A sublime assault on the senses, easily the biggest hit of the summer

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2014)

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
In 1988, the young Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) has just seen his mother die of cancer and, after rushing out the hospital in a flurry of tears, finds himself abducted in to space. Twenty six years later, he's a space hopping, inter-galactic misfit, with a penchant for '70s soul and Motown and is in possession of a special orb, which is wanted by a distant relation of Jim Carrey's The Mask named Gamora (Zoe Saldana) who is planning to use it to betray her maniacal ruler Ronan (Lee Pace) who is planning to overtake the universe. But the orb is also wanted by desperate duo Rocket, a talking raccoon, and Groot, a rather monosyllabic talking tree. However, it turns out none of them are entitled to it and they all find themselves thrown in to the jail house, where they cross paths with the strong, silent Drax (Dave Bautista) who has a personal vendetta against Ronan. Together, they must unite together as one and stop his diabolical plan in it's tracks.
Guardians of the Galaxy has undoubtedly been the box office hit of the summer. So much so, that even I, on the last day of it's release, have taken a trip out to give it a glance. While the fanfares had died down slightly, it's interesting to chart how over the course of two months, this grandiose offering has taken the film world by storm, a risky venture as well, in as much as there are no established Marvel characters in the lead roles. But simply from the publicity poster, it inflames the senses, with it's dazzling, colourful array of characters and effects. And this would be a real case of reliably judging a book by it's cover, since the film delivers what it promises, a jaw dropping visual spectacle in every sense of the word.
Like the previous Marvel encounter, Avenger's Assemble, this doesn't make the mistake of becoming all style over substance, keeping the film flowing with an easy going humour throughout the film that is resplendent with the characters. Pratt's lead is a naturally buffoonish guy through-out the film, who has a wise cracking personality to match, while Cooper's talking raccoon is unavoidably crazy by it's very nature. As for Groot, he's voiced by Diesel, who just says the same line over and over again, which would probably suit his acting ability in more parts where he just appears as himself, although his character here, in the end reel (and throughout really), provides the film with it's more emotional, touching element. These characters are juxtaposed through-out with the more dynamic, forceful character's, in the shape of Saldana's lizard skinned female heroine and Bautista's hard, no nonsense presence. That's not to mention a supporting cast including the likes of Michael Rooker, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close and Benicio Del Toro.
Word of mouth, at least in part, must spread to make something a hit, and in Guardians case it's that it ticks all the right boxes and there's something to appeal to everyone, a lot of effort has been put in to every part of it and it pays off brilliantly. *****