GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

By stealing a strange orb, Space Pirate/ Relic Hunter Peter Quill inadvertently gets himself involved in a maniacal scheme that could destroy the entire galaxy. The alien hell-bent on committing this galactic genocide is Ronan the Accuser. Outnumbered and out-gunned by Ronan and his army, the Nova Corps must rely on Quill and his band of misfit criminals to save the day as well as the galaxy.

In spite of having an extensive catalogue of familiar characters, the decision by Marvel Studios to make a film based on an unfamiliar comic-book title was gutsy. Guardians of the Galaxy (GOTG) is the first cinematic foray into the actual universe of Marvel. Although The Avengers (2012) gave a glimpse of a few outer-space characters and locales, GOTG almost entirely takes place off planet Earth. Comprised of colourful aliens, eye-popping worlds and even a Han Solo type character (Peter Quill), this movie is the Star Wars of Marvel movies. The film-makers have kept the plot fairly straight-forward but fortunately have not scrimped on the visual spectacle.

The mixture of conventional and unconventional casting has proven to be a winning combination for GOTG. Chris Pratt (Peter Quill a.k.a. Star Lord) who's known for his comedic roles has made the transformation to action-man quite pertinently. Zoe Saldana (Gamora) keeps getting better and better with every character she plays. Dave Bautista (Drax) gets the award for breakthrough performance by being articulate as well as ass-kicking. Bradley Cooper (Voice of Rocket) and Vin Diesel (Voice of Groot) with their respective vocal contributions prove how invaluable supporting actors are to a movie. Rounding out the rest of the supporting players are Benecio Del Toro, Glenn Close, John C. Reilly and Michael Rooker who all give memorable performances.

Sometimes the best thing a movie studio can do is assemble a group of talented film-makers and give them the freedom to be creative. Marvel Studios has a great track record of hiring directors who may not seem like the best candidates to helm a comic-book movie, but these directors almost always come through. Jon Favreau (Iron Man, 2008), Kenneth Branagh (Thor, 2011) and The Russo Brothers (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2014) are examples of 'dark horse directorial expertise.' Needless to say, James Gunn is the newest name on that list. Having made quirky movies in the past such as Slither (2006) and Super (2011), Gunn is the appropriate choice to bring one of the most offbeat comic-book teams to the big screen. The script he co-wrote with Nicole Perlman is fresh, funny and filled with 80's pop cultural references. From the utopian environment of Xandar, the grimy coldness of Kyln and the other-worldly space-station called Knowhere; the locations and set design are extraordinary. The special effects are top-notch, the action scenes are gripping and the characters are interesting. James Gunn and company have increased the quality of comic-book movies and raised the benchmark for other Marvel movies-to-come.

Rating: 9/10

S. V. Fernando