Wow, so much love I see for this movie...I congratulate all of you for having such a great time with it and even going to see it again. There must be something about the movie that hits all the right joy buttons for most of you.
Man, I so wished it did the same for me.
I had no hyped up anticipation to see this film but being a sci fi and comic book movie, it was just simply an obligatory visit for I do not miss anything scifi in the cinema, regardless if word is good or bad.
I have not seen any trailers for the film but the poster gives off a fun vibe to it, so thats what I expected.
But before seeing it yesterday, I noticed the love from critics and movie fans alike, and it getting over 90% fresh tomatoes. So inevitably, I suddenly got quite hyped for it.
Then I saw the film.
God, was I so underwhelmed by it. It certainly is a lot better than a Transformers movie but for me, its a much much lesser film in the "Avengers" connected world of movies and TV series.
Look, I am a big Marvel Avengers connecte movies and tv series fan. So much so, I not only own and watched all the blu ray films more than once but I also watched the awesome Agents of Shield tv series twice through, which has the potential to becoming one of my favourite fun tv series of all time.
There is just one word I can think of that sums up the difference between Guardians of the Galaxy and the Marvel Avengers phase movies.
Finesse.
Guardians lack it. Avengers connected movies have it in abundance (Thor 2 being an exception).
Marvel movies are silly and fun but the things that make them stand out (for the most part) are classier delivery in dialogue, sharper wit, better characterisations and all directed with more uh, did I mention, finesse?
With Guardians, I felt I was watching some flashy reboot of Power Rangers. No, no, I take that back, that's too damning. Its of course a lot better than a Power Rangers movie but reason I mention it is because the humour was often forced and the character definitions were violently forced down my throat that I ended up not caring for them. Groot, is loveable though and kind of served as the film's Chewbacca. But the Navi, the Han Solo wannabe, the Raccon, were too hammy in their execution and delivery..well for my taste anyway.
And I guess that's what it comes down to, taste. Maybe there is just too much sugar in this cake for me. I would put this film on the same platform as say the first GI Joe film which for me is a better example in how to deliver a nice balance of humour, thrills and silly fun. The platform above those movies would consist of films such as Serenity, which reigns the humour slightly back and concentrates on a better narrative flow.
My quarter filled capacity audience certainly seemed to love this film though, giving it a healthy applause at the end and they did laugh plenty of times. That applause is important to note because I have never been to a daytime screening and witness a scarce audience applauding. I thought that only occurs on a weekend evening packed audience show (I too, am a serial applauder!). I always perceived the daytimers to be the conservative type, non applauders. So that was a shock to me! But the jokes that were being laughed at felt so forced and lacking...um...finesse. OK enough of that word.
I also hate the fact that this is connected with the Avengers phases movies. I personally hope they do not connect it.
Its a fun film, yes, I did laugh a few times but ultimately, I was numbed by the lack of fin....uh subtlety and consequently it is most forgettable. It hurts not to be in the majority as I would have like to share the love but that's how it goes.
6.5/10
I will add one thing that really stood out, emotionally.
Spoiler
Show
That beginning was really powerful. Done so well. I was almost in tears already. The ideas of the present and holding hands at the end would have made so much more impact if everything in between hadnt numbed me so much. However, the present thing was stretching my suspension of belief a little far, that he would have waited that long to open it, given his character. Its a very emotional character plot device though. And I suppose I could counter argue with myself by reminding myself that JJ Abrams never opened his mystery box present from his grandfather (or some senior relative, cant quite remember)...but I do question his honesty!
