Guardians of the Galaxy

                Okay, finally, we have hit the actual movie. How did it hold up? AWESOMELY that’s how. This is perhaps one of the greatest movies I have seen in my entire almost 24 years of life. My younger brother, whom sees most of this stuff with me, said that it is perhaps his new favorite Marvel Movie. For anyone who doesn't know him, Matt can be hard to please.

Was Alyssa Milano popular in the late 80's?
If so, 100% sure that is who Star-Lord thought of when he
named his ship.

                Enough gushing, to the Facts. So basic story; in 1989 Young Peter Quill watches his mother die, not from alien space lizards but the big C. Somehow death by the Badoon sounds a little easier then cancer. He runs out as the rest of his family gather around his mother’s body, and is abducted by aliens. Flash forward a few decades we see grown Peter Quill breaking into a forgotten tomb to get his hands on a precious Orb. He is attacked by a few minions of the Kree Grand Accuser Ronan before making a getaway. Angered at the loss of the Orb, Ronan sends Gamora to take it from Quill by any means necessary. At the same time, the aliens that picked up Quill years ago put a bounty on his head for running off with the Orb. Two guys that pick up on this are Rocket and Groot. The four are then captured as Gamora and Quill fight over the Orb and Rocket and Groot try to capture Quill. They are thrown in prison together where they meet Drax, their fifth member. They break out of prison to get the Orb to another buyer for several billion Units. Not sure how much money this is, but Rocket was crooning that the six hundred thousand Units they’d get for Quill would make him and Groot stinking rich. Drax tags along to get a chance to kill Ronan. Things escalate quickly after that.

                As always, the good. In a word, EVERYTHING. This movie does a great job mixing the more humorous tone of this version of the Guardians with the heavier elements that a real superhero story kind of requires. The changes made to the source material, like making Gamora older when Thanos slaughtered her people, and making Drax and his family 100% alien fit with the overall narrative. They throw in moments where you start to feel for the characters at the weirdest times. Like when a drunken Rocket first starts a brawl but then goes into his background as a genetically and physiologically altered organism. Hit me right in the feels.

Gamora's sister Nebula
Who knew Amy Pond could be scary?

                Everybody was perfect for their role. Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper as Groot and Rocket were perfect. Even though Groot said nothing other than his usual “I am Groot,” he had the best visual gangs in the movie, and Diesel was able to deliver the line so well and so varied that it really didn’t get on my nerves. Rocket’s comments and general “I’m a jerk and I know it” was hysterical. Zoe Saldana as Gamora was excellent. She kicked butt and had a legitimate reason for wanting to turn against Thanos and Ronan other than “BOOM, conscience from nowhere.” I’m willing to bet that Star-Lord will be to Chris Pratt what Ironman was to Robert Downey Jr. He was just perfect, words cannot describe. Even Batista was amazing as Drax. Keep in mind I said he would be the weak link. But him as an alien whose species takes every 100% literally was perfect. Some things were subtle, like Quill noticing all of the obviously painful modifications to Rocket’s body. Other things, like how badly Quill wants to have some “alone” time with Gamora are not so subtle. But it isn’t bad, by no stretch of the imagination.

Mostly a side character but still great to see more than a
thirty second silhouette.

                I don’t think I can think of anything bad. Honesty, pacing was great, story was great, and the Villain was great. The settings, one of which was inside the colossal severed head of a cosmic being, were great. As were the CGI on Rocket and Groot. At times they seemed more real than Drax with all of his tattoos. The romance between Star-Lord and Gamora seemed a little too fast to be believed but not so much that my suspended disbelief couldn’t handle it. Perhaps John C. Reilly’s character, a member of the Nova Corps, getting so much screen time was a little weird but I by no means hated it. I’d say Gamora’s sister Nebula turning on Thanos was a little surprising but then I remember, Thanos is the worst Dad ever.           
                Okay, one kind of weak thing would be Ronan’s motivation. He wants to destroy this planet Xandar because his father and grandfather wanted to destroy it. For a more complex character like Red Skull, Ultron or even Victor Von Doom this would be weak motivation, but Ronan has always had a thing about ancient honor and such. So it is hardly a bit that would ruin the movie for anyone.

                Top marks, second ever movie that I give an +A to. Great cast, great setting, great everything. If you want to get into Marvel movies, this a great start. I hope that Marvel can keep this kind of momentum going for Avengers 2 and Ant-man next year. Next time: Something DC related. I’ve been neglecting those guys lately.

Pretty much a dream team.

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 http://screenrant.com/guardians-galaxy-nebula-gamora-fight/

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