Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan
Running Time: 121 minutes
Certificate: 12A
Synopsis: In the far reaches of space, Peter Quill finds himself the object of a manhunt after stealing an orb coveted by the villainous Ronan.
Marvel have spent recent years building a masterful world that led to THE AVENGERS (2012), and now they’ve gone and done it again with fresh characters in the truly awe-inspiring GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. If you don’t know who these people are then fear not, as you’ll easily enjoy with no prior knowledge and be treated to one of the funniest and most charismatic Marvel films since the Avengers assembled.
We start with an introduction into the back story of how human Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) became part of another universe, and we learn the tragic fate of his Mother. While in mourning, Quill is taken by a mysterious beam of light and we jump forward 26 years to a barren-like planet and our first look at the Star Lord (Quill’s nickname for himself). As we follow him trying to steal a mysterious orb with a skip in his step, he’s set upon by an Alien-race also after the precious prize and as Quill escapes; the entertainment begins.
It’s important to mention that GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is backed throughout with awesome music. It’s inspired and sound-tracked by the cassette tape Quill carries around and they merge it through the film with brilliant effect. Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill (aka Star Lord) has the cheeky energy of Harrison Ford’s Han Solo. It’s that easy charm factor moulded with self-belief in whatever situation he’s thrown into and it’ll surely make Pratt an even bigger star.
Much like our previously mentioned THE AVENGERS movie, this one is all about the ensemble cast and Pratt is first joined by Zoe Saldana’s Gamora. She’s not only a deadly green-assassin but more than our Star Lord is prepared for. Gamora’s been trained and shaped to fight by Thanos and Ronan but here starts to forge a path of her own. She’s a mighty force with some wicked fighting skills alongside a sharp mind.
Next up is Dave Bautista’s Drax the Destroyer. Bautista is also a WWE fighter but he throws that tag out of the ring with a powerful performance full of strength and humour. He’s instinctive and intent on getting revenge for the death of his family, but picks up wisdom along the way and brings along unexpected comedy.
We then come to Rocket Raccoon and Groot. Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper with a rip-roaring gruff tone, is one of the stars of the show as the feisty, heart-on-his-furry-sleeve raccoon. He’s got a harsh history but will fight to live and has the bonus of being super smart and witty. You might find a new favourite in Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel with his one ‘I Am Groot’ line, and our giant tree man is the unconventional strength of all of them. He may only have the one line but it alters in tone and we gradually realise that Rocket can translate those sounds into different meanings. Both these guys have a great relationship that’s entwined by literal tree roots and a natural connection to make them best friends.
On the baddie side, although Thanos (voiced by Josh Brolin) does make an appearance, it’s Ronan the Accuser of the Kree race (Lee Pace) who’s the threat and on a power hungry quest. Pace gave a mighty performance as Thranduil in THE HOBBIT and brings to life another dark-hearted soul with an unrelenting desire to rule all. He’s terrifically captivating and backed-up by Karen Gillian’s tortured Nebula, a woman driven to extremes by the dark places she’s been pushed to against her will.
James Gunn has every right to be proud of what he’s achieved with GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, as there’s superb direction coupled with great dialogue from his and debutant Nicole Perlman’s script. In some ways he may have an advantage with these characters being lesser known but regardless, the energy and chemistry is dynamic as Marvel do it again.
We’ve got a new world to explore and it’s utterly glorious, where Gunn’s vibrant colour schemes excel alongside highly impressive action set pieces, where every creature or person on screen is important. Our GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY are not only a sharp, savvy squad but moreover the true spirit of rebellion, righteousness and raucousness.
[usr=5] Marvel’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY opens in the UK on July 31st. For all our #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy coverage just click here.
