My wife is always saying that I’m prone to hyperbole (I call it creative writing), but I can assure you I’m not overstating anything when I say that outside of the original Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy is the most important movie Marvel has ever done.

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When the comic book film studio decided to bring us Tony Stark’s first adventure in 2008, they took a massive roll of the dice. A B-list character that had been around in comics for decades, but outside of the hardcore comic geeks, was barely known by the mainstream (“Wasn’t there a Black Sabbath song about him?”). But the gamble paid off and kick-started a movie empire that has brought us everything from super-soldiers to thunder gods.

And now, Kevin Feige and friends have once again rolled that dice, but on a movie unlike anything they’ve ever done before. A movie that is filled with characters and visuals unlike any you’ve seen in any recent Hollywood blockbuster, and which was written and directed by somebody who has never done anything of this scale and complexity before.

And holy hell, has that gamble paid off!

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The Avengers has always been held by most people as the very pinnacle of the franchise, but it’s time for Joss Whedon and his heroes to kindly step down. James Gunn and his motley crew of space-misfits have just claimed the throne to laser-beamed, explosive fanfare! Yes indeed, Guardians is the new best Marvel movie to date. But more than that, it’s also the most entertaining movie of 2014!

And as I mentioned initially, it’s a critically important movie for Marvel, as it opens up their Cinematic Universe like nothing else before it. Acting as a sort of audience litmus test, if this movie is as successfully embraced by audience as it fully deserves to be, it gives Marvel free rein to start tackling the other crazier concepts in their stable.

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Now since I was greeted by many a “Huh?” when I first started excitedly reporting on this particular crazy concept’s development more than a year ago, I have feeling that many of you are asking “So what is Guardians of the Galaxy?”

In a nutshell? Just an insane amount of non-stop, exuberant fun from opening to end credits, coupled with some seriously big sci-fi ideas, jaw dropping effects (all rendered rather superbly in 3D) and massive but not overplayed or bloated action set pieces, all pivoting around a rather extensive cast in which every single member just shines from start to finish.

It takes every concept you loved about The Avengers – the amazing cast balancing act, the retina searing visuals, the side-splitting humour, the blizzardly cool character moments, the deft emotional beats, the fiendishly clever ideas, the sly winks at the audience – it takes all of that and then just turns it up a notch. SEVERAL NOTCHES! And does it all while still feeling like a 100% standalone movie, so no need to know any backstory or prior comic book lore (the movie plays very loose and fast with it’s source material anyway). Gunn and co-writer Nicole Perlman’s script does all the world- and character-building right there on the fly – worlds and characters so far out that they make a green rage monster look tame in comparison – and they make it look easy.

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Okay, so that was a very big nutshell. But maybe that’s still not enough for you and you need some more detail?

Well, Guardians follows Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), an Earthling abducted by some E.T.’s for mysterious reasons from his home planet as a young boy, on the night of his mom’s death in the mid-1980’s. 26 years later and several light-years away, Quill has now grown up into a walkman-listening, fast-talking, doo-wopping fortune hunter, landing scores on crazy alien worlds all over the far side of galaxy. But when his latest gig, acquiring a mysterious orb from a deserted alien planet, suddenly attracts the attention of several of the galaxy’s big bads, he is forced to build the rag-tag, bickering band of individuals coincidentally caught up in his planet hopping mess, into a team whose job is nothing short of saving the galaxy.

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Said team consists of Gamora (Zoe Saldanha), rebellious adopted daughter of Thanos (yes, that Thanos); Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), a rodent lab experiment with a chip on one shoulder and a great big gun on the other; Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), a giant sentient tree with a limited vocabulary (“I am Groot!”) but unlimited loyalty to his friend Rocket; and Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), a vengeance seeking warrior with a thing for knives and no idea about metaphors (you’ll see).

Their actions put them in the path of Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), a genocidal, religious radical who has slaughtered his way across a star system, and won’t stop until he destroys Xandar, the homeworld of his people’s sworn enemies and headquarters of the peacekeeping Nova Corps led by the brilliantly coiffed Nova Prime (Glenn Close). Helping Ronan in his dirty work is Korath the Pursuer (Djimoun Hounsou) and Thanos’ other daughter Nebula (Karen Gillan), who just wants to have a sisterly chat with Gamora (with some pointy space-swords, of course).

