Guardians of the Galaxy: Big Marvel Movie Re-Watch
I'm attempting a great big Marvel movie re-watch ahead of the release of Captain America Civil War on 29th April. A summary and brief review of each of the 12 instalments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be posted each Thursday and Tuesday.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Plot Summary
On Earth in the year 1988 Peter Quill loses his mother to illness in hospital and is subsequently abducted by aliens. Years later and he is working as a Ravager, a scavenger who finds objects for money. He steals an orb for a job but as soon as Ronan the Accuser chases after him the buyer no longer wants the object. Thanos' daughters Gamora and Nebula are also dispatched to take the orb back. Groot a tree that can only say "I am Groot" and a talking racoon named Rocket, take a bounty to capture Quill. All four of them are arrested on planet Xandar, capital of the Nova empire, by Corpsman Dey and his men after making one hell of a scene.
The four along with Drax the Destroyer, who also has a beef with Thanos and Ronan, for killing his family, escape from a maximum security prison just before Ronan shows up looking for the Orb. They team up and try to sell the Orb to a collector. Each wanting revenge on Thanos or Ronan for various reasons. They take the Orb to a buyer named the collector. Last seen at the end of Thor the Dark World. He tells them that the Orb holds an object of immeasurable power. One of six infinity stones. That is why Thanos and Ronan want the item so badly. The team self proclaim themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy and decide the best thing to do would be to turn the stone over to the authorities on Xandar. Trouble is Ronan has disobeyed Thanos and is now leading an attack on Xandar.
The team and the Nova Corps fight back in spectacular fashion, and wind up using the stone against Ronan. It turns out that Peter Quill is half alien himself as that was the only way he could withstand so much power.
End Credits Scene
In typical fashion we've got two again. The first one is Twig Baby Groot dancing to Jackson 5 every time Drax looks away. After sacrificing himself in the films climax, it looks like Groot will be regrowing for the sequel.
In the second the Collector sits in the reck of his collection drinking a cocktail with Howard the Duck.
This is a weird film.
Review
This film is nothing short of amazing. After doing so well in the same year with a deadly serious Winter Soldier with ramifications for years to come, this film flips the genre again almost to pure comedy, and yet comes up just as enjoyable. I have a saying about comics: comics should be fun. This is the most fun I've had watching a film for a long time. There's two things that movie can never be for me, too long or boring. Sure there's overlap between the two rules there, but this film ticks all my boxes in the most entertaining way.
Despite being solid comedy gold the film has just dazzling special effects, and action set pieces. Things that you wouldn't see in other marvel movies due to the cosmic setting. Despite the humour however there is a deep emotional core to each character and I dare you not to shed a single many tear when Groot says "WE are Groot" before sacrificing himself, or when Rocket is sat holding the splintered twigs in the aftermath, sobbing into his hands, or even when Peter sees his mother when he needs strength to pull through and use the power of the stone against Ronan. There's a connection to the characters that you just don't get in most dramas these days.
I was serious worried about this film before seeing it, I'd heard everything from it being a throwaway movie that doesn't matter with the rest of them and also that it was the next Star Wars. While I can see how you might think both of these, those are two very extreme statements. This film clarifies the existence of the Infinity stones and gives a brief history of each. It's safe to say that the Guardians will be taking part in the epic Avengers Infinity War two-parter film. So while Captain America or Iron Man won't be walking by in the background, it really does matter in the scheme of the overarching plot of the whole franchise. I can see where the star wars comparisons come from too. Peter Quill is basically a scoundrel in the mould of Han Solo and Groot is a towering creature with no language skills. The worlds are vast and fleshed out, it's very absorbing and there are very easy comparisons to make.
I praised the Deadpool marketing team but I think the team behind this film also need a hell of an applause. Trailers and posters were designed to introduce characters that are complete unknowns, even to avid comic readers like myself. I'd read very little of this team before seeing the film. They made it look so fun and enjoyable that its opening weekend smashed all records for the studios short history, and with no RDJ in sight! This was clearly the start of Marvel's, wait, if we could make a successful film about a tree and a raccoon then we could basically do anything and make people love it.. way of thinking, which probably led to Ant-Man getting made.
The trailers started out this epic 70's music megamix that followed through the entire movie too. As a plot device Peter's mother made him a mix tape of music for him, and shortly before dying she gives him a gift that is wrapped up. Throughout the film he routinely wears his walkman and blasts music that really doesn't belong in a scene or even dances about to it, with his mix tape volume 1. At the end of the film he finally opens the gift to fin a volume 2 waiting for him. The music is so important to this film and it's success that the sequel is literally called Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. I can't put into words how excited I am for it either.
The humour throughout adds so much charm and likability to each character that I dare you to go see this film and not to want a little potted Groot upon finishing it.
Guardians of the Galaxy Rating: 9/10
Despite being the polar opposite of the Winter Soldier's tone, this has all the charm, heart and likability that you would ever need in a film. So enjoyable. The sky is the limit for this ones sequel.
 |
| The 10th Marvel Movie. |
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Plot Summary
On Earth in the year 1988 Peter Quill loses his mother to illness in hospital and is subsequently abducted by aliens. Years later and he is working as a Ravager, a scavenger who finds objects for money. He steals an orb for a job but as soon as Ronan the Accuser chases after him the buyer no longer wants the object. Thanos' daughters Gamora and Nebula are also dispatched to take the orb back. Groot a tree that can only say "I am Groot" and a talking racoon named Rocket, take a bounty to capture Quill. All four of them are arrested on planet Xandar, capital of the Nova empire, by Corpsman Dey and his men after making one hell of a scene.
 |
| Such likeable characters. |
The four along with Drax the Destroyer, who also has a beef with Thanos and Ronan, for killing his family, escape from a maximum security prison just before Ronan shows up looking for the Orb. They team up and try to sell the Orb to a collector. Each wanting revenge on Thanos or Ronan for various reasons. They take the Orb to a buyer named the collector. Last seen at the end of Thor the Dark World. He tells them that the Orb holds an object of immeasurable power. One of six infinity stones. That is why Thanos and Ronan want the item so badly. The team self proclaim themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy and decide the best thing to do would be to turn the stone over to the authorities on Xandar. Trouble is Ronan has disobeyed Thanos and is now leading an attack on Xandar.
 |
| Strong female characters on both sides of the good and evil. Also Nebula escaped and may be one of very few villains to feature in more than one film! |
The team and the Nova Corps fight back in spectacular fashion, and wind up using the stone against Ronan. It turns out that Peter Quill is half alien himself as that was the only way he could withstand so much power.
End Credits Scene
In typical fashion we've got two again. The first one is Twig Baby Groot dancing to Jackson 5 every time Drax looks away. After sacrificing himself in the films climax, it looks like Groot will be regrowing for the sequel.
 |
| I immediately bought the baby Groot Funko Pop upon returning from the cinema. |
In the second the Collector sits in the reck of his collection drinking a cocktail with Howard the Duck.
This is a weird film.
Review
This film is nothing short of amazing. After doing so well in the same year with a deadly serious Winter Soldier with ramifications for years to come, this film flips the genre again almost to pure comedy, and yet comes up just as enjoyable. I have a saying about comics: comics should be fun. This is the most fun I've had watching a film for a long time. There's two things that movie can never be for me, too long or boring. Sure there's overlap between the two rules there, but this film ticks all my boxes in the most entertaining way.
Despite being solid comedy gold the film has just dazzling special effects, and action set pieces. Things that you wouldn't see in other marvel movies due to the cosmic setting. Despite the humour however there is a deep emotional core to each character and I dare you not to shed a single many tear when Groot says "WE are Groot" before sacrificing himself, or when Rocket is sat holding the splintered twigs in the aftermath, sobbing into his hands, or even when Peter sees his mother when he needs strength to pull through and use the power of the stone against Ronan. There's a connection to the characters that you just don't get in most dramas these days.
 |
| Nothing goes over my head, my reflexes are too fast. I would catch it. |
I was serious worried about this film before seeing it, I'd heard everything from it being a throwaway movie that doesn't matter with the rest of them and also that it was the next Star Wars. While I can see how you might think both of these, those are two very extreme statements. This film clarifies the existence of the Infinity stones and gives a brief history of each. It's safe to say that the Guardians will be taking part in the epic Avengers Infinity War two-parter film. So while Captain America or Iron Man won't be walking by in the background, it really does matter in the scheme of the overarching plot of the whole franchise. I can see where the star wars comparisons come from too. Peter Quill is basically a scoundrel in the mould of Han Solo and Groot is a towering creature with no language skills. The worlds are vast and fleshed out, it's very absorbing and there are very easy comparisons to make.
I praised the Deadpool marketing team but I think the team behind this film also need a hell of an applause. Trailers and posters were designed to introduce characters that are complete unknowns, even to avid comic readers like myself. I'd read very little of this team before seeing the film. They made it look so fun and enjoyable that its opening weekend smashed all records for the studios short history, and with no RDJ in sight! This was clearly the start of Marvel's, wait, if we could make a successful film about a tree and a raccoon then we could basically do anything and make people love it.. way of thinking, which probably led to Ant-Man getting made.
The trailers started out this epic 70's music megamix that followed through the entire movie too. As a plot device Peter's mother made him a mix tape of music for him, and shortly before dying she gives him a gift that is wrapped up. Throughout the film he routinely wears his walkman and blasts music that really doesn't belong in a scene or even dances about to it, with his mix tape volume 1. At the end of the film he finally opens the gift to fin a volume 2 waiting for him. The music is so important to this film and it's success that the sequel is literally called Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. I can't put into words how excited I am for it either.
The humour throughout adds so much charm and likability to each character that I dare you to go see this film and not to want a little potted Groot upon finishing it.
 |
| So many Infinity Stones accounted for you can almost taste the Infinity War movie now. |
Guardians of the Galaxy Rating: 9/10
Despite being the polar opposite of the Winter Soldier's tone, this has all the charm, heart and likability that you would ever need in a film. So enjoyable. The sky is the limit for this ones sequel.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Big Marvel Movie Re-Watch
Reviewed by Matt
on
04:15:00
Rating:
Reviewed by Matt
on
04:15:00
Rating:
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