Male character overkill, but genius galactic old-school fun.

Rating: 9/10 (16 August 2014)

This latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe takes us on a voyage across the stars on a quest to save the galaxy. Although this may sound like a run-of-the-mill storyline, this is far a run-of-the-mill package.
Five vigilantes must unite to save the galaxy from the threat of an all-powerful villain, threatening to either destroy or conquer. While the main story arc may be reminiscent of Star Wars and the like, there are enough sub-plots, humour and 70s tunes to make it stand out on it's own, however rushed the final act may seem.
Our five heroes are played brilliantly by the cast, with most bringing a comedic value and chemistry that is greatly appreciated, especially Chris Pratt with main man Peter Quill's distracting pelvic thrusts. The characters are played so well that you really do have a connection with them during the climactic scenes, wondering how you felt so much for an over-sized twig with only three words in its' vocab; "I am Groot".
There are many an action sequence, as you can come to expect from Marvel. Gunfights, starship battles, and the wipe out of an entire platoon with the swing of an arm from a wooden Vin Diesel providing a fix for the action junkie.
But, as most over-hyped films do, there can exist a shortfall. Lack of female cast is notable, and unfortunately, the beautiful Zoe Saldana does not make up for this problem alone. Her character seems underplayed compared to the others, which is a shame, as her relationship with on screen sister Nebula could have been played further and been used to its full potential. Maybe this is something that we will see in sequels to come, as undoubtedly there will be.
Aside from this flaw, Marvel Studios have created yet another fantastic addition to the franchise, which many a die-hard fan (and not) will enjoy tremendously.