Then there’s still Quill’s associate/kidnapper/emotionally blackmailing father figure Yondu (Michael Rooker), the members of the Nova Corps (John C. Reilly and Peter Serafinowicz), the artifact gathering Collector (Benicio Del Toro) and of course the purple jawed god-being pulling all the strings – including several attached to Ronan –  Thanos the Mad Titan (voiced by Josh Brolin – and yes, he is as badass as you had hoped).

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If those last three paragraphs have left your head in a spin, then that’s because no movie is perfect. If there was any complaint to be leveled at Guardians – besides for a few nitpicks, like Ronan once again being a slightly undercooked villain, or this being yet another Marvel movie that features a giant spaceship falling on a city in its finale – it’s that the opening portion of the movie is a barrage of strange characters with even stranger names, many of which seem to have “the” in the middle. It’s a lot to digest, but luckily it doesn’t take long at all for Gunn’s script to very easily classify everybody’s stance, arc and allegiance, with nobody leaving you you scratching your head.

It’s this egalitarian and efficient approach to the cast that shines through at its finest when it comes to the movie’s entertainment factor. There are no standout scene stealers in this cast, as EVERYBODY steals the scene in just about every scene they’re in. And they all steal it often! I cannot recall when last I laughed this vigorously and this frequently at a movie, much less one studded with opulent space battles, insanely inventive art design, operatic character drama, an imaginatively unbound sci-fi setting and a tree with the most infectiously joyful smile you’ve ever seen.

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And that last bit is really what Guardians of the Galaxy is all about. It may not have the emotional depth of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, offer such subversive social commentary as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, or possess the instant brand-recognition and star power of X-Men: Days of Future Past, but what puts it head and arboreal shoulders above these other great 2014 blockbusters, as well as all other entrants in Marvel’s stable (and which allows it to overcome whatever minor foibles it may possess), is that its just so much damn fun.

To be more precise: A galaxy full of crazy dynamic fun heaped on big ideas, bigger characters, even bigger set pieces and the biggest grin you’re likely to have in a cinema this year.

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Guardians of the Galaxy opens in cinemas on August 1, 2014.

Last Updated: July 25, 2014

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34 Comments

  1. Something I didn’t mention in the review: Just like all other Marvel movies, Guardians also has an end-credits scene (probably two scenes actually if they keep up the recent trend), but these were not shown at any early press screenings anywhere as Marvel doesn’t want it leaked out. Which means you better keep your butts in your seat when you watch it, because this is probably going to be massive.

    Reply

    • Kromas

      July 25, 2014 at 09:08

      Should not be worth mentioning.

      Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      July 25, 2014 at 09:17

      In the beginning it was fun, but now I couldn’t be arsed (excuse the pun) to sit through 20 minutes of rolling text.

      Reply

      • Rince&pop

        July 25, 2014 at 09:39

        Why, you got better things to do? 😛

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          July 25, 2014 at 09:43

          Yes.

          Reply

          • Rince&pop

            July 25, 2014 at 09:43

            Shame.

  2. Spaffy

    July 25, 2014 at 08:55

    I can’t wait for this…:)

    Reply

  3. DarthZA

    July 25, 2014 at 08:58

    I can’t believe it happened, but I’m even more excited for this now that I have read your review!

    Reply

  4. Alien Emperor Trevor

    July 25, 2014 at 09:02

    “My wife is always saying that I’m prone to hyperbole” You mean the woman standing behind you in the queue at the coffee shop?

    Reply

  5. Dutch Matrix

    July 25, 2014 at 09:02

    I am optimistically cautious about this. Calling it bigger than The Avengers is a rather large claim to fame, as I hold that movie in highest regard possible.
    But I will venture forth and go see this. Just a quick one: This is not in the same vein as the great (read shitty) Watchmen?

    Reply

    • Kromas

      July 25, 2014 at 09:08

      Still better than twilight. 😛

      Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        July 25, 2014 at 09:17

        I dunno. I managed to sit through Twilight (all of them) but sweet Gods Watchmen was a snore fest and I walked out.

