Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Directed by James Gunn

Based on the comic book Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

Screenplay by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Glenn Close, Benicio Del Toro, Lee Pace, Dave Bautista

Peter Quill (Pratt) would rather be known by his outlaw name, Star-Lord. He’s got a bounty on his head after stealing a mysterious orb that his former mentor Yondu (Rooker) was after. In addition to Yondu, the dangerous Ronan the Accuser (Pace) is also after the orb. Ronan sees the orb as a chance to destroy the galaxy, and all those who defy him. Now Quill is on the run from both pursuers, and he’s joined by Rocket (Cooper), Groot (Diesel), Drax (Bautista), and Gamora (Saldana). This ragtag bunch of outlaws and fighters is going to need some luck if they plan to defeat Ronan and save the galaxy.

This is the tenth movie in the Marvel universe, bringing comic books to life on the big screen. This one came from the comic books developed by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. The screenplay was written by Nicole Perlman (Thor) and the film’s director James Gunn (Dawn of the Dead (2004)). The cast features a huge list of familiar names beginning with Chris Pratt (Zero Dark Thirty), Zoe Saldana (Out of the Furnace), Vin Diesel (Fast Five), and Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook). The film also includes Michael Rooker (Eight Men Out), Glenn Close (Dangerous Liaisons), Benicio Del Toro (Traffic), Lee Pace (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), and Dave Bautista (Riddick).

This is an interesting addition to the films of the Marvel Universe. The story features one of the newer additions to the comic book world when compared to the rest of the films in the series. This one is nicely written, creating a world that is epic in size and filled with tons of different and interesting characters. The main characters all have great personality, allowing for a lot of humor in the story. The plot, while allowing for this humor, doesn’t feel secondary. Instead, the story is driven with great action and some serious moments that combine nicely in the end. There are some points in the story that feel a little unexplained, with background lacking at times. Otherwise this was very well-written.

The acting is where this movie gets fun. Chris Pratt leads the audience on an odd adventure alongside the talented co-stars in this one. Zoe Saldana does a great job with one of the more serious roles in the movie. Her work alongside Pratt is nicely done, creating an interesting chemistry between the two characters. In addition, Cooper, Diesel and Bautista all come together nicely to bring the Guardians to life. Outside of this title group, the cast is equally good. Michael Rooker, Glenn Close, and Benicio Del Toro all do great work. Finally, the role of the great villain Ronan is pulled of perfectly by Lee Pace. Overall, this one creates a unique world thanks to the acting from the entire cast.

The visual technology in films continues to impress audiences, and this film is another great example of that technology. Every action sequence and character is wonderfully designed and displayed in this one. The line between the computer generated and the actual set work is unclear as the quality of the work shines. One of the better aspects of this one is the work done in bringing Groot and Rocket to the screen. These two characters are wonderfully designed and animated throughout the movie. Overall this is a visual spectacular that fans should enjoy from beginning to end.

This is a good movie, not the best of the Marvel films, but a good movie all the same. The overall feel fits in with the rest of the Marvel Universe perfectly. This will easily appeal to fans of the other movies, or fans of action or science-fiction films. I would caution that this might not be a great film for younger kids, with some language and violence levels being pushed more than the other films. I would also recommend this to fans of the stars in the movie. I give this one 4.4 out of 5 stars.