Guardians of the
Galaxy is the latest instalment in the Marvel cinematic universe, starring
Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, a galactic outlaw who was abducted from Earth as a
child. Whilst on the hunt for a mysterious orb, Quill (referring to himself as ‘Star
Lord’) is caught up in the midst of several other interested parties, notably
assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), who is sent to retrieve the orb for Ronan the
Accuser, a tyrant who plans to use its secrets to destroy the planet Xandar.
Based on one of the oldest Marvel properties, featuring a
talking raccoon and from the director of the live-action Scooby-Doo movies, there is an awful lot that could make Guardians of the Galaxy a whimpering cinematic
disaster. But somehow, James Gunn has managed to rope everything together
almost perfectly, and the key has to be the tone of the movie. Unlike an awful
lot of the super-hero movies of late, it doesn’t feel the need to play
everything with a straight face. Sure, it has its emotional moments, but the fast-paced
and often very funny script prevents it from being too serious.
Our ragtag collection of leads – as well as the
aforementioned outlaw and assassin – contains Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot,
a walking tree serving as bodyguard to Rocket, a raccoon voiced by Bradley
Cooper, and Dave Bautista as walking muscle Drax ‘The Destroyer’. The
combination of leads are the greatest strength the film has to offer, bouncing
off each other eclectically and likeably, their personalities never sacrificed
for (but rather enhanced by) the script. Vin Diesel as Groot manages to be the
beating heart of the film, despite only ever having one line of dialogue to
speak, and Dave Bautista is a revelation in comedic timing. The five guardians
combined create what is fast becoming one of my favourite on-screen ensembles,
that I actually think will have more re-watch value than Marvel’s runaway
success Avengers Assemble.
The film is handsomely shot, the frame oozing colours in
every shot, the palette keeping a cheerful aesthetic to match the sensibility
of the script but restrained with a slight filter to prevent it from slipping
into cartoon territory. The cinematography pack a real punch, and often comes
to the rescue during the non-comedic highlights, including one visually
astounding and quite emotionally powerful set-piece set in the vacuum of space.
The soundtrack is a cracking collection of 70’s/80’s hits, including everything
from the Jackson 5, Blue Swede and David Bowie. Established very early as a key
part of Star Lord’s character, it isn’t just a selection of songs thrown in for
want of a better soundtrack, and if you don’t find your feet tapping along at
any point then frankly there’s no hope for you.
Whilst the film carries itself with vigour, and doesn’t
waste time devolving into a romantic subplot, the ending drags on for about
five minutes too long, and there are a select few elements in the final action
sequence that are flat-out ridiculous even by the standards of a movie that
features a talking raccoon. The talented
Karen Gillan as villainous Nebula feels very over-shadowed in the finale which
is a real shame, and Benicio Del Toro is criminally underused save for spouting
some exposition here or there.
Guardians of the
Galaxy is the result of placing the A-Team at the controls of the Millennium
Falcon. It’s a much-needed injection of fun into the drab, gritty landscape of
summer blockbuster season and – despite stumbling a little along the way –
knows that the key to saving the future lies in the past. So wind up your best
mix-tape, don your battered old Sony headphones and dance to its tune like the
fate of the world depends on it.
4 stars
