The Marvel formula brews magic yet again

Rating: 8/10 (8 August 2014)

If you enjoyed 'The Avengers', 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier', or any of the numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe productions, inquire no further. 'Guardians of the Galaxy' maintains Marvel Studios' solid winning streak with its vibrant mix of action, humor and heart.
Out of the five titular protagonists, it's Rocket, a hyper-intelligent, hyper-cocky raccoon, and Groot, a sentient humanoid tree, that steal the show, however all of these misfits receive their time in the spotlight, with their unique personalities and traits. This is countered by the film's overly one-dimensional, archetypal villains.
The special effects are fantastic, the screenplay is witty and pop- culture savvy and the fight scenes are inventive and well-choreographed. As opposed to a largely orchestra-driven soundtrack, 'Guardians' makes a bold choice of using '70's pop music, which ultimately fits in well with the film's happy-go-lucky tone.
Certain actors, such as Benicio Del Toro and Glenn Close, don't receive nearly enough screen time that they deserve, but work well with what they're given. In terms of the MCU, 'Guardians' introduces concepts (and refers to devices present in other installments) that will obviously make a greater impact further down the road, such as out first decent look at the MCU's Big Bad.
This is what the Star Wars prequel trilogy could have (and should have) been like. Recommended viewing.