Guardians of The Galaxy: A Few Words

While many casual moviegoers were taken aback with unfamiliarity at the announcement of Guardians of The Galaxy as a Marvel cinematic production, other, more comic-cultured masses were all abuzz with passionate and curious speculation from day one. Could it be done, the true fans wondered; could Marvel pull off a motion picture that both honors the original imaginations - and humor - of the Guardians' creators and create a whole new epic science fiction saga accessible not only to casual box-office patrons but also to admirers of the original, old-school Guardians, who - unknown to even those considering themselves comic junkies - made their comic debut in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 in January of 1969. Yes, forty-five YEARS ago! Whatever the result would provide, all sides could fairly say that the film was long overdue for its silver-screen entrance.

As very little could be said regarding the past directorial efforts of the project's lead man, James Gunn, fans were understandably nervous. With very little to his name but a slew of - admittedly - rather maligned attempts at directing films himself, it was certainly a surprise that such a man would be selected to head up one of the most expensive, most risky, and most iffy major sci-fi productions since J.J. Abrams' first Star Trek reboot in 2009 - but, as with J.J., the gamble paid off big time both critically and commercially, with both avid adorers and novice viewers celebrating in literal cheers and applause in many theaters across the world after first screenings.

It is indeed a strange phenomenon when a major Hollywood studio slaps their seal of approval on a man who simply does not have sufficient credentials for taking their money and doing with it as he pleases, so there absolutely must have been - no doubt - some behind-the-scenes puppeteering and manipulation to ensure a safe, workable, and most importantly, enjoyable final product. This suggestion is not merely intended as an insult to Gunn's directorial prowess, but rather a facts-of-life assessment of the movie industry as a whole. While some credit must nonetheless be offered to Gunn for his miraculous work ethic and talent, one would be simply naive to assume he alone was responsible for the success and competence of such a well-crafted and meaningful epic, brimming with envelope-shoving action, solid character development, spectacular astronomical visuals, universally admirable humor, and that special kind of end-of-the-day satisfaction that all came with my first viewing of Guardians of The Galaxy.

For reasons still to be assessed further, Guardians simply just works on so many levels. What can be said of its talent at this point - from the genuinely funny, charming, and handsome Chris Pratt to Hollywood's current sci-fi "It Girl," Zoe Saldana (of aforementioned Trek fame) and everyone in between - is that they overflow with chemistry, camaraderie, humor, bad-ass action, and a certain je ne sais quoi that pulls it all together in such a seamless fashion that almost no one could doubt - at the very least - Gunn's casting decisions.

Now for the inevitable - and quite necessary - aesthetic comparisons. As for visuals - and you know I'm all about visuals, especially when it comes to science fiction art direction and photography - Guardians looks, dare I even say it, better than those of Star Trek: Into Darkness. And that's saying a lot. Whether it's the eye-catching ship designs and detailing or the colorful, nebulous backgrounds of deep space, one can easily see the effort that went into making this science-fiction adventure one for the production design history books.

As for what one should consider the most valuable and most accessible aspect of the film - according to common cultural convention, its story - Guardians offers essentially the perfect arc. We see the characters developing, we feel for them as their paths grow increasingly difficult, challenging their loyalties and even their fundamental ideologies, and at the climax, we know: it's all been worth it. The payoff at the end, featuring a spectacular, atmospheric spaceship-battle showdown like no other, is a scorching, balls-to-the-wall, SFX-fueled showcase unparalleled in the recent productions of the past decade.

All in all, if you haven't seen Guardians of The Galaxy in the theater, make it a priority to do so. No matter your favorite genre - in fact, even if you like science fiction the least of all - take the time to enjoy this milestone in cinematic comic book history.

OVERALL SCORE: 92 / 100