Guardians of the Galaxy (Gunn, 2014)

If Star Wars and The Avengers had a baby, the result would be Guardians of the Galaxy.

A fun, addicting space opera, Guardians is the most original and fun Marvel movie to date; not necessarily the best of the wildly popular cinematic franchise, but certainly one of the most memorable. Marvel and Disney took a huge chance with a team that has an unusually small Marvel fan base, but now no one will ever question who the Guardians of the Galaxy are ever again.

Combining the comedic and fun elements of the previous Marvel Cinematic Universe movies with the epic nature of being in deep space for 99% of the movie, it is a passionate affair that has a lot of heart and good-natured humor. The film is also non-stop action; even the more talky parts are elevated by the cast's incredible chemistry and a sharp screenplay that includes numerous pop culture references and insanely quotable dialogue. It's clean, family-friendly entertainment that everyone will enjoy. Director James Gunn really nailed this one on the head.

The five members of Guardians of the Galaxy (and major kudos to the marketing team for the film which made these names and faces recognizable long before the film was actually released) are Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), and Rocket Racoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper, performance captured by Sean Gunn, James' brother). All of them share equal screen time, and each are developed in a way that's nearly impossible to do. As previously demonstrated with The Avengers, the folks at Marvel are very talented in keeping their large casts on level playing fields with one another, never letting one overtake the other.

The plot follows Quill, a human raised by space bandits, starts the film by looking for a mysterious, high-priced orb on an alien world. Once he gets it, he is hunted by Gamora, who is working for galactic boss Thanos (Josh Brolin, taking over the "big purple guy" role from the end credits of The Avengers), bounty hunters Rocket and Groot, and hitman Korath (Djimon Hounsou). The orb is highly valuable, and incredibly powerful if used properly; the villainous Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) wants to use the orb to destroy the Nova Corps and their home world. After an unusual sequence of events, and not wanting the orb to fall into enemy hands, the four Guardians, along with Drax, must work together to stop evil from reigning over the galaxy.

The characters are what makes most Marvel films so popular, and Guardians is no exception. Ronan is a singularly menacing bad guy, and is significantly more threatening than the other Phase 2 Marvel baddies. Even the henchman, which also includes Nebula (Karen Gillan), are brutal villains. Oscar favorites John C. Reilly, Benecio Del Toro, and Glenn Close also contribute their own talents to the picture, demonstrating that this project is special in its high potential as a new, original, series. Unlike many other movies, Guardians actually uses its characters equally well, and even the supporting cast is sympathetic and recognizable (thanks in part to the high caliber nature of much of the ensemble).

A ragtag group of heroes, the titular Guardians of the Galaxy are an eclectic group of misfits who have no one to look out for other then themselves. They're orphans of their own species, and each has a secret agenda that haunts them to their core. Each has a tragic backstory, and despite what they say, they each need other to survive in this hectic galaxy. The actor's chemistry is phenomenal, and the scenes of them talking is absolutely hysterical. There's so many little nuances to their comedy that makes each line cause a laugh, and the line following after it to be even funnier.

In addition to the characters, Guardians of the Galaxy succeeds because of the impressive visual effects. It has probably the best use of IMAX 3D since Gravity, and the effects are well developed and expertly used. Groot and Rocket look incredible, and fit in nicely with the real-life actors. The battle sequences are awesome to behold, and it's bone-chilingly choreographed and directed. The makeup looks great, and it's very clear that the production team took time to carefully develop even the side aliens, as well as the unique set design of the various different worlds.

The music, featuring Quill's mix tape "Awesome Mix Vol. 1", elevates this film to the next level of greatness. This summer's films have done a nice job of using classic rock songs effectively, and are finally starting to do away with the god-awful cliche of adding a pop song over the end credits. Older audiences will know and love most or all of the songs on the soundtrack, which include "I Want You Back", "Cherry Bomb", "Come and Get Your Love", and of course "Hooked on a Feeling", which was perfectly used in the film's promotions. The score by Tyler Bates complements the film's many action sequences, but audiences will love the soundtrack songs that evoke Quill's only connection with Earth.

But through all the fun, all the action, all the fantastic comedy, there are five reasons to see Guardians of the Galaxy: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Groot, and Rocket Racoon. Pratt gives a star making performance, Bautista is my new favorite wrestler-turned-actor, Saldana is typically great in sci-fi, Diesel makes the best out of each of his limited character vocabulary, and Cooper steals the show as a talkative yet sensitive talking raccoon. It's an incredibly well-cast ensemble of featured characters that proves the Marvel brand doesn't have to be limited to Earth and the Avengers to tell an entertaining roller coaster of a story. 

I look forward to more Guardians of the Galaxy in the future, because I'm hooked on a feeling that these are the best "new" superheroes we've seen in a long time.