In Marvel’s summer blockbuster “Guardian’s of the Galaxy,” Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), abducted from Earth as a child, becomes the target of the universe’s greatest manhunt after acquiring an intriguing and powerful orb. A passionate fan of cheesy seventies music, Quill teams up with Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesel), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax (Dave Bautista) to protect the universe. Each character brings a different flavor to the ragtag group, known as the “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Ronan (Lee Pace), Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker) and Thanos (Josh Brolin) are the three main antagonists, and they all want to get their hands on the orb for their evil enterprises. However, the fact that the enemy is split into separate entities makes each of protagonists less impactful, and ultimately unmemorable.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” fails to dig deep into the emotional pasts of its characters, but this is arguably why it’s this summer’s biggest hit: it doesn’t weigh its audience down with complex themes of the human condition. Instead, “Guardians” comes up with one cheeky joke after another. It makes fun of the epic, climactic battle scene by paying homage to “Footloose.” Its characters are not upholders of good morals but are selfish and dysfunctional underdogs who manage to earn the audience’s approval.
“Guardians” isn’t Marvel’s all–time best, but it is a great movie–going experience. Watch it not for its memorable quotes or impeccable storyline, but for its witty humor and relatable characters. I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t fallen in love with Vin Diesel’s Groot, who only has one line: “I am Groot.” For the wary moviegoer who has seen too many iterations of the predictable superhero picture, “Guardians of the Galaxy” will remind you why you loved going to the movies in the first place, and it’ll make you want to go back and experience the fun all over again.
