Simplicity in Superheros

Rating: 8/10 (11 December 2015)

Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy, a Marvel production, is a science-fiction film that bans a group of misfit rebels together to fight evil. Peter Quill (Wyatt Oleff), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket Raccoon (voice: Bradley Cooper), Groot (voice: Vin Diesel), and Drax the Destoryer (Dave Bautista) find they all have something in common and ban together in prison with the goal of stopping Ronan (Lee Pace), a dark warlord, from using a mysterious orb to destroy an entire race. Most superhero/comic book movies like the Avengers (another Marvel production) we find humanity and self-sacrifice to be the theme. Director James Gunn does a fantastic job of portraying this theme in a humorous but powerful manner.
The director uses many viewpoints throughout the film, however the interpretive viewpoint is more dominant. In several scenes, James Gunn uses an interpretive viewpoint to make the scene more powerful. When Peter and his gang of misfits are getting ready for the mega battle at the end of the movie, interpretive viewpoints help get the viewer pumped up to save the world. Flash cuts of the crew strapping on gear increase the emotion of the scene and stress the sacrifice they are about to perform. The music used in this scene does not necessarily fit the typical superhero orchestra. The music is that of the 80's mixed tape that Peter has been listening to since he was a child. This tape reminds Peter Quill of his mother and becomes what "Eye of the Tiger" is to Rocky Balboa. In order to understand self-sacrifice, one most first feel the emotion. I feel that the director does a classic job in this scene.
As with most modern day science-fiction films, the special effects are out of this world. Groot, the animated walking tree, is a prime example of just how impressive movies have become. The ban of misfit rebels find themselves trapped in attempt to retrieve the orb back from Ronan. With Groot's special power of growing his branches, he grows himself around the team and protects them from the inevitable explosion that will kill them all. This scene is shot in slow motion as Rocket Raccoon pleads with Groot to stop. By Groot protecting the group, he himself will die. The slow motion sequence of Groot's roots growing around the team of rebels enhances the emotion of the scene and further demonstrates what sacrifice is all about.
Superhero and comic book themed movies are some of the best films out there. With modern day special effects, the aesthetics are sure to please the eye. The plot is generally not difficult to follow and the theme is rarely hard to interpret. The simplicity of these types of films is what makes them so enjoyable. Having hope for humanity through the sacrifices of a superhero always makes for a good ending.