How Marvel Studios' biggest gamble turned out to be one of its most beloved outings.

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2018)

When Marvel Studios first announced that they would be making a film based on the Guardians of the Galaxy, most people reacted the same way that the character Korath does in the film when told about Peter Quill's nickname of Star-lord... "Who?" Yes, the Guardians of the Galaxy were such an obscure group back then that I bet even some hardcore comic book fans were unfamiliar with them at the time. But nowadays, EVERYONE knows who the Guardians are and that's thanks to writer/director James Gunn's phenomenal efforts in crafting a super fun entry in the superhero genre.
'Guardians of the Galaxy' boasts some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most lavish visuals, and they are paired with some solid action sequences. And like any great MCU film, the screenplay is full of great bits of humorous dialogue, some of which even push the boundaries for a family-friendly MCU film released under the Disney banner (e.g. the Jackson Pollack joke; need I say more?). But amidst all of that, the film also boasts plenty of heart. You will become emotionally attached to a group of 'outlaws' that consist of a dance-loving human scavenger, a green-skinned alien assassin, a violence-happy warrior who doesn't understand metaphors all that well, a talking raccoon with a short temper, and a good-natured tree creature who can only say three words. So thanks to this, along with some great emotional poignancy, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1' proved that Marvel Studios was more than capable of producing high-quality feature films based around lesser-known characters.