Guardians of the Galaxy (B or 3/4 stars)
'Guardians of the Galaxy' - Marvel Studios' latest, um, marvel - begins in 1988, when grief-stricken, 9 yr. old Peter, whose cancer-ravaged mom has just died in his presence, is suddenly abducted from Earth & transported deep into the cosmos. Now 34 (Chris Pratt), he still carries around his Walkman, humorously bopping along to a mix tape of '70s hits, like Hooked on a Feeling, Come and Get Your Love, & Spirit in the Sky. Piloting his own spaceship, Peter (also known as Star Lord) is a brash, fearless mercenary, scavenging deserted planets, on the payroll of a blue-skinned Ravager, Yondu (Michael Rooker). Sent-out to locate a mysterious silver Orb, Peter discovers that it is also coveted by Ronan (Lee Pace), a villainous warlord who wants to trade it in exchange for the power to destroy Xandar, home to the Nova Corps, a space militia that's been at war with Ronan's race, led by the all-powerful Thanos (poorly special-effected Josh Brolin).
After getting arrested, and to evade the persistent villain Ronan, Peter is forced into an uneasy alliance with some fellow inmates; a quartet of misfits, really. They include deadly warrior alien, Gamora (Zoe Saldana, replacing Avatar's blue skin for green); vengeance-driven, Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista); grouchy, genetically-engineered, gun-happy raccoon, Rocket (well-voiced by Bradley Cooper); & a self-regenerating Ent-like tree/human hybrid named Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). The only thing he knows how to say is "I am Groot"; which he utters repeatedly to mean many different things that only Rocket can decipher, haha. Fate lies in the hands of this ragtag group who must learn how to work together, stay alive, retrieve the Orb, defeat their foes, & try to save the galaxy.
Okay, so, I enjoyed 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. The opening scene on Earth is superbly executed (and VERY poignant). The jovial, toe-tapping credit sequence made me giddy with delight. I enjoyed meeting the ragtag group -- their rapport is wonderful. I appreciated the witty banter btwn. all the characters throughout the movie. I admired the amazing production design, varied costumes, & eye-popping make-up work. I felt my $$ was well-spent for getting a visual/sonar blast in my movie seat. Having said all of that, I was bored through the never-ending 'what the hell is going on NOW?' action sequences that riddle the midsection of the film. They numbed me (as is usually the case with these Marvel movie adaptations). Why put so much effort into creating a fantastic universe only to have us whizz-bang through it all ... I couldn't even appreciate the visuals because the edits are so quick & the fights tend to get confusing. That doesn't wow me, that annoys me.
Now, as for the basic narrative of 'Guardians of the Galaxy' - it's the kind of silly, light popcorn fare that comic adaptations tend to get away with. And I felt that this plot had too much of a "more of the same" feel that all these comic books have. i.e., a disparate group assembles, they have to retrieve something mysterious, they must defeat a not-so-scary foe(s), there's tons of action (of which the stakes NEVER feel too high), & then a resolution which leaves many plot threads dangling for ensuing sequels. I just feel that ... this is the standard template now. And while I appreciate many aspects of this admittedly fun movie, and while it's certainly more unique in design/execution/humor/mood to the other Marvel movies out there right now ... I find myself leaving the theater feeling satisfied, but not overjoyed.
Not to get too negative (I'm just venting, really), along with the wit, music, & sets, I must commend the charming cast. Chris Pratt carries the action with an amusing mix of bravado, heroism, & wise-cracky humor. There's also some nice low-key chemistry going on btwn. Pratt & Zoe Saldana, who is effective as the inwardly-tortured Gamora. Dave Bautista - who's even more Hulk-like than Chris Pratt - provides comic relief as a literal-minded brute who doesn't get the concept of metaphors, haha. Bradley Cooper & Vin Diesel seem like they had a blast voice-acting Rocket & Groot -- I think audiences will love Groot most of all the heroes. Karen Gillan, Benicio Del Toro (reminding me of Zoolander's Mugashu), Glenn Close, Djimon Hounsou, & John C. Reilly pop-up in small roles, as well.