        Reply

        • Kervyn Cloete

          July 25, 2014 at 09:27

          Look, even if you don’t think this movie is better than The Avengers, I can completely understand, as different tastes and all that.
          You might fin the characters too weird, the setting too silly, the quirky soundtrack too quirky, but if there’s one thing I can assure you 100% about this movie, is that its never EVER boring. It’s just one big stupid grin from start to finish.

          Reply

          • Dutch Matrix

            July 25, 2014 at 09:33

            You forgot: I grew up in the 80’s, so weird characters does not faze me a bit. In fact, when I saw Rocket Raccoon for the first time I was sold on this.
            But silly I can also handle. Despite the track record of Super Hero movies these days though, I am just going into this expecting another Watchmen. I am silly I know.

          • Kervyn Cloete

            July 25, 2014 at 09:35

            Dude, this tonally as as far from Watchmen as can be. It’s Star Wars with a bigger budget, way better effects and a crap load more jokes.

          • Rince&pop

            July 25, 2014 at 09:37

            Dude, if you mention Watchmen again I’ll lean through your screen and slap you! LOL 🙂 That is like comparing Batman Dark Night to Fifth Element.

          • Kromas

            July 25, 2014 at 10:00

            If you ever put those two movies or any B-Grade movie next to 5th Element …. I will slap you with a multipass!

          • Rince&pop

            July 25, 2014 at 10:01

            Fifth Element was my favourite space opera movie. It is now my second favourite. SAID IT!

          • Kromas

            July 25, 2014 at 10:05

            My second favorite as well. My favorite has not been made but I can assure you if it does I will go watch in full IMAX 3D glory.

            Now guess what it is. 😛

          • Rince&pop

            July 25, 2014 at 10:07

            Man, it better be GOTG! I wanted to go straight back into the cinema and watch it again on Thursday.

          • Kromas

            July 25, 2014 at 10:15

            Not been made yet! Aka not GoTG.

            You lose.

            Also its Mass Effect if a movie ever gets made no matter how horrible it will be it will still be my favorite.

          • Rince&pop

            July 25, 2014 at 10:17

            Lulz. I’ve already seen GoTG and it’s so frigging good there is no way I can lose at ANYTHING!

        • Kromas

          July 25, 2014 at 10:01

          As a gamer I am ashamed to say I fell asleep watching Prince of Persia.

          Reply

      • Sageville

        July 25, 2014 at 09:49

        …as are most tv commercials

        Reply

    • Rince&pop

      July 25, 2014 at 09:35

      No need to be. It’s the best of the Marvel franchise by a mile man,. Really.

      Reply

    • Rince&pop

      July 25, 2014 at 09:35

      In response to Watchmen movie, NOTHING like it. It;s like Avengers, in space, with a lot more humour.

      Reply

  6. Alien Emperor Trevor

    July 25, 2014 at 09:05

    I can’t wait to see this.

    Reply

  7. Viking Of Science

    July 25, 2014 at 09:21

    ♪♫Hooked on a Feeling♫♪
    ♫♪I’m high on believing♫♪

    Reply

  8. Rince&pop

    July 25, 2014 at 09:39

    I also just wanted to add in there that you do NOT need to know the canon. I had no knowledge of Guardians before we went to see it and I loved it so damn much. In fact, I’d venture I liked it MORE as I was not disappointed by the changing of certain comic elements.

    Reply

  9. Sageville

    July 25, 2014 at 09:48

    MAXIMUM SCORE!

    Reply

  10. Sageville

    July 25, 2014 at 09:50

  11. Nick de Bruyne

    July 25, 2014 at 15:29

    I sat in the press screening with no coke and no popcorn. This is like an instant -4 stars out of pure unhappiness for my face. Despite that, the film managed to have me excitedly giggling the entire movie long, I can only imagine with my snacks, I may have actually died of joy. It is easily maybe some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching a movie before. Cannot wait to see it again.

    Reply

  12. Dutch Matrix

    August 4, 2014 at 08:56

    Meh. So I saw this yesterday and at most, you could beat 3 out of 5 stars out of me for it…

    Reply

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