Guardians of the Galaxy follows in the footsteps of its more powerful, well-known superhero family members.  What Marvel has done over the past six years is just short of amazing.  Pumping out one, sometimes two big budget films a year to (mostly) critical and commercial success in almost every case.

 

That being said, Guardians of the Galaxy was somewhat of a risk for the studio. Unlike the previous Marvel films that featured well-known comic book characters for those who have never even picked up a comic book, Guardians is unknown by even the most die-hard comic book fans.  Not to mention the fact that director James Gunn (Super, Slither) doesn’t exactly have a massive track record and had never directed a big budget studio film before.

 

Last but not least, Guardians doesn’t have a big name actor like Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Evans to sell the film to the public.  In fact, the most recognizable faces among the cast are Bradley Copper and Vin Diesel.  Ironically, neither actor actually appears in the film, they just lend their voices to CG created characters.

 

Much of the success or failure of Guardians of the Galaxy and their presumed sequels falls on the shoulders of Chris Pratt.  Pratt is asked to walk in the shoes of other legendary Marvel superheroes.  A lot of pressure for an actor who is hardly a household name.  Pratt is best known as the perennial scene stealer on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation.  Pratt’s film career mainly consists of small roles where he normally plays the goofy best friend.

 

Pratt plays Peter Quill, who was abducted from Earth in the 80’s as a young boy. Quill is now a swash-buckling space outlaw who goes by the name of Star-Lord, an infamous rogue feared across the galaxy, or so he likes to think.  As a child of the 80’s, you can see who Quill probably grew up idolizing.  As Star-Lord, Quill feels like a cross between Indiana Jones and Han Solo.  Quill’s memory of pop culture is the one thing that keeps him connected to Earth.  That and a Walkman that is constantly playing 80’s pop songs.

 

Pratt carries the whole film and his character really sets the tone.  He infuses almost every scene with his free spirit and wise-cracking personality.  You can’t help but not love his character.  Guardians is sure to blow up Pratt’s career (he can be seen in the Jurassic Park sequel due out next year) and rightly so.

 

Quill rounds out his motley crew with Gamora, played by Zoe Saldana, a green-skinned assassin.  Drax, an eloquent behemoth trying to avenge the death of his family.  Drax is played by professional wrestler Bautista, who is surprisingly competent here as a cerebral brawler who takes everything literally, which happens to be one of the many areas mined for laughs.  Then there is Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper, a genetically engineered Raccoon whose temper is about as short as his stature.  Finally, there is Groot, a gentle giant of a creature that resembles a tree.  Groot is voiced by Vin Diesel, who has all of three words the entire film, but is sure to become a fan favorite.

 

This group of characters is what sets Guardians apart from all the other Marvel films.  They all have their flaws and they’re all interesting and unique.  They feel new and fresh and you can’t wait to see what kind of mischief they will get into next.  I’m not taking anything away from the other Marvel movies, I’ve enjoyed most of them, but many of them feel a little too formulaic and often times they take themselves a little too seriously.  

 

Maybe the best way to compare Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers would be to equate them to a high school setting.  The Avengers would be the popular jocks that get all the girls and the Guardians would be the misfits who are always getting into trouble.  As cool as The Avengers are, they are so powerful that it’s almost too easy to root for them.  Everybody loves to root for the underdogs and that’s exactly what the Guardians are.

 

Although Guardians is a pretty light film, there are quite a few heartfelt scenes, including one 5 minutes into the film that will have you reaching for a tissue before the opening title.  We get just a nugget of a back story from each member, which helps us invest and care for these strange characters.

 

Guardians also features one of the best soundtracks of the year.  Often times mixing catchy 80’s pop songs with fast-paced action scenes.  Possibly my favorite scene is one that will remind some people of a more deranged version of “Singin’ in the Rain.”

 

In the end, Guardians of the Galaxy was a huge risk for Marvel, a studio that can seemingly do no wrong since Iron Man came out in 2008.  To say that the risk paid off in a huge way is putting it mildly.  Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the best Marvel films to date and it might just be the funniest and most fun film of the year.