Co-Host: Adam Hitchcock, The Streaming Circuit podcast
Cast:
James Gunn, Writer/Director
Nicole Perlman, Co-Writer
