Commentary by Collin Stroup
Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace
Usually, I know what I want to see when it comes to movies. Guardians of the Galaxy is the movie I didn’t know I wanted. On a surface level, a movie about a human, a couple of aliens, a living tree and a talking racoon having adventures in space shouldn’t work. I’m glad it did though because this was a movie that wanted to show you a great time and succeeded marvelously.
The movie starts in 1988 with our hero Peter Quill, played by Chris Pratt, as a child being whisked away into the stars. We catch up with him years later living life as a thieving outlaw who calls himself Star Lord. The film sets the pace right away as he pops on his headphones, presses play on his Walkman and dances through the opening titles to “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone. After that, what we get is a movie I can only describe as a space opera comedy written by a child who had a budget of $170,000,000.
Guardians is a film that works on so many levels. Everything from the 70’s pop music soundtrack, the phenomenal makeup, the casting choices, and the witty dialogue all mesh together wonderfully. It’s also a rare movie where the stunning visuals enhance an already great script rather than carry a mediocre one.
Most of all though, it’s pure fun from start to finish. It’s the kind of movie that had a theater full of kids and adults laughing the whole way through. It never takes itself too seriously, but its characters and story are so engaging and charming that I cared about them and their mission. Basically what I am trying to say is get in your car right now, find your nearest theater and see it.
4 out of 5 stars
To read more about Collin’s thoughts on Guardians of the Galaxy and see some of his work visit www.thestroup.wordpress.com.
