The Galaxy Has Guardians

[Jamie French]

I wrote the review this morning because a friend of mine really liked it and I have a lot of respect for them and thought they would have immediately seen through it.

it doesn't matter if that is "original thought" or if jamie is just echoing another critic...these are the same sentiments most regular folk feel about the movie. fan boys will clearly appreciate it but in general, it had to be to advance the MCU so, while Jamie gets no points for originality in her critique having pointed out nothing that was not already known, kudos to Marvel Studios for figuring out how to make a mediocre acting, a very old and standard plot, laughable effects and a underrepresented comic property into a winfall. At present, it is at $220 million (in 1 week) on a $170 million dollar budget so it will likely turn a profit before it closes in theaters....I can't see it not making more than another $120 million.

[Instrumental]

I don't think the first two points and the fourth really hold up. On a base level, no plot is original, the general plot for any film has been seen before. The execution is what separates the great from the fodder.

Them getting along over the course of the movie did happen, being able to recognize that it happened isn't a negative. One could argue that the fact that this held true not for five people, but for five varying species holds an underlying message of benevolence among species.

The emotional beginning was rather hamfisted, but I still think it was pretty well done. It's also necessary to show what kind of emotional mind set the character is coming from.

And yes, there's a nutty anthropomorph, also not a negative.

The violence in the film wasn't strong at all. Pretty much standard for a PG-13 film. No excessive blood or gore. The comedy was a bit overdone at times, but still solid throughout and sometimes on the adult side which I appreciated. (Although I didn't appreciate the idiots in the theater laughing at almost everything to include normal, non joke dialogue). The pacing of the film was excellent. Never a dull moment. Acting was also extremely well done. I especially liked Bautista/Drax, the articulate brute. I do wonder how much Diesel got paid to say "I am Groot" for two hours though.

The movie executed the essence of a comic book on screen and that's really what makes it a success. It's supposed to be absurd, wacky, and over the top, much like a comic. It's supposed to be colorful like a comic. I can't say I understand the criticism lack of "warmth" I don't think warmth is where the aim was in the first place.

It shouldn't be rated as highly as it is (RT has it pretty much equal to the 2008 Iron Man), but it was still a very well done film.

Also oldies goodness throughout

Also Howard the Duck. (lol)

[maaarc]

I am groot!!! - I enjoyed the movie and agree with Instrumentals analysis

[Jamie French]

You only think it was those things because the movie kept telling you it was those things. It wasn't actually those things. It a surface level time killer for surface level people with time to kill. This is not a matter of taste, it's a matter of intelligence. You've been duped kid. Eat it up, you're keeping people employed. Only good thing I can say about it.

I don't think the first two points and the fourth really hold up. On a base level, no plot is original, the general plot for any film has been seen before. The execution is what separates the great from the fodder.

Them getting along over the course of the movie did happen, being able to recognize that it happened isn't a negative. One could argue that the fact that this held true not for five people, but for five varying species holds an underlying message of benevolence among species.

The emotional beginning was rather hamfisted, but I still think it was pretty well done. It's also necessary to show what kind of emotional mind set the character is coming from.

And yes, there's a nutty anthropomorph, also not a negative.

The violence in the film wasn't strong at all. Pretty much standard for a PG-13 film. No excessive blood or gore. The comedy was a bit overdone at times, but still solid throughout and sometimes on the adult side which I appreciated. (Although I didn't appreciate the idiots in the theater laughing at almost everything to include normal, non joke dialogue). The pacing of the film was excellent. Never a dull moment. Acting was also extremely well done. I especially liked Bautista/Drax, the articulate brute. I do wonder how much Diesel got paid to say "I am Groot" for two hours though.

The movie executed the essence of a comic book on screen and that's really what makes it a success. It's supposed to be absurd, wacky, and over the top, much like a comic. It's supposed to be colorful like a comic. I can't say I understand the criticism lack of "warmth" I don't think warmth is where the aim was in the first place.

It shouldn't be rated as highly as it is (RT has it pretty much equal to the 2008 Iron Man), but it was still a very well done film.

Also oldies goodness throughout

Also Howard the Duck. (lol)

[alpha2117]

Let's see, how many people can I alienate today? Let's find out...

A ragtag team of reluctant heroes try to stop an evil force from taking over the galaxy?

* No points for originality.

Five loners with chips on there shoulders eventually loosen up and generally get along once they forge a necessary partnership?

* Those aren't character arches, that's just what people generally do.

Cancer mom right off the bat apropos of nothing?

* That's not giving the audience a reason to care, that's bashing an audience over the head and commanding that they care... because cancer and sad.

Wisecracking anthropomorph?

* Wisecracking anthropomorph.

These are some of the obvious, but generally forgivable flaws in a movie everyone seems to be losing their shit over.
More importantly, the movie never finds it's tone... it's afraid to stick to it's guns and be any one particular thing. The violence, a little too strong, the comedy a little too hokey, the self criticism, a little too contrived. These elements do not have to be as disparate as they are unwittingly portrayed in this film, but a binding agent is missing. Warmth. This movie is cold to the touch, the elements never congeal. In trying to be everything all at once it proves itself to be what it promised it wasn't - a forgettable, fair weather action movie.

Guardians Of The Galaxy is simply another offering in a long line of countless comic book movies who's target audience is more concerned with content rather than the medium of film itself. It's a continuing extension of an escapist universe. What it is not, is a very good movie.

