"I'll die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy"

Rating: 10/10 (1 August 2014)

Star Wars for today's generation. And maybe even a little better than that because it is just packed with such fun that I haven't experienced in cinema for a long time. Marvel has outdone themselves once again. Marvel and Disney have been worried that this film will be a financial failure but I haven't been in such a crowded theater since the start of the year.
This origin story of this band of misfits starts out with an emotional scene, then the tone changes into this Indiana Jones in Space adventure, then it deliberately makes fun of itself and at last all these tones merge into one and the film keeps this tone for the whole length of the film. When it needs to be emotional it is, when it needs an action scene peppered with humor you get and action scene you haven't seen before. Everzthing in this film works except maybe the main villain. He isn't very menacing but you have so much fun in all the other aspects of the film so you are happy to overlook these details. Plus Ronan The Accuser serves just as build-up for a much greater threat.
Every character steals every scene they are in. There is no way you will be able to pick your favorite character because in every scene suddenly all of them become your favorite. Chris Pratt has turned over a night into a household name all thanks to Marvel and his charm and likability. Before he served as a professional goof ball but I don't think that will be the case anymore. He shows such a wide range -switching from comedy into action/adventure or a quick-witted scoundrel. Zoe Saldana has established herself a long time as the go-to-action actress and once she shows why she has earned that. She can be sexy, funny and kick ass all in one moment. Dave Bautista is a real surprise here as the warrior taking thins way too literal and therefore his actions and dialogue end up as some of the funniest in the entire film. Bradley Cooper has tried to make his voice unrecognisable as the Rocket Racoon and he has created not another CG animated character but a character from flesh, blood and fur. His cynical, gun-toting maniacal raccoon will surely end up as the fans favorite but as I have stated before all the characters get the same time to shine. Groot, a sentient tree with a limited vocabulary is the most innocent of all of the members of the team.
James Gunn had to abandon his dark humor and frankly a little weird for the mainstream audience but what is more than obvious is the enthusiasm that this film was made with. In every shot you can see the filmmaker who finally got the budget to realize all his dreams and ideas and so he stuffs into this film, all those shots and camera angles of his dreams are all here. The film is therefore such an amazing ride which sucks you in for 2 hours and then spits you out and you will want to go and see it immediately. It's that kind of a movie.
This is the film that all the teenagers are going to be talking about when they are 30 years old in the same way the Star Wars generation talks about that experience today. The whole Marvel Cinematic Universe is a history in the making which I am sure will be talking about for a long time. The choice is yours if you want to go and see heavy intense drama disguised as a summer blockbuster go see the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes . But if you want a self-referential light-hearted fun go see the Guardians of the Galaxy. It is one of the best films you will be able to see this year.