Guardians of the Galaxy Movie Review

Guardians of the Galaxy Movie Review

There are two reasons I didn't go see this movie sooner. I'm not much of a science fiction fan and I'm very tired of the superhero movies. For the past few years the market has just been flooded with superhero movies and I'm over it. When my dad mentioned that he wanted to see this movie for his birthday I figured it that it has to be the number one movie in North America right now for a reason.

The first five minutes into the movie and all I could think was "what did I get myself into?" It starts off very fast paced and feels more sci-fi than Star Trek did but as soon as Chris Pratt's character Peter Quill/Star-Lord got introduced, I was feeling it. I'm such a Chris Pratt fan from his work on Parks & Recreation. He was the perfect person to cast as the underdog superhero.

There was actually quite a large notable cast. In addition to Chris Pratt there was Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounson, John C. Riley, Glenn Close, Sean Gunn, Benicio del Toro and the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Zoe Saldana is so talented and once again she proves that she can hang with the big boys. Her character was fantastic and I always enjoy seeing a strong female character in everything I watch. 

My dad enjoyed the music most of all, which is a pretty important part of this movie. At the beginning of the movie we see Peter Quills mother die and the music on his cassette mix tape reminds him of her. Being in my mid-twenties there was only three songs that I recognized ("Hooked On A Feeling", "Cherry Bomb" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough") but the music got stuck in my head just the same. In fact as I'm sitting here typing this my brain is still playing "Cherry Bomb", which is starting to get slightly annoying since I only know the words to the chorus and they are constantly repeating ("Hello daddy, hello mom, I'm your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!"). I should really learn the rest of the words.

This movie is different than a regular superhero movie because it has a heart. These characters working together don't have to get along and don't have to like each other but they become like a family by the end of the movie. While working together to accomplish their goal, five different characters from five different walks of life realize that they need each other. It's refreshing, heartwarming and anytime you can make me shed some tears, you've likely won over my heart.

My favorite scene and quote from the movie comes when Gamora (Saldana) asks Peter (Pratt) why he was willing to risk his life to save his walkman with cassette tape. He puts the headphones over her ears and tries to get her to dance.

Gamora: "I'm a warrior, an assassin. I don't dance"

Peter: "Really? Well on my planet, we have a legend about people like you. It's called Footloose. And in it, a great hero, named Kevin Bacon, teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that, dancing, well, is the greatest thing there is."

Gamora: ".......Who put the sticks up their butts?"

I did notice that this movie was a little more risque than say the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remake was. The movie is rated PG-13 but of course parents are going to take their little children to see it. I'm sure most of them assume it couldn't be bad with a tree and a raccoon in the main cast. There are quite a few swear words in this movie as well as one scene with Peter where he's giving the finger. I was sitting next to a dad with this three children in the theater and the kids couldn't have been older than seven. I'm usually not a stickler for things like this because I'm an adult with no children but I couldn't help by feel slightly uncomfortable.  

The only question that I thought would be answered by the end of the movie was who Peter Quills dad was, but I guess they had to leave something for the sequel. I'm excited to see Disney take this franchise and run with it. They are the best company for merchandising (I already have Dancing Groot on my Christmas list) and there are several scenes in this movie that could be made into really fantastic Disney Park rides if they choose.

By the end of the movie I was in love with it and I feel so guilty that it took me five weeks before I gave it a chance. Even if you aren't a fan of science fiction movies, or maybe you're like me and tired of the superhero genre, I beg you to just give this movie a chance. Anybody with a sense of humor and a heart will fall in love with it like I did. What else can I say. I guess I'm just hooked on a feeling. And this movie.

Grade: A

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