Since its Korean theatrical release on July 31, “Guardians of the Galaxy” has enjoyed wide support and recognition from audiences. Of the superhero genre, “Guardians of the Galaxy” was slated to be akin to previous Marvel films. Yet it has defied expectations for insipidness and has even been called the saving grace for Marvel as of late. It has even taken the spotlight intended for the “Avengers” series, which is a relieving break from plethora of Avengers-related filmography being produced recently.
The film features human protagonist Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) as he travels with a band of intergalactic rogues: Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vid Diesel). Though the countenances of certain characters are generated through graphics, an incredible number of facial movements are delivered through motion tracking. Furthermore, the voice acting in the movie has been so powerful that a petition has been made by Voices.com to include an award in the Oscars for it. This hype is justified, though, since it’s a marvel so much acting prowess was relayed through a limited medium that is CG.
The ingenious plot and the immensely creative graphics complement the incredible casting. As expected of a Marvel film, the visual effects are stunning, seamlessly fitting with the science-fiction genre while drawing attention to the characters themselves. Too often, science-fiction films rely on computer-generated graphics to relieve the focus on the plot. Yet, “Guardians of the Galaxy” did not fail to deliver both a captivating and immersive experience, delivering a riveting production that relied less on flashy visuals than the interaction of the characters with their surroundings.
As of Aug. 29, “Guardians of the Galaxy” has taken in over $490 million in box office sales, drastically overtaking its budget of $130 million. Expectations are that it will take in box office sales to reach the highest selling Marvel film of the year. It is this development that convinces some fans of Marvel that the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series is the new front of the Marvel industry, not the “Avengers” stories.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” is one of a few films that deserve the unchecked praise it receives. Indeed, one can even see signs of improvement with Marvel’s integration with its original source material in the form of comics. It is undoubtedly a must-watch for fans of the science-fiction genre and appreciators of the comic-book sub-type. It setting a precedent of quality would clearly be a boon to the action-film industry, one that has been lacking in depth in recent releases.