Guardians of the Galaxy is a good, entertaining summer flick filled with humor, sarcasm, sci-fi superhero angst, and action. But don’t make the same mistake I did… which was to expect something close(r) to the brilliance of the classic Star Trek spoof Galaxy Quest. Guardians is good, but it’s not THAT good.
Chris Pratt (aka Andy on Parks and Rec) proves he is definitely leading-man material, playing Peter Quill, a half-human, half-alien who likes to refer to himself as ‘Star-Lord’ and wants others to do the same.
Peter’s backstory will likely be fleshed out in a sequel or two, but basically he was kidnapped/plucked from Earth as a youngster and raised in some other galaxy. His main ties to ‘home’ are memories of his mother and his ever-present walkman, complete with a mix tape (which makes for a cool soundtrack for those of us who can actually remember what a walkman is).
Peter becomes a reluctant leader to a ragtag band of superheroes in the making. They’re like The Avengers, if the Avengers were sprung from the Island of Misfit Toys. There’s Gamora (Zoe Saldana), the strong, stealthy and green-hued adopted daughter of a supervillain; Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) a misunderstood thug driven by revenge; Groot (Vin Diesel), a tree-like creature who manages to say so much with so few words (his entire vocabulary: ‘I am Groot’); and his buddy, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), an amusing, genetically-altered, gun-toting raccoon. Together they must secure a stolen orb that gives its owner the power to destroy the galaxy. At least, I think that’s the gist. I got a bit distracted trying to keep all the crazy character names straight.
Guardians offers a quirky escape from the recent barrage of superhero flicks. It’s another Marvel creation (Avengers, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, etc.), but with tongue planted even more firmly in cheek. If you like the genre, keep your expectations in check and go check it out. Then watch the 1999 cult favorite Galaxy Quest (with Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, among others). Rumor has it there may actually be a GQ sequel in the works! As for Guardians, it’s done so well at the box office that its sequel already has a release date – July 28, 2017.
Hmmm. I can see the movie mash-up now. Guardians of the Galaxy Quest … yup, it’s only a matter of time. Start here:
I found it a fun little diversion, though nowhere near the fun of Galaxy Quest. I did enjoy the humor though and will be looking for the sequels. I liked Rocket, but kept thinking it was George Clooney’s Mr. Fox.