This is EVERYTHING the new Star Wars should have been - space-trucking drama and fun

Rating: 8/10 (4 August 2014)

In my mind, THIS is the very best comic adaptation on film to date - it blows away everything else. Of course, I admit I am biased because it also brings to the screen the fantastic, over-geared and outright psychedelic cosmic scene of the Marvel universe - this is the house built by Lee, Kirby and especially Starlin.
This is and has always been high fantasy/space opera in the purest form - and the movie pulls it off perfectly. But with a very intelligent twist, it also mixes in self-deprecating humor and doesn't take itself overly serious - laughter and drama goes hand in hand.
The cast itself walks right off the comic book pages - having grown up with Adam Warlock (I know - not in the movie but a lot of his supporting cast is) it was a thrill to see Gamora, Thanos, Drax and Ronan the Acuser come to life and be just perfect. Add to this Groot and Rocket - who blends right into the scenery and you forget they are CGI after a few minutes - and of course Peter Quill himself and you have dynamite waiting to blow.
The visuals are top notch, the main characters impeccable, the supporting cast flawless and sometimes handled by some serious A-listers like Benicio Del Toro and Glenn Close to name a few, the story line is almost classic Marvel adventure (bad guy wants to blow up universe - misfits band together - chaos and hilarity ensues - but it works and it evokes a feeling that THIS is what the prequel Star Wars movies should have been. Fun, drama, lovable rogues, CGI characters that have heart and a gleam in the eye and smile on the lip as everything goes to hell in a hand basket.
This movie has the wide-eyed wonder at high-fantasy space adventure fully intact and it shows.
I can't recall the last time I saw a movie where people spontaneously clapped and laughed at the same time - but this one pulls it off - that alone makes it worth an admission ticket :)