Wednesday 27 August 2014

Guardians of the Galaxy (review)

by James Gunn

You said it yourself, bitch: We're the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Star-Lord / Peter Quill

A group of outlaws had to work together for a common purpose, then they will end up having to save the Galaxy.


I saw this movie on August 15th in London. I hadn't planned to watch a movie during my vacation in London, but then the idea came to me and I could not resist the thought of seeing this movie months before its arrival in Italy (planned, I think, for October).

This movie is beautiful! It already begins in an adorable way: we are on Earth in 1988, with this kid listening to a walkman with a cassette called "Awesome Mix vol 1", which reminded me of the compilation I used to do in those years, too! Then we do a time jump and 26 years later (in the present, 2014) we see adult Peter (so he should have more or less my age) and just after a few minutes and I love him already! :D And isn't it wonderful that his spaceship has a cassette player?!?
Then we meet the other characters, and I must say that I love them all! Drax the Destroyer seemed the least interesting, but then he made me laugh a lot for how it takes everything literally and doesn't understand metaphors! Groot and Rocket are obviously wonderful! The first is a tree that says only "I am Groot", but it means something different every time and only Rocket is able to figure it out. Rocket, oh well, why even talk about him? :) He'sa raccoon who loves guns and is a skilled tactician (I do not remember how many prison he escaped from!), he's touchy, but also so cute (but don't tell him that!). And then there's Gamora: just wonderful! I love Zoe Saldana, in every movie I've seen her she's always been amazing, and so badass! :)
Even the bad guys are pretty interesting. My favorite is Nebula, very cool. Then there's the Collector, a character we met in the after credits scene in Thor. Not bad also Yondu Udonta, Peter's adoptive father: a bastard, but how cool a character, especially its whistle-controlled arrow. And then of course there's Lee Pace as Ronan: I hadn't recognized him, but he's always cool.
There is also the usual cameo by Stan Lee (as an old womanizer) and the small role of Glenn Close as the Nova Prime Irani Rael: wonderful. And then there are other familiar faces that I recognized here and there, like agent Jones from White Collar and Michael from Roswell. Oh, and I almost forgot John C. Reilly in the role of Rhomann Dey of Nova Corps.
It an extremely trivial gag, but what can I say, maybe the timing, maybe Chris Pratt's face, it made me laugh anyway!
But Peter Quill aka Star-Lord is certainly the most beautiful character, idiot enough, but not stupid, a kind-hearted scoundrel, and, above all, so much funny! :D In particular I love the fact that he's tied to the 80s because that's when he left Earth. A wonderful example is his comment abot Footloose (see quotes at the end)!!! :D

In general, the plot of this movie is based on nothing particularly original: it's the usual story of a group of misfits who has to form a team, and find with each other that acceptance they had never had from the rest of the world. Movies of this type are a lot, to remain within the Marvel Universe, The Avengers also followed a bit this scheme, but personally I find it an expedient always effective if the characters are well made and these, as I said, were wonderful! And most importantly, I liked this movie so much because it's really fun! I laughed a lot! The most beautiful scene is without any doubt the final battle with the villain,

Another characteristic that's definitely worth mentioning is the beautiful soundtrack that, because of Peter, is made almost exclusively of songs from 70s and 80s: awesome! :)
In short, a great movie, from every point of view (I haven't mentioned action scenes, spaceships ones, science fiction technology, the almost love story ...) made me want to try reading the comics... For sure I cann't wait to meet again the Guardians of the Galaxy in the next movie!

Quotes

Gamora: You should have learned.
Peter Quill: I don't learn. One of my issues.

I have lived most of my life surrounded by my enemies. I would be grateful to die surrounded by my friends.
Gamora

Ain't no thing like me, except me!
Rocket

NOTHING goes over my head! My reflexes are too fast, I would catch it.
Drax the Destroyer

I am Groot.
Groot

Gamora: I'm a warrior, an assassin. I don't dance.
Peter Quill: Really? Well, on my planet, we have a legend about people like you. It's called Footloose. And in it, a great hero, named Kevin Bacon, teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that, dancing, well, is the greatest thing there is.
Gamora: Who put the sticks up their butts?

Rocket : Why would you wanna to save the galaxy!?
Peter Quill: 'Cause I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!

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