To say Guardians of the Galaxy was a hotly anticipated film from the Marvel Universe would be a significant understatement. Anticipation centered on the seismic shift away from standard super hero fare to something more akin to a tongue-in-cheek model. Guardians delivered on exactly that promise — and so much more.
The first of two viewing in the space of two weeks took place in the holy grail of theater viewing — the IMAX 3D variety. It was a costly though spectacular choice.
Guardians starts with a little historical perspective, setting the scene, but very quickly jumped into the story of Peter Quill, our main protagonist. This confident, shifty, and irreverent character is someone easy to enjoy watching, as is the rest of the ensemble cast.
The plot had a robust pace which naturally kept the attention of the audience and smiles on everyone’s faces. In my particular viewing, there were some classic laugh-out-loud moments enjoyed by quite a number of the audience and I found myself joining in. One particular favorite was the mention of Kevin Bacon, a hero from Earth’s past, who teaches a town is *is* okay to dance. And don’t get me started on Drax, the character to takes everything literally. Nothing goes above his head. Yup, did I mention tongue-in-cheek?
Beyond the characters and plot, the sheer visual feast was also impressive. Every set was crafted (either traditionally or digitally) to perfection, each “alien” was believable and precise, even the different worlds were rendered with depth and an attention to detail. All these elements and so much more provided an encompassing ambience, only adding to the enjoyment. Much like the original Iron Man and Robert Downey Jr., this cast is probably signed for at least two additional films and from where I sit that is nothing but a good thing.
After the second viewing in less than 10 days, I found my appreciation of the film only increase and vow to own this title in my personal collection. The Guardians of the Galaxy easy ranks as on the better films I’ve seen in a long time and would rate it a rock solid 5/5 stars. This is a must-see film, theater optional, but highly recommended.