Marvel Studios does an A Team film (except it's good)

Rating: 8/10 (31 July 2014)

I saw this film this evening and it's already become a new favourite from Marvel Studios . The story of a group of convicts/outcasts brought together as (rather reluctant) heroes is not a new one but it's given new life and brings a rougher edge to the occasionally sterile Marvel Universe.
As a lifelong of Star Trek, my favourite series in that universe ended up being Deep Space Nine. Much as I loved Kirk, Spock, Picard and Data the characters and values on display could occasionally become a teeny bit patronising. Deep Space Nine allowed characters who operated in greyer areas to take a prominent role and, often, be proved the smartest in the room. In the Marvel Universe while Captain America and Thor have (just about) stayed on right side of pompous in their appearances to date, the sight of Peter Quill robbing (not rescuing) an ancient artefact while boogieing on through the opening credits is a clear example of the appeal of a character who doesn't always the follow the rules (and let's face it, RD jrs' Tony Stark is not as much of a rebel as he thinks he is).
The background of Peter Quill (an excellent Chris Pratt) as a child of the 80s (it's not a spoiler if it features in the first five minutes) brings a delightful sensibility to the alien universe that the film otherwise occupies. Few of the characters have any frame of reference for his various allusions and the script mines this fact well, the legend of 'Footlose' is particular highlight. (Another happy by-product of this 80's nostalgia is the best soundtrack to ever a grace a Marvel Studios film.)
The film is not without problems, like the Avengers the introductions to the various members of the ensemble mean that other aspects of the story are a left a little one-dimensional. As with the Avengers, it's the baddies who get the shortest shrift with Lee Pace and Karen Gillan left to do little but glare angrily at various characters. When weighed against the excellent main cast, Bradley Cooper is a riot and Vin Diesel is surprisingly touching as a motion capture tree, the unsentimental humour and some rather excellent fight scenes (including a prison break to remember) then the good definitely outweighs the not so good.
As an end note, viewers should stay for the end of credits sequences (there are two). Thankfully Marvel seem to be moving away from teasers for films that don't even have scripts. The second sequence is particularly good with a genuinely surprising appearance that ties in rather nicely to 80's sensibility that's permeated the film.