The superhero movie of the summer may not actually be a superhero movie at all. Based on the comic series of the same name, “Guardians of the Galaxy” was hyped and advertised at a star-studded San Diego Comic-Con panel this year. It’s the kind of marketing that geeky moviegoers have come to expect—but this time, the characters aren’t just here to save the world; they’re also here to make you laugh.
Any movie released with the Marvel brand carries a plethora of structural expectations: a prophecy, a supervillain, a victorious protagonist and an excuse for extremely violent explosions. “Guardians” has the prerequisites locked down tight.
The movie begins by introducing our sole earth inhabitant. Peter Quill, played by the irreverent Parks and Recreation star Chris Pratt, witnesses his mother die of cancer. He is immediately abducted by aliens and assimilated into a community of nomadic space thieves, or “Ravagers.”
Because of the main character’s American origins, the filmmakers are able to intertwine pop culture references more so than a typical sci-fi movie. For example, Quill, who insists on being called “Starlord,” owns a spaceship conveniently decked out with a sound system full of ’70s rock songs. He talks about American film actors and jests about what would appear in the ship’s interior “if someone were to run a black light through the place.”
The film’s American tint gives the comedy a familiar, friendly edge. “We’re just like Kevin Bacon,” muses Quill’s oblivious comrade Gamora (Zoe Saldana) in a later scene. Guardians is perfectly aware of its audience and has no qualms encouraging viewers to laugh at naïve aliens.
Pratt’s cynically abrasive performance stands among other varied characters who collectively become an Avengers-esque crime-fighting crew. The team first finds common ground when incarcerated in an intergalactic prison.
Stripped of freedom, Quill crudely pretends to crank a lever with one hand, slowly erecting a middle finger for the mug shot photographer. Meanwhile, the diminutive Rocket the Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) begrudgingly endures the photo by shouting at the plexiglass.
Gamora, the tough, green-skinned assassin, acts as the Squidward figure of this crew. Her mild demeanor only produces comedy in combination with another character’s stupidity.
While the villainous leader of Kree empire, Ronan, is undoubtedly the antagonist of the story, the film intelligently chooses not to emphasize the plot. The sequence of events in the movie exists more as a framework in which the characters’ strong personalities can interact. Rather than focusing on what the characters accomplish, director James Gunn instead captures who they are.
Ultimately, Guardians feels like a Star Wars parody presented at hyperspeed pace. Stunning computer-generated graphics, dazzling action sequences and genuinely dramatic moments complete this cinematic success. Though there are no groundbreaking twists or “I am your father” moments, Guardians of the Galaxy is a funny, entertaining take on the high-budget sci-fi genre.
