I am a HUGE Marvel fan. I think they have been doing a great job with connecting their films. However, I did not think their phase II films were as good as phase I. I thought both Iron Man 3, and Thor 2 were merely okay. They were nothing particularly special, while Captain America 2 was fantastic. When I saw the first trailer for Guardians, I thought Marvel had something really special on their hands. Now that the film has been released and I have seen it, I can safely say that it is a definite high point for Marvel. While it is not better than the likes of Captain America 2, it is an unbelievably good time at the movies.
What a bunch of A-Holes
While not everything was perfect in the film, I really liked most of it. First of all, the characters are great. I found them all to be very interesting. I really liked their backstories, and I thought they all worked well together. I think Rocket and Groot are definitely the best pair, but they all had some great banter as a group. Chris Pratt does a good job as Peter Quill/Star Lord, but not all of his lines were delivered very well. His comedic timing was spot on, but he faltered a bit during more serious scenes. While I do not think he is a bad actor by any means, I think he has some room for improvement. Zoe Saldana was fine as Gamora, but she also had a few missteps in her acting. Certain moments did not come across as natural which made her delivery a bit awkward. However, she had some great lines and great chemistry with Chris Pratt. Dave Bautista as Drax is also simply okay. He could not effectively portray the emotional weight of the character but he had great comedic timing, as well as, a great relationship with the rest of the characters. Bradley Cooper did the voice of Rocket and he was fantastic. He stole most of the scenes in the film, and he added considerable depth to his CGI character. Last but not least of the group is Vin Disel as Groot. There is not really much to say, but his voice definitely fit the character. The villains of the film are Lee Pace’s Ronan, and Karen Gillan’s Nebula. A big problem with the film is that both villains are fairly weak. They are evil, and that is about it. They do not have much depth, even though Nebula is in an interesting (also familiar) position. Her character is a bit more complex than Ronan’s, but she is not given much to do. Both give fine performances, but with all the focus on the heroes, they fell to the side.
Hooked on a Feeling
While the film definitely struggled with some characters, it did not have too many problems aside from that. The plot is not extremely complex and at times it can be quite predictable. However, it did not bother me as much. The film is about the 5 core Guardians, and they succeeded with them. The plot does its job to bring them together, and I very much look forward to where they go in future installments. I saw this film in IMAX 3D, and it really brought out the visuals. This is a gorgeous film, both in the way it is shot and the effects within. It had a very good mix of practical effects with computer generated effects. Along with the superior visuals, this film has a great soundtrack. While I thought the score was not memorable, the songs they used were great, and definitely fit the tone of the film.
Closing Remarks
This is a film that could have been horrible in the wrong hands, but with James Gunn at the helm, it is quite an enjoyable piece of cinema. While not without its flaws, the pros of the film definitely overshadow the cons, making this one of the most enjoyable Marvel films to date.