Member review

Following on from the mind-blowing “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, Marvel’s next project was a bizarre little movie directed by the writer of the “Scooby-Doo” films, about a group of D-list characters which included a sentient tree and a talking racoon. This is it, people said, Marvel have made their biggest mistake, this film will fail! These people were wrong!

“Guardians of the Galaxy” is the movie that proved Marvel could make anything, no matter how strange, into a great film. It’s a quirky and entertaining adventure that’s never dull, introducing worldwide audiences to the insane cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe in excellent fashion! With loveable protagonists, a heartfelt core to the narrative and one of the best movie soundtracks in recent years, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is one of the best entries in the MCU!

One of the primary reasons why this film feels so unique is down to writer and director James Gunn. Gunn, who mostly worked on low-budget and hard-edged films before this, brings a clear vision to the story with a distinct voice. It’s clear that “Guardians of the Galaxy” was his passion project, no scene feels half-baked or rushed; the commitment to the story is palpable in every frame!

The characters are so broken and damaged but are never unlikeable, Gunn always keeps the focus on what makes these people tick, which makes them very sympathetic even when they are in crazy situations. The ideas and locations in this movie are so bizarre and imaginative; James Gunn did a great job of bringing the MCU’s intergalactic locations to life, which (aside from the “Thor” films) hadn’t been seen before. I’m so glad that Marvel and Disney rehired James Gunn for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3” because he is undoubtedly one of the MCU’s best filmmakers!

In my opinion, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films are the funniest Marvel movies, whilst also being two of their most touching and moving. The film begins with a character’s mother dying of cancer but ends with one of the most adorable and hilarious moments in a modern blockbuster (quickly followed by an incredible post-credit scene!) What I love so much about this film (and it’s masterwork of a sequel) is that it effortlessly balances hysterical jokes with tear-jerker sequences, making the audience laugh like a maniac before causing them to cry like little babies. Even though the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies don’t reach peak poignancy until “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2”, this first outing is still an astounding emotional roller-coaster!

What drives “Guardians of the Galaxy” is it’s ragtag group of characters. Before this film, most people (including myself) knew nothing about Star-Lord or Groot, but now they are household names. The cast and crew did a fantastic job of creating a team that is almost as beloved and spectacular as the Avengers!

Chris Pratt is fantastic as Star-Lord, he brings charisma and charm to the role whilst also playing the vulnerable, child-like side of Peter Quill extremely well!

Zoe Saldana is great as Gamora, she’s probably the least developed Guardian due to her role as the serious straight (wo)man opposite her more care-free compatriots, but she’s still very enjoyable (her best performance as Gamora wouldn’t come until “Avengers: Infinity War.”)

Drax, played by Dave Bautista, is a joyous and tragic figure; I love the moments in which Drax doesn’t understand metaphors (“Why would I put my finger on his throat?”) Drax might not be one of the MCU’s most complex characters, but he is definitely one of its most uproarious!

Vin Diesel’s Groot is the best tall, not-very-verbal alien companion since Chewbacca; even when he only says five words in the entire movie, he’s still such an exceptional character. I can’t decide whether I prefer Adult Groot or Baby Groot, they’re both so amazing!

But saving the best until last, my absolute favourite character in “Guardians of the Galaxy” is Rocket, brilliantly voiced by Bradley Cooper (and played on-set by Sean Gunn.) I love Rocket, he’s witty and snarky whilst also being a deeply flawed and tortured soul. He has some of the best lines in the movie (“YOU’RE. MAKING. ME. BEAT. UP. GRASS!”) and has the coolest action moment in the story (the scene where Rocket catches the gun and says “Oh, yeah” is pure gold!) I cannot wait to see Rocket interact with the rest of the Avengers in “Avengers: Endgame”; he’s my favourite MCU hero after Iron Man and Captain America!

The visual effects in “Guardians of the Galaxy” are near photorealistic at times! Rocket and Groot are two of the most believable CGI characters since Gollum; as I was re-watching the film, I almost believed that Rocket was a real racoon because he’s such a well-realised character.

The cinematography is stunning, unlike a few other MCU movies, this one doesn’t have that dull grey tinge to it, but pops off the screen with brightness and vibrancy. It’s evident that many of the sequences in the film were shot on real sets built in the physical world rather than on a green screen, which makes the events of the story feel more tangible, which I appreciate!

“Guardians of the Galaxy” doesn’t just look nice, it also sounds magnificent! Tyler Bates’ score is very good (the “Guardians” theme is stellar) but the soundtrack is the real standout. It’s filled with classic pop songs both well-known and more obscure that fit perfectly into the narrative and tone.

To summarise, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is an outstanding film! With a distinctive style, a toe-tapping soundtrack and a phenomenal group of characters, this was a breath of fresh air for the comic book genre. Admittedly, it has a pretty weak villain (a problem that “Vol.2” massively improves on) but this is a near perfect film in my opinion! Even though I prefer “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2” because of its masterful character writing and deep themes, this is still one of the MCU’s best outings! Just remember the immortal and poetic words of Groot: “I am Groot.”