This is FUN, d'you hear me? FUN.

Rating: 9/10 (5 August 2014)

Peter Quill, abducted by intergalactic scavengers as a child, finds himself in possession of a mysterious orb which attracts widespread (and unwelcome) interest. Unwillingly accompanied by a small and ragtag band of oddballs, Quill must reluctantly adopt a role for which has never previously regarded himself as equipped: a hero.
Based on one of their less well known comics properties, the latest movie from Marvel Studios is a part of the Marvel cinematic universe, although it is unlikely to be clear immediately (other than to expectant speculating comic fans) to what extent. This does not matter: this is a fine standalone movie, best looked upon as the sort of thing a Star Wars movie would have been if a) it had an entertaining plot, b) George Lucas could write dialogue, and c) it remembered to be fun.
The story is fun, the eye candy is fabulous, and the script is crisp and often laugh out loud funny. But the thing which makes this film is the characters. The band of 5 "Guardians", based closely on the comics, work perfectly both in isolation and as a group, starting as warring individuals and growing into a team. Chris Pratt does well as the fundamentally decent but hardly heroic Quill - a likable character, with more to him than simply being a good-looking protagonist. Zoe Saldana's Gamora carries some baggage as does Dave Bautista's Drax. Bautista who, I understand is a wrestler, delivers a particularly well-rounded character: superficially one-note, there are great depths here, conveyed well, in a performance which manages to be both funny and tragic, sometimes at the same time. But the two favourites here are quite definitely Rocket (a genetically modified raccoon with anger management issues, voiced by Bradley Cooper), and a walking tree called Groot (his three-word vocabulary voiced by Vin Diesel). Their interdependent relationship is a joy, and Groot simply owns all the movie's best moments.
The 3D is completely unessential and adds little.
Did I say this movie was fun? It is.