"Guardians of the Galaxy" - An Action-Packed, Cosmic Gut-Buster

  

  The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a monster franchise that continues to grow exponentially with each and every film it releases. It's an unstoppable force that has no intention of slowing its ascension into cinematic history. What they've done thus far in establishing key characters, each with their own franchise mind you; all dove-tailing into the most immersive and collaborative cinematic experiences that has ever occurred, is nothing short of absolute brilliance. Marvel's post-Avengers films, or the "Phase 2" films within this universe, has done a fabulous job at keeping the train moving. In fact, of the Phase 2 films, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" has been hailed as not only as great as "The Avengers" but probably one of the best, if not the best film of 2014. Well, watch out Cap, because Marvel has hit it out of the park once again in a very big way with the truly epic "Guardians of the Galaxy". Trust me when I say, it does not disappoint.

   "Guardians" is by far the most different of any of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films prior, and it's by far the biggest in scale of any other. It's also worth noting that it's the funniest Marvel movie to date. The story follows an American pilot named Peter Quill, played by the awesome Chris Pratt. Toting around under the self-given name of Star-Lord, Peter finds himself the target of a crazy man-hunt spanning the galaxy. The evil Ronan (Lee Pace) covets a mysterious orb that just so happens to be in Peter's possession. With the help from an assassin named Gamora (Zoe Saldana), a revenge-seeking brute named Drax (Dave Bautista), a genetically altered raccoon named Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and a walking tree named Groot (Vin Diesel), Peter tries desperately to avoid allowing the orb to reach the clutches of Ronan.

   There are so many things about this film that succeeds on so many levels that it's just insane. For starters, this is the first Marvel film that takes us away from a singular place; whether it be Earth or Asgard, or some other realm, we've been limited to only a few places within this vast universe. "Thor: The Dark World" probably has the most "locations", if you will, spanning various worlds and realms. With "Gaurdians" we're taken all over the galaxy, in space, on planets; the vastness of the movie is a fresh shot in the arm and works great for a film that is as equally connected to the established universe as it is completely different. Now, there are plenty of things in this film that blatantly show how it connects within the universe of the prior films. I won't go into detail, so you'll have to find out for yourself; but that aspect was what I was most interested in seeing going into this movie. How does this film fit into the Cinematic Universe? Like a glove, I tell you. Like a glove.

   Second to the grand size of the film, the characters alone are a blast to watch. There's a fine bit of casting done in this movie, that's for sure. The movie is a comedy, which fits right into Chris Pratt's wheelhouse. He brings a charismatic realism to Peter that is relatable and funny. Watching Dave Baustista pummel people is always enjoyable, not to mention that a fair amount of his dialogue is hilarious. Zoe Saldana is riveting as Gamora. However, as much as those three rock the screen, they don't hold a candle to the likes of Rocket and Groot. Everything that crazy Raccoon says and does is hilarious and those two steal the show each time they're on screen. I credit the writers, James Gunn the director, and the talented Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel for crafting such awesome adaptations of these characters. I died laughing so many times...Rocket needs to be in every Marvel film. Period. The extended cast is equally as awesome.

   Being the first legitimate comedy that Marvel has produced, "Guardians of the Galaxy" will probably, in my mind, rival as on of the more favorite films of the entire franchise. It's a completely refreshing experience with such a compelling group of heroes, (and a soundtrack to boot), that you can't help but get lost in the hilarious madness of it all. It's an absolute blast to watch, and I can't wait to see how this film will continue to fit within the Cinematic Universe. We all remember the feeling we got when we first watched "Avengers" and the giddiness that ensued watching all those awesome heroes together on the same screen. To see the Guardians and the Avengers together would be a riot that would be next to impossible to out-do. It's bound to happen. At least I hope it does. At any rate, you can at least see the Guardians together now, and it's awesome.