Let's be honest, when Marvel announced this film, a lot of people saw it as a risk. Compared to Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, they were not very widely known. Hell, even characters who haven't had a movie yet like Black Panther and Dr. Strange are more well known. I myself didn't even know about these guys until they appeared in an episode of "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes." After watching it and knowing the future possibilities of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I knew that they would have a movie soon. Despite the risk, Marvel proved themselves time and time again, so I knew it would have to be good on some level, probably similar to the first Thor and Captain America films. Now considering that Marvel has only introduced characters through solo films, saving team-up crossovers for Avengers movies, "Guardians" could be considered a mix of both concepts. So despite not knowing these characters beforehand, I still found the film able to provide entertainment at the same level of "Avengers." I'll be honest, I've seen it twice now, and I'm still processing all the awesomeness, so bare with me as I go through this.
Of course the main draw of this movie is the main characters of the team. They're all very different from the past heroes we've seen in the MCU. As they've been described in the trailer, they're "a bunch of a-holes", but that's what makes them interesting characters to follow. They're trying to do good, but for the most part, they're in it for themselves. But like ogres and onions, they all have layers too.
With Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord, he's really the most level headed of the whole team, even though he has his own faults. Essentially, he's the Tony Stark of the Guardians. While Gamora is also somewhat level headed, she's usually stuck in warrior mode, but does show signs of having a conscience. Then you have Drax. He puts on a strong front, burying the pain of his loss through anger and getting drunk, but deep down, he is a valuable ally. Sure, he still loves to hurt people and insult his friends, but you can't change a guy that much. And who can forget Rocket Raccoon? I knew right away this guy would steal the show. I mean, he's a trigger happy talking raccoon. What more do you want? But like Drax, he likes to cover up his emotional side, usually through being a smartass. When Rocket gets sad, it's kind of like when you see an animal hurt. You can't help but want to hold him. And last but not least, Groot. I did question when a big star like Vin Diesel was cast as a character who only says one line, but honestly, it's not what he says, but how he says it. Honestly, Groot is the most innocent of the group, and is willing to do anything for his friends. Even with just one sentence, he can convey being happy, stern, sad, and even angry. I mean, the guy did play the Iron Giant, so he's proven he can show emotion through a non-human role.
But it's not just who the characters are, but how they interact with each other. Like the Avengers, they're used to working alone, and they interact as such, not willing to put up with each other's crap unless they have to. When you watch Rocket and Groot, the comparison they most get is that they're like Han Solo and Chewbacca. Rocket's the brains, Groot's the muscle. Deep down though, they're still good friends. Rocket's interaction with Quill is also fun. Like I've said, Quill's more level headed, so when Rocket's doing stuff that's way out of line, Quill has to call him out on it, which Rocket sees as ruining his good time. But after Groot and Rocket, my second favorite character interaction was between Quill and Gamora. They have real chemistry and there's the possibility of romance between them, especially if she succumbs to his, as she put it, "pelvic magic."
As for the villains, the ones that stand out are Ronan and Thanos. While Rocket and Groot are like Han and Chewy, Ronan and Thanos can definitely be compared to Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. Okay, given that Thanos only appears for two scenes, but he still has such a powerful presence. DC needs to take notes for when they bring in Darkseid for their movies. As for Ronan, he's like Vader in a couple ways, like he has that big black round headwear and a deep voice. He's also a real powerhouse and a good challenge to Drax. I'm a little disappointed in what happens to him in the end; it would have been cool to see him fight Thor.
Nebula's also a good foil to Gamora, and considering their familial bond, it makes some good tension between, especially since Thanos considered Gamora his favorite daughter. She'll definitely be seen again; though I guess she has to make sure Thanos will allow her to live between now and whatever movie she should appear in next.
Like all the other Marvel movies, this film is also filled with a lot of Easter eggs. My favorites were during the scene where the Collector is explaining the history of the Infinity Stones, and we see not only a Celestial, a race of giants who created the universe, but what I assume to be a group of Watchers, a group of aliens who collect data and objects and observe everything in the multiverse. They certainly had robes like them. I also thought I saw a Skrull in the Collector's place, but upon closer inspection, it was only a Dark Elf from "Thor 2". It makes me wonder though if Marvel even has the rights to the Skrulls, considering they're considered Fantastic Four villains, which would make them Fox's property. That's something to look into.
Like "Winter Solider", Marvel continues to nail it when it comes to the action scenes, and believe me, not only is there a lot of it, but it's damn entertaining. What other movie can you see a raccoon with a machine gun, shooting it until he runs out, screaming the whole time? Hell, everyone had some damn good moves. In fact, Groot even delivers a great moment that would rival Hulk tossing Loki around like a ragdoll in "Avengers."
If there's one thing that sets this film a part from the other Marvel movies, it's the music. While they usually have a normal orchestra score with some modern music spliced in, thanks to Peter's "Awesome Mix Vol. 1" tape, we get some classic music from the 70's and 80's for a good portion. I still have some of the songs stuck in my head, like "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
I will say though that the only thing about the film that has me conflicted is how much they introduce in such little time. Unlike "Avengers", you're introduced to the heroes, villains, and supporting cast without any prior knowledge. It could be too much for some people. But I will admit that "Avengers" could still be viewed without watching the solo films. However, "Guardians" does introduce everyone in such a way that it doesn't matter that we're meeting them for the first time. By the end, we know these characters. I'm probably annoying people by using another Star Wars comparison, but the original film really did the same thing "Guardians" has done here.
Honestly, like my "Quest for Nightcrawler" review, there's nothing to really speculate what will happen next. I mean, sure, there's Thanos being built up, but for the most part, "Guardians" is able to stand on its own as an action comedy film. Even the post-credits scene is more for comedy than for future set-up. Think of the shawarma scene in "Avengers."
But I will talk about the Infinity Stones, which ones are accounted for and what ones are still left to be introduced:
- The Tesseract, the Space Stone: In Odin's Trophy Room on Asgard.
- The Mind Stone: Still a part of Loki's scepter, which is under HYDRA's possession.
- The Aether, the Reality Stone: Part of the Collector's collection on Knowhere.
- The Orb, the Power Stone: Under protection of the Nova Corps on Xandar.
If you've enjoyed everything else you've seen Marvel Studios put out, there's no doubt you'll love "Guardians of the Galaxy." It's "Avengers" level entertaining and you don't have to worry about having prior knowledge to follow the story. It's truly its own being.
RATING: 8.5/10
My Marvel Cinematic Universe Film Rankings:
1. Captain America: The Winter Solider
2. The Avengers
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
4. Iron Man 3
5. Thor
6. Captain America: The First Avenger
7. Iron Man
8. The Incredible Hulk
9. Iron Man 2
10. Thor: The Dark World
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