We were conditioned to like this movie two years before it ever hit the theaters. The powers that be said, "Look, we know it's an unproven property but here's all the reasons you should give this movie a pass..." They failed to deliver. They told us what they thought discerning audiences wanted to hear. The effort was wasted in that respect. Those who like the movie were going to like it regardless of fanfare.

Guardians Of The Galaxy seems to be exactly what comic book movie fans need it to be, which is to say - it exists - it hits the preordained beats, it keeps your eyes moving, and it paints a familiar pass time in slightly different, temporarily distracting new shades. Predictably, it does little else.

The movie found it's tone and given the scores on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB most of the viewers got it. You didn't. Not everyone is going to like everything. The world would be incredibly boring if we all had exactly the same opinion.

All 5 of the major characters have had their families torn away from them and have been left somewhat bitter and resentful by that experience. The circumstances they find themselves in end up with those characters forming their own slightly dysfunctional family. Cancer Mum as you called her is the set up for that underlying theme whislt the 4th word said by Groot summed that up the resolution of that theme near the end of the film. Actually a lot of LGBT people probably would relate to some of that underlying element of outsiders making their own version of a family.

As for them not being character arcs but rather being what people normally do - thats the point. These are not neccesarily the nicest people but given the circumstances they CHOOSE to do the right thing. Life is about choices and reacting to what is thrown at us. For most of us those choices are small and trivial in the greater scheme of things. In movies those choices tend to be on a wider scale but nonetheless the same basic choices apply - right or wrong, self interest of the group interest, love or hate no matter what the scale those themes play out in life over and over. In the GOTG it's about a bunch of people who have been kicked in the teeth over and over still choosing to do whats right It definitely is a character arc and certainly a more worthwhile one than the ones in things like Crash or The Hurt Locker.

As for the Raccoon - if you did not love the Raccoon then I'm sorry for your dark, cold and joyless heart ;-0

It's a very good movie - the majority seem to agree. You are withing your rights to disagree but that doesn't make you right it just means that your taste is different to the majority. That's not really such a surprise given your personality. As I said earlier in the post the world would be boring if we all agreed but trust me I doubt you are going to find a huge wave of support from people who have seen the film. You will find support from those who haven't seen it because it's a sci-fi film, based on comic books and features the talking Raccoon but then again it's not made for those people.

It's a shame you didn't enjoy it.

[Jamie French]

You're a fan boy. Of course your opinion doesn't count. Popularity doesn't equal good. It equals popular.

Look, I'm not trying to separate idiots from their joy. Bad reviews are meant for those who know something is not quite right but maybe can't quite put their finger on it... bad reviews are tipping points for developing minds.

If you know why something is bad then you can live a more rewarding life by bypassing more the crap they hand out and going straight to earning the truly rewarding stuff. True joy is earned not forced fed to you by talking racoons after the pop culture zeitgeist has worn down your defenses.

Bitching on your side is preaching to a choir full of people you won't be separated from their pacifiers.

My form of bitching builds character for those of us who know that what is offered to us from the den of the lowest common denominator is NOT the only option.

The movie found it's tone and given the scores on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB most of the viewers got it. You didn't. Not everyone is going to like everything. The world would be incredibly boring if we all had exactly the same opinion.

All 5 of the major characters have had their families torn away from them and have been left somewhat bitter and resentful by that experience. The circumstances they find themselves in end up with those characters forming their own slightly dysfunctional family. Cancer Mum as you called her is the set up for that underlying theme whislt the 4th word said by Groot summed that up the resolution of that theme near the end of the film. Actually a lot of LGBT people probably would relate to some of that underlying element of outsiders making their own version of a family.

As for them not being character arcs but rather being what people normally do - thats the point. These are not neccesarily the nicest people but given the circumstances they CHOOSE to do the right thing. Life is about choices and reacting to what is thrown at us. For most of us those choices are small and trivial in the greater scheme of things. In movies those choices tend to be on a wider scale but nonetheless the same basic choices apply - right or wrong, self interest of the group interest, love or hate no matter what the scale those themes play out in life over and over. In the GOTG it's about a bunch of people who have been kicked in the teeth over and over still choosing to do whats right It definitely is a character arc and certainly a more worthwhile one than the ones in things like Crash or The Hurt Locker.

As for the Raccoon - if you did not love the Raccoon then I'm sorry for your dark, cold and joyless heart ;-0

It's a very good movie - the majority seem to agree. You are withing your rights to disagree but that doesn't make you right it just means that your taste is different to the majority. That's not really such a surprise given your personality. As I said earlier in the post the world would be boring if we all agreed but trust me I doubt you are going to find a huge wave of support from people who have seen the film. You will find support from those who haven't seen it because it's a sci-fi film, based on comic books and features the talking Raccoon but then again it's not made for those people.

It's a shame you didn't enjoy it.

[christianxxx]

alpha2117 - your assessment of this entire thread is spot on. the more she makes fun of your opinion, the more accurate it is.

[livepersona]

This movie has a racoon with a gun. Not sure I would expect anything more than entertainment from this movie.

[Instrumental]

This is not a matter of taste, it's a matter of intelligence.

All that for a lazy two line response. Allow me to do one better:

[jamesedwards]

Best movies I have seen, Matrix, Transformers, Starwars, Avatar, Resident Evil and Bruce lee flixs!

But I would love to fuck Zoe Saldanza with that green shit on, the same way she looked in the movie, i think her as an Alien I would do some wild freaky shit with her!