Guardians of the Galaxy review

Title: Guardians of the Galaxy
Director: James Gunn
Cast: Chris Pratt
         Zoe Saldana
         Dave Bautista
         Bradley Cooper
         Vin Diesel
Run time: 122 minutes
Certificate: 12A

Marvels 2nd Phase is almost finished with only Avengers: Age of Ultron left to be released in 2015, and Guardians of the Galaxy is a near perfect way to prepare people for the next year. GotG (Guardians of the Galaxy) is possibly the best superhero film of the year and shows that phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has only gotten better and better as the last 2 years have progressed.

This is probably Marvel's most unique film for many reasons. Firstly, this is the only film in the MCU to not start with the Marvel logo, but that is pretty tame compared to the other differences such as this being a brilliant homage to cheesy 70's and 80's science fiction classics such as star wars and star trek, with the films brilliant cross-galaxy adventure story and Gunn's eye for elaborate set pieces and design.

Next, the soundtrack. The soundtrack for GotG is  a nostalgia trip for the ears, featuring a collection of pop songs from the 80's and before, using artists such as the Jackson 5 and David Bowie to accompany the films equally strange and nostalgic feel. From the opening of the film, the audience should be able to tell that the soundtrack would easily be one of the best aspects of the film, and that view will easily be cemented when we are treated to seeing Chris Pratt's Star-Lord (A.K.A Peter Jason Quill) dancing and singing along to Redbone's come and get your love whilst traversing through what looks like a fairly dangerous wasteland in search of a mysterious orb (conveniently kicking off the main plot device for the film).

Needless to say, this film is not for everyone, some will find it too cheesy (despite me kind of seeing that as the point of the film) and some will see it as too childish just because there is a talking raccoon and tree. Well, for the record, that raccoon (Rocket, by the way) and the tree (Groot) basically steal the show getting some of the best moments and lines in the films 122 minute runtime. That isn't to say that the other characters don't have good moments, such as Drax (Bautista) who takes everything literally, and Peter Quill who is brilliantly reminiscent of characters such as Han Solo from Star Wars.

In the end, GotG is possibly one of Marvel's best films to date, including all of their different franchises, and if phase 2 of the MCU is only getting better and better, then I personally cannot wait for next years Avengers sequel.

9/10

P.S: if you're reading this and want to hear about the post credit scene, that's next but beware of
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS 

The post credit scene, was not intended to be taken too seriously according to director James Gunn himself, but for me this was the perfect way to end the film with another reference dating back to a certain 1986 film, produced by marvel and based on a marvel comic.

If you guessed it, well done, it is the quackers one himself, Howard the Duck. Who makes a brief appearance at the very end just to say to Benicio Del Toro's the collector "why do let him lick you like that...Gross" as he watches cosmo the space dog (another GotG original reference) lick his masters face before running away and the camera cutting to a cgi Howard sipping a martini, looking very suave as usual.