favorite

The Awesome Mix Tape Vol.1 as the name suggests ‘Awesome’. The groovy tracks are the only reminder of the Starlord from his home planets. The songs from the mix tape totally complement the entire steampunk aura of the movie. Songs like ‘Hooked on a feeling’ have become sensations since the release of the trailer. If you are a fan of classic Rock and Pop, this album is a pure groovy treat. No wonder the soundtrack is top of the charts in multiple countries.

Conclusion

Get to the cinema theater now and watch it in 3D. It’s an experience worth cherishing. Remembering it may inspire a smile during your worrying moments. The run-time of 122 minutes seems to pass in a jiffy, and you’d want to take a second trip to the screens.  This Independence Day if you wish to watch something, then Guardians of the Galaxy should be it because it’s ‘the real’ entertainment. Match that Star Wars 7!

The Breakdown