Released: August 1st, 2014
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Marvel Studios
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista,
Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon
Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Benicio del Toro
Directed by: James Gunn
Written by: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman
Personal Bias Alert:
not a Marvel Universe
fan, likes all the actors
7.7 of 10
On its face, Guardians
of the Galaxy seems remarkably different than the rest of the Marvel Cinematic
Universe. It’s the first release not
associated with The Avengers, and it seemingly
exists in its own world, populated with aliens, gods, and high-powered weaponry. I was hoping this would mean a stray from the
safe, middle-of-the-road formula the rest of these movies employed, but alas,
its breezy humor isn’t enough to cover its conventional plot.
To say that Guardians
is simply a space western would be overlooking a large part of its appeal. It’s
an homage to the genre, a loving reminder of how much fun a shoot ‘em up in
space can be. Think back to 2011’s Super 8.
That film worked not because it was an immaculate rip-off of 1980’s
Spielberg, but because it captured a nostalgia for how movies like E.T. made you feel when you watched them. Guardians
captures a similar feeling, even if it does lack the sappiness of my
example. It serves as a reminder of
pleasurable romps gone by, and fans of Firefly
and Star Wars will find
themselves transported back to their first encounters with the genre.
Nostalgia comes with a fair amount of good-naturedness,
and there’s hardly a more fitting lead for that tone than Chris Pratt. As Andy on NBC’s Parks and Recreation and the voice of Emmet in The Lego Movie, he’s honed an eager, affable personality that goes
a long way to making his Peter Quill/Starlord a viable leader for the group of
undesirables that become the Guardians of the Galaxy. He’s not the brightest nor the strongest, but
he’s capable and charming. Plus, he owns
his own ship. Backing him up is a
redemption-seeking assassin (Zoe Saldana), a very literal tough guy (Dave
Bautista), and a bounty hunting duo consisting of a genetically modified
raccoon and a walking tree voiced by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel,
respectively.
Pratt’s comedy background comes in handy, as much of the
film’s charm is wrapped up in its flippant humor. Quill’s got a cocky streak, and his
unsuccessful attempts at Saldana’s Gamora is mined for some early laughs. Character flaws, ridiculous situations, and
plot expectations are all used for comedy gold, and the silly laughs keep
coming throughout the film. Cooper’s
Rocket (the talking raccoon, mind you) is often the smartest creature in the
room, and if that doesn’t give you an idea of this film’s comedic style, then I
don’t know what will.
The plot of Guardians
can essentially be summed up in one sentence:
There’s an orb, and everyone wants it. I would love to say that there’s actually more
to it, because the fixings that go with it are so delightful, but that would be
a bold-faced lie. To cover this
inadequacy, Guardians fills its runtime
with a series of roadblocks that the group must overcome, which never feels
like it’s building to an actual resolution.
Instead of working towards a clear goal, it’s more like the group stumbles
through the situations they find themselves in, making the whole thing feel
almost episodic. The plot machinations
are basic, which they poke fun at, but that doesn’t stop me from knowing
exactly how each situation will work out and feeling a little bored by it.
I wish Guardians of
the Galaxy backed up its flair with a bit more substance, but in the end it
relies too heavily on familiar conventions to pack a real punch. I chuckled my way through the film, but I
could feel it sliding out of my brain as I walked out of the theater.
Other Notes:
Ø This
is my favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe film.
Ø I
totally called the mom’s gift.
Ø Why
was Drax worthless?
Ø Why
were the Novas trustworthy enough to get the stone?
Ø Why
did we have to be explicitly told that Quill isn’t entirely human? It was pretty clear in the very first scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment