3 Short Paragraphs: Guardians of the Galaxy

2014, James Gunn (Slither) -- cinema

OK, let me get this out of the way, so we can start with the hate (from you, the reader, and likely Disagree, from Kent) and get it out of the way. I was not all that blown away by Guardians of the Galaxy. It was actually less than my expectations, instead of more, as I had hoped for. It is a comedic science fiction romp that probably sits just above Thor in my enjoyment of Marvel movies. It is only barely space opera but for the fact it has spaceships and is set in a widely populated galaxy. It is not a superhero movie, but I say that more for the benefit of my non-geeky friends than the others, as it only has a tenuous connection to the capes, albeit some pretty substantial villains. Remember the reverb voice that was manipulating the Chitauri at the end of The Avengers?  Yeah that purple guy. Don't get me wrong, its an incredibly fun movie! It just felt like Marvel-light for me.

Peter Quill, aka Starlord, is a thief amongst thieves. He was abducted from Earth when he was a kid, by a group called The Ravagers. He double-crosses them and steals an orb from a long dead planet and crosses laser guns with some rocky looking fellows who also want it.  Enter the latest MacGuffin in the Marvel movies universe. For most of the movie we know its powerful, but not exactly how. When we find out it is one of those Infinity Stones (including the blue box and the red mist from previous movies) things become dire. Bad Guy Ronan is going to use it to destroy a planet full of people he doesn't like, despite his people having a armistice treaty with those people. Quill and his band of misfits decide they will throw their fly bodies against Ronan's windscreen. But of course, they win to guard the galaxy for another day.

GotG is funny. I am not against funny. Iron Man was funny. But this is mostly funny, in other words, all the best bits are the funny bits. Rocket the Racoon is wonderful, part pathos part ranty lil @!#%-er. Quill, is weirdly enough, kind of the straight man of the team as he pulls them together to accomplish the impossible. Everyone else is anti-funny, to emphasize the main funny men. Sure, there are spaceships and zappy coloured laser guns and weird aliens but its all gathered together into the lightest of light space opera fare, the ultimate in popcorn movies for the summer audience. I almost wish it was less popular so it could have meat to it. It was made to be a quotable, laugh out loud, easily accessible flick. And because of this, I cannot actively dislike it, but I can be very very meh about it.

Still, I love love love love baby Groot dancing in his pot.