C&C Retrospective - Guardians Of The Galaxy - Phase 2 Lead - Up to Avengers: Age Of Ultron

C&C Retrospective - Guardians Of The Galaxy

The Final part of our Phase 2 Lead - Up to Avengers: Age Of Ultron!

By Dan Uppington  

One day people.
 

One day until Age of Ultron. We're so close. I can almost hear James Spader's sentient growl whispering in my ears, and feel the building-shattering animosity between the Hulk and Iron  Man ... and Captain America ... and maybe Thor ... There's a lot of dissent in the team from what the trailers have shown us, but I am PSYCHED to say the least! I'll have my multi-flavoured slushy in one hand, arm rest firmly gripped by the other, ready for the film that will kick start my summer and send me into what I call Dan 2.0 mode for the rest of the year. But first, here's something completely different. Our final stop on the long, winding road that is Marvel's Phase 2; Guardians of the Galaxy.

Once you open the door there's no going back

"...and you think life takes more than it gives, but not today. Today it's giving us something. it is giving us a chance. A chance to give a shit."

Marvel also gave James Gunn a chance. A chance to write and direct a film that has no rules, no guidelines and no mercy. And sweet Hades below did he blow it out of the water. Guardians of the Galaxy is a charming and giddy affair that has everything that made me fall in love with Star Wars, and all that I wish Firefly still was. It's silly but sincere, and shameless in it's mission to prove you don't need morals nor be a people person to be a hero.

Starlord in action, don't get cocky kid!

I haven't been to watch a film in so long where I genuinely smiled the whole way through, and left thoroughly satisfied. Though the emotional scenes certainly punched me hard enough in the heart to leave me sincerely feeling for these characters (especially when I realised that Zoe Saldana wouldn't actually get a semi-nude scene as per the trailer, but I'll let it go).It's a slight struggle to summarise this film in a few sentences like I have done with the other Marvel Phase 2 films because there are so many characters with their own sub-plot dramas and supporting cast, of which all intertwine and come to a head in the film. But it's the  delivery of the characters and their development that really enables us to connect to them and stick with them on their journeys to become something more than themselves.

The Prison escape scene is an absolute stand-out, action-packed AND hilarious!

To consolidate the film I'll say this: A group of intergalactic misfits are scraped from the bottom of the celestial barrel to form a team to fight a supercharged warrior bent on destruction in this beautiful cosmic fantasy epic.Ok so it was a little easier than I thought, but it does not do the film any justice! 

There is so much to like about this film it's not even funny

Going into the cinema with that as my only clue and no research into the source material, I was blown away by the interweaving complexity of the different stories and personalities on screen, but there is a big pay off which is driven by the main plot and reaches a fever pitch for the big finale.

Look up true love in the dictionary and you'll find this picture

Visually speaking, there are plenty of bright colours and gorgeous space-scapes that will leave you breathless, and help to add to the escapist vibe of the film. Think Lost in Space, minus Joey Tribiani. Gorgeous spaceships and the classiest spaceports allows this film to 

rest on top of the Marvel pile by itself and sit pretty in the category of a Space Epic.

Marvel's FX are maxed out in this picture and GOTG lays claim to being their most beautiful film yet

The characters make this film the success that it is. All played marvellously by their respective hosts. Chris Pratt shines as the Earth-born outlaw Peter Quill, known only to himself as Star-Lord (the origin of which almost left me in tatters), and his corny and man-child demeanour is fuelled by his Awesome Mix tape which is equally as cheesy and cheeky as him (although after watching Parks & Recreation, it's difficult to shake off Andy's presence). Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper respectively provide the cool bad-assery in Gamora and Rocket Raccoon, and Vin Diesel is able to pad out the scenes as his tree-giant-thingy in Groot, with a singular catch-phrase which combines the thrill of introducing yourself with the excitement of repeating it endlessly. Dave Bautista is my gold star player in this film as Drax the Destroyer, bringing a larger than life presence and excellent intensity matched only by his inability to grasp metaphors as they fly straight over his head (though we know he'd easily catch them).

Their aren't enough superlatives to describe this cast, they all work so well together

Lee Pace uses a booming voice, domineering stance and a big hammer to cut himself from the tarpaulin cloth that the MCU villains are made to really stand out as Ronan the Accuser, and is supported fantastically by Karen Gillian who is on another level as android enforcer Nebula. Thanos and his double-thumbed bitch from Avengers Assemble fame are present in the film, which is a nice touch to be thrown so far into the open of the MCU this early prior to Infinity War. Marvel loves to plant their seeds! As far as a supporting cast goes there is plenty, and all do a stellar job to fill out the universe the Guardians are working in.

Ronan hoping to bring his Purple "reign" across the universe

Colourful, sincere, ridiculous and cheekier than the Nando's you had last night, Guardians of the Galaxy shakes off the Marvel set criteria for superheros and does whatever it wants. A spectacular cosmic adventure that left me beaming with joy and wanting more. I'm giving it 10/10. Shamelessly. What can I say? apart from ...

IIIII-III-III-IIII-IIIII'm (dush dush) hooked on a feeling! Bah-Bah Bah Baaaaaaaah....

Seriously Marvel hurry up with the sequel!