"Something good. Something bad. A bit of both".
Jason Quill, also known as Star Lord (Chris Pratt), was abducted from earth when he was a kid. Now, he's one of the most wanted criminals in the galaxy. One day, he finds himself in pursuit of a mysterious orb, competing against three others, an assassin named Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and a talking raccoon named Rocket with a talking tree named Groot (voiced by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, respectively). Getting arrested, these four soon learn to get along. With the help of Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), these criminals may not have what it takes to save the galaxy. But can they pull together to do so?
The biggest asset of this Marvel film is its use of classic 70's and 80's music, which is an interesting choice for this movie. Hearing classics like "Hooked on a Feeling", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "I Want You Back" give this movie some distance and originality from its other superhero movie brethren. The movie also uses some of the classic music to bring in a few interesting jokes into the film. The costumes are also nicely-designed, with some influence from Star Wars and Star Trek, as well as the 80's.
The visual effects are, again, terrific, and probably even better in 3D (saw it in 2D). Sound effects, ditto. The acting is all around fairly good, though not fantastic. Saldana does good work here, as she brings toughness and some also niceness and honesty to Gamora. Pratt, who was Emmet in The LEGO Movie, brings Peter/Star Lord to interesting heights, with an interesting personality. Cooper has solid voicework as Rocket, while Diesel's gritty voice fits Groot very well (he only has one line though). As for supporting actors, Glenn Close, Benicio del Toro and John C. Reilly add just a little bit of expertise.
On the downside, I felt there was a lack of realness in this movie. Yes, the Thor movies may have had digital environments, but they felt more Lord of the Rings-ish, whereas Guardians' almost all-digital feel (with the exception of the very beginning) can sometimes come across like an edgy cartoon. Guardians' lack of realness also makes it lack some emotional integrity in its plot as well. The foul language also was a bit of an issue for me as well.
Guardians of the Galaxy was the first Marvel "original" project since their Cinematic Universe was back in Phase 1. We now have seen at least two movies each out of each of all of the main Avengers (yes, the Hulk had two movies, but from different directors that had different takes on it). So, the fact that they adapt something different is an interestingly good prospect.
That being said, not a lot has changed overall. We still get the exciting action and terrific CGI that come with the package. Characters manage to be heroic and put their lives on the line. A few interestingly-timed jokes make their way in as well. And even the 70's and 80's music and costumes can't cover up the Asgardian-looking bad guys at the start.
But by the time I came out, I felt that there was something missing from this movie. And that was due to the lack of realism (a term that Captain America: The Winter Soldier so highly succeeded with). Unlike (especially the more recent) other Marvel movies, this one almost completely takes place in space (and filmed in front of green screens), so there's not a lot here that is genuinely believable.
The movie is still a fun and exciting ride for sure. There's enough eye candy, chuckles, and bam-boom action scenes to keep anyone entertained for 2 hours. But just as other superhero movies are starting to tap into utilizing emotional and realistic themes, Guardians of the Galaxy just doesn't meet that standard.
Score: 7.0/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of
Language: Strong for a superhero movie. Peter almost blurts out the f-word once (he mumbles "ffffffff" instead), and uses an obscene finger gesture during an interrogation. We also hear the very un-reverential sound-alike "frickin" several times. In addition to that, the s-word is used three times, and we hear the anatomically-offensive terms "d--k" (three times) and "pr---" (once). Other mild expletives include 4 uses each of "h---" and "d---it", two uses each of "b----rd" and "jack---", and one each of "b--ch" and "p---". Someone labels Gamora a "w--re".
Adult Content: Peter is a womanizer. We see a woman on his spaceship dressed in only underwear and a t-shirt. We hear some innuendos about his behavior (i.e. "this place looks like a Jackson Pollock painting" "I will not fall for your pelvic sorcery!"). Peter is seen only in boxer shorts in one scene. Gamora wears a tight-fitting outfit. Peter accidentally lands on top of Gamora in a provocative position. He watches her rear as she goes up a flight of steps.
Violence: Some moderate to very intense fantasy action violence. There's shooting, explosions, a high body count, and a few fairly frightening moments and characters. Gamora nearly dies. Groot impales a few people. Someone else uses a weapon that impales others. An infinity stone kills one person in a mildly grotesque way, and nearly takes out our heroes.
Alcohol/Drugs: Drax and Rocket discover alcohol and become inebriated. They later get into a fight with other drunk patrons.
Other: Some lying and stealing. Rocket asks for artificial body replacements (an arm and an eye, for instance). Peter's mom's death at the beginning of the movie may upset some.