With its irreverent one-liners, pop-culture jokes, goofy running gags, awesome soundtrack, genial cast, & impressive visuals, 'Guardians of the Galaxy' should please many a movie-goer looking for epic space adventures. That said, its superhero narrative template felt a bit thin & stale. And I wish the action was toned-down to allow for more character interactions & a more substantial plot. I mean, at one point, Rocket wakes up and we see that he has a bad case of bed head. A raccoon with bed head. That's unique. That's funny. I wanted more of that & less of the incessant, jam-packed, CGI wizardry. And so, though I am disappointed by the particulars I've mentioned above, 'Guardians of the Galaxy' is still an entertaining Summer movie and an encouraging addition to the Marvel canon.
After getting arrested, and to evade the persistent villain Ronan, Peter is forced into an uneasy alliance with some fellow inmates; a quartet of misfits, really. They include deadly warrior alien, Gamora (Zoe Saldana, replacing Avatar's blue skin for green); vengeance-driven, Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista); grouchy, genetically-engineered, gun-happy raccoon, Rocket (well-voiced by Bradley Cooper); & a self-regenerating Ent-like tree/human hybrid named Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). The only thing he knows how to say is "I am Groot"; which he utters repeatedly to mean many different things that only Rocket can decipher, haha. Fate lies in the hands of this ragtag group who must learn how to work together, stay alive, retrieve the Orb, defeat their foes, & try to save the galaxy.
Okay, so, I enjoyed 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. The opening scene on Earth is superbly executed (and VERY poignant). The jovial, toe-tapping credit sequence made me giddy with delight. I enjoyed meeting the ragtag group -- their rapport is wonderful. I appreciated the witty banter btwn. all the characters throughout the movie. I admired the amazing production design, varied costumes, & eye-popping make-up work. I felt my $$ was well-spent for getting a visual/sonar blast in my movie seat. Having said all of that, I was bored through the never-ending 'what the hell is going on NOW?' action sequences that riddle the midsection of the film. They numbed me (as is usually the case with these Marvel movie adaptations). Why put so much effort into creating a fantastic universe only to have us whizz-bang through it all ... I couldn't even appreciate the visuals because the edits are so quick & the fights tend to get confusing. That doesn't wow me, that annoys me.
Now, as for the basic narrative of 'Guardians of the Galaxy' - it's the kind of silly, light popcorn fare that comic adaptations tend to get away with. And I felt that this plot had too much of a "more of the same" feel that all these comic books have. i.e., a disparate group assembles, they have to retrieve something mysterious, they must defeat a not-so-scary foe(s), there's tons of action (of which the stakes NEVER feel too high), & then a resolution which leaves many plot threads dangling for ensuing sequels. I just feel that ... this is the standard template now. And while I appreciate many aspects of this admittedly fun movie, and while it's certainly more unique in design/execution/humor/mood to the other Marvel movies out there right now ... I find myself leaving the theater feeling satisfied, but not overjoyed.
Not to get too negative (I'm just venting, really), along with the wit, music, & sets, I must commend the charming cast. Chris Pratt carries the action with an amusing mix of bravado, heroism, & wise-cracky humor. There's also some nice low-key chemistry going on btwn. Pratt & Zoe Saldana, who is effective as the inwardly-tortured Gamora. Dave Bautista - who's even more Hulk-like than Chris Pratt - provides comic relief as a literal-minded brute who doesn't get the concept of metaphors, haha. Bradley Cooper & Vin Diesel seem like they had a blast voice-acting Rocket & Groot -- I think audiences will love Groot most of all the heroes. Karen Gillan, Benicio Del Toro (reminding me of Zoolander's Mugashu), Glenn Close, Djimon Hounsou, & John C. Reilly pop-up in small roles, as well.
With its irreverent one-liners, pop-culture jokes, goofy running gags, awesome soundtrack, genial cast, & impressive visuals, 'Guardians of the Galaxy' should please many a movie-goer looking for epic space adventures. That said, its superhero narrative template felt a bit thin & stale. And I wish the action was toned-down to allow for more character interactions & a more substantial plot. I mean, at one point, Rocket wakes up and we see that he has a bad case of bed head. A raccoon with bed head. That's unique. That's funny. I wanted more of that & less of the incessant, jam-packed, CGI wizardry. And so, though I am disappointed by the particulars I've mentioned above, 'Guardians of the Galaxy' is still an entertaining Summer movie and an encouraging addition to the Marvel canon.