Words cannot describe the rush of positive energy, and fun I felt flowing through my central nervous system while watching this film. It not only surpassed by expectations (I knew nothing of the previous comic books), but I walked out of the theater knowing I got to see the most fun comic book film of them all. That’s right, Guardians of the Galaxy should go down as the most fun comic book film ever made. The end.
Well, not quite, but from the perfect injection of humor, along with just the right amount of escapism, I felt compelled to want to watch the sequel to this movie right after the end credits rolled. The last film that had this effect on me was the reboot of Star Trek (2009) So, where does the gang of Starlord, played with just the right amount of Han Solo, and new Captain Kirk aura by Chris Pratt, and the other supporting characters go next? I’m assuming to go and kick Thanos’s proverbial ass, but we will have to wait and see.
As far as the plot, let me sum this up in my own way: A very powerful orb that initially is taken by Starlord/Peter Quill to sell for profit, ends up going into the hands of Ronan, an alien hellbent on wiping out an entire planet of innocent people. This film has a sort of Spaceballs meets Star Wars meets The Avengers vibe to it, and it simply works. The supporting characters played by Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, and Dave Bautista click as well as any group of comic book heroes. From the random wisecracks, to the stunning visuals set far, far away from Earth, should give you the 2 hour escape your brain may need from the current downtrodden news trends of Ebola outbreaks, and the always peaceful Middle East… And that’s just it, movies should transport you out of this reality and into a universe you wouldn’t mind spending a day in (even if it’s a wee bit dangerous). It seems like in recent years certain filmmakers want to place films in the exact same reality we live in, and although that can work on occasion, I feel it completely misses the point of what effect films should have on people. Anyway…
Not to be underestimated, the film’s soundtrack. The nucleus of it stems from Starlord’s old school 80’s walkman, to which his late mother gave him a cassette tape of some of the best of top 40 hits ever made. How could you not smile during the films opening scene where Starlord is jamming out to one of his favorite tunes, while traversing an alien planet? Where most films could have misused classic tunes, Guardians of the Galaxy managed to make them an integral part of the heart this film has. Job well done.
I’m not a fan of diving into story points or critiquing things to the nth degree, but the plot structure mirrors any heroes journey kind of film. Much like that burger joint you know will always deliver a juicy, oh so epic burger by sticking to their formula, Guardians of the Galaxy executes a recipe in story structure that has been done before, but still leaves you wanting more.
Take your friends, family, girlfriend, boyfriend, dog (I wish), and just enjoy yourself for a few hours. I know I did. Nuff said.
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