Marvel’s latest band of superheroes movie, Guardians of the Galaxy recently opened in cinemas nationwide.
I was ready to be thoroughly disappointed by what I pegged to be a kids’ movie. And I’m really glad that I was wrong. Yes, it does have a significant appeal for kids and minus a few adult jokes, can be a family film but it wasn’t at all disappointing. Where Guardians of the Galaxy sets itself apart from other superhero team movies is that it has a huge amount of cheesiness without actually feeling really cheesy. What I mean is that it follows the usual steps of team movies (band of misfits unwillingly join forces, disband then realise the true meaning of friendship, etc.) but the movie is filled with heart and wit, rather than the general cheese factor that can overshadow these type of movies. I was even pleasantly surprised that I noticed the cinematography at all. Guardians of the Galaxy is a feel-good action movie reminiscent of old-school action sci-fi flicks … with beautiful scenery as a backdrop. If you’re old enough to remember then you might even feel like you’re riding along with Han Solo or Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element.
Our unlikely heroes span a range of galactic species and comprise of Peter Quill (played by rising star, Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana – becoming quite a familiar silver screen face), Drax (Dave Bautista, the wrestler), Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). The characters take a bit of time to warm up to viewers but once they do, you’ll find them witty with great group chemistry. Saldana at times does seem to be left out of the funny group dynamics but the rest of the characters make up for this especially a surprisingly funny Bautista. Pratt seems to be on a roll lately jumping ship from a smaller Parks and Recreation character to voice Emmett in the Lego Movie and soon to appear in the next Jurassic Park movie. What makes Pratt’s character especially likeable is that he adds a humility to Peter Quill that prevents his lead character from coming across as arrogant. The cast is supported by characters who were overshadowed but nevertheless worked well to complete the first in what should be quite a few Guardian of the Galaxy projects. They include Lee Pace (Ronan, the main antagonist), Djimon Hounsou (Korath), John C Reilly (Corpsman Dey), Glenn Close (Nova Prime) and Benicio Del Toro (The Collector – a character that was very underused). The best lines undeniably go to the boys’ club with Rocket and Groot’s bromance warming everyone’s heart. Something else to look out for is a soundtrack that will definitely appeal to an older crowd with classic 70’s and 80’s hits.
To book this movie, call Ster Kinekor Ticket-line on 082 16789 or visit www.sterkinekor.com
