25 September 2014

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) Marvel Studios

Guardians of the Galaxy is a very enjoyable movie - not deep, but enjoyable. 

Peter Quill, a free-lance adventurer and thief, acquires an artifact he intends to sell on the black market. He doesn't know what it is, and he is blissfully unaware that a lot of creatures in the galaxy, including some very powerful and evil individuals, want to take possession of it. Quill's bliss is short-lived, and he is soon beset on all sides by numerous foes who all want what he has got and are prepared to take it by any means, including murder. Quill quickly finds himself entering into very uneasy alliances with four other creatures, including a walking tree and a talking, tech-savvy raccoon, and they go off together to regain the artifact. Little do they realise what kind of powers they are up against or the vast schemes in which they will become entangled. 

Chris Pratt puts in a very creditable performance as the swaggering womaniser Quill. Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista provide equally creditable performances as the aliens Gamora and Drax. The show, however, is stolen by the CGI characters Rocket and Groot (the raccoon and tree I mentioned earlier). It could be argued that the CGI rendering of both theses characters and of the various backdrops of the film far outstrip the quality of the plot and the script. Alas, as happens too often in Marvel films, the action frequently descends into chases and shoot-outs that add nothing to plot or character development. 

So, if you enjoy a rollicking adventure in the spirit of Indiana Jones, and if you like a good space opera, then Guardians of the Galaxy is the film for you. If that isn't your cup of tea, you can always enjoy the scenery and admire how far the art of CGI has come. Most definitely keep an eye on the tree and the raccoon.

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