When you think about the popular Marvel Comics characters that have been adapted as big screen film productions, some of them seem like rather easy choices. Captain America is a patriotic superhero frozen in World War II and thawed out in the present day. Iron Man is a billionaire scientist who develops a high-tech battle suit and uses it to stop bad guys. Thor, who might be the oddest of the bunch, is an Asgardian God of Thunder who travels to earth and learns to care for humans. The point is audiences latched on to all of them, and found them easy to root for. But even I was skeptical that the creative masterminds at Marvel Studios could successfully adapt a team like GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. For starters it’s not a property most comic fans are terribly familiar with, but it’s also a strange story, set in unknown cosmic galaxies and filled with bizarre aliens. The choice to hire James Gunn (SLITHER) as the director to helm this effort seemed like an immediate stroke of genius, but could even he find a way to make it all work?

The story opens on earth in 1988, where young Peter Quill is listening to a mix tape in his Walkman while waiting in the hospital. We see his mother is about to die of cancer, and can’t even get her son to hold her hand one last time. It’s a sad and somber moment to open a Marvel movie with, but as things take a turn for the worse Peter runs outside to be alone, and is met by a giant spaceship which sucks him up and leaves the planet. Cut to 26 years later on a distant world, we see Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) all grown up and investigating a vacated area of a once-thriving planet. He still sports his Walkman, still listening to that mix tape, singing and dancing while tracking down a mysterious orb – it’s a scene that’s obviously a nod to the opening of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Quill gets his prize, and barely escapes a warrior named Korath (Djimon Hounsou), who reports back to the ominous Ronan (Lee Pace). Ronan, a feared extremist of the Kree alien race, is working for Thanos (voiced by Josh Brolin), a mad titan ruler of the universe who possesses great power and influence. Thanos wants the orb, so Ronan sends the ruler’s adopted daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana) to retrieve it. Gamora tracks Quill to Xandar, home of the Nova Corps – a protective military force that keeps tabs on the baddies of the galaxy, and locks up the troublemakers. But she’s not the only one trying to find our earth man. A bounty hunter duo of Rocket (a talking raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Groot (a sentient tree voiced by Vin Diesel) learn Quill carries quite a price, and try to nab him just as Gamora closes in. All four are captured by the Nova Corps, and locked away in The Kyln, a high security space prison. While there they meet and befriend Drax (Dave Bautista), a muscular alien who wants vengeance on Ronan for the death of his family. The unlikely team of misfits must find a way to escape their shackles, and keep the orb away from Ronan, as the very fate of their galaxy may depend on it… but the real question is can they survive being around each other.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY plays like a mixed bag of loving tributes to sci-fi and action films we know and love. There’s elements of the INDIANA JONES films, the STAR WARS franchise, and even something like FIREFLY in there… and perhaps a dash of THE GREAT ESCAPE. While it all feels very familiar, the overall presentation is very satisfying and fun. Rather than make a superhero movie, James Gunn has crafted a smart and amusing space epic that can hold its own with some of the most beloved genre classics. His first great move is establishing memorable and likable characters that work well either as a team or independently. Chris Pratt has fun playing the unlikely hero, snatched from his home world and growing up misguided in the strangest of surroundings. His wit and references from late-80s pop culture never feel overly forced, but add a strong element to his disconnected persona. I also appreciated his child-like motivations, such as risking everything to get back a personal item, much the way a kid might should a favorite toy be taken from them, or his desire to have others call him “Star-Lord” because he adopted that nickname as a boy. His portrayal of Peter Quill is what young boys would imagine themselves to be if they were thrust into a fantasy world of action, trying to act like a grown up and save the day. Zoe Saldana displays her physical prowess and aptitude as the lethal Gamora, a strong-willed woman with nothing to prove, but one that aspires for a reputation other than the one she’s unfairly gained from the association with her adoptive father Thanos. Dave Bautista does a great job as the wise but all-too-literal warrior who lives for revenge. He laughs in the face of peril and destruction, but seethes at those who don’t get his true motivations. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the piece is Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, and Vin Diesel as Groot. Cooper finds a terrific balance of humor and sympathy playing Rocket, delivering hilarious moments and dialogue, frequently stealing the scene from the non-CGI actors in the same shot. It doesn’t hurt that the animation on Rocket, especially close ups of his intricate fur, is pretty darn flawless and really sells the idea. Groot is also a wonderful character, sort of the Chewbacca of the group, limited to saying “I am Groot” in various tones as a means of communication. He gets big laughs in select moments, and even a few emotional beats that are very effective and unexpected.

The villains also work well, particularly Lee Pace as Ronan, channeling Darth Vader’s power and presence but with a majestic element for good measure. He’s not the best Marvel baddie (that honor will likely stay with Tom Hiddleston’s “Loki” for a while), but he works well as the antagonist for this story. Also admirable is Karen Gillan as the cold and mechanical henchwoman Nebula, more machine than woman but nevertheless lethal and imposing. I also have to note, being a huge fan of Thanos from the comics, Josh Brolin’s brief scenes as the cosmic creep is sheer fanboy perfection. Seeing his CGI visage sitting in a space throne, grinning with power, it’s just a beautiful thing – considering his eventual involvement in other Marvel movies, like THE AVENGERS sequels, this is a fantastic introduction to one of the greatest Marvel villains.

Gunn has also peppered the rest of the cast with wonderful names, like John C. Reilly as Nova Corpsman Dey, Glenn Close as Nova Prime (the head honcho of the Nova Corps), Benecio Del Toro as The Collector (an eccentric cosmic horder of rare artifacts and aliens), and Michael Rooker as Quill’s captor/mentor Yondu. I particularly enjoyed seeing Rooker, who is no stranger to Gunn’s productions, as he’s playing an exotic-looking alien ravager who just happens to have a hick accent and demeanor… he’s great. This is a film with a lot of characters to keep up with, but they all seem to get memorable moments in the spotlight, making them all essential and effective.

The effects are also top notch, really selling the otherworldly aspect of the interstellar settings. In some ways this space opera is more cohesive and successful in its storytelling than any of the STAR WARS prequels – I’ll even add while I was watching it I kept thinking James Gunn should direct a STAR WARS movie now. But perhaps the greatest achievement of the work is the fact that the team we’re following, made up of live action actors in heavy makeup and CGI characters, always feels believable and real. I found myself forgetting what I was seeing was not all together there in the shot. That talking raccoon looks like an actual element in the scene, not just some added effect. Even the frequent digital backgrounds never look overlayed in, but rather like a real environment. This film is a testament to how special effects can become a part of the production and not just look like an added polish.

Even the score by Tyler Bates is perfectly matched with the action on screen. Many may also notice the brilliant use of 1980s songs by way of Peter’s mix tape, all of which compliment the respective scenes they’re used in nicely. Some of these tunes are overused in cinema, but somehow Gunn makes them toe-tapping fun, and all of them feel expertly placed. Quite simply every part of the whole that is the finished film mixes together like a perfect recipe.

It’s a safe bet that GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY will go down as one of the best Marvel movies ever made, or at the least one of the most satisfying, which for some may be surprising considering the source material. It should also be looked at as a template for future comic book films, and proof to companies like DC Comics that some of the weirder characters aren’t impossible to adapt for the big screen and have them work, as long as you’ve got the right guy steering the ship. Perhaps the greatest aspect of GUARDIANS is that it sets up a cinematic universe that could easily be continued in great and wonderful ways. This reminds me of the days when I went to see movies like STAR WARS with my parents, and we all found things to love about the experience. It’s quite simply a phenomenal moviegoing adventure.

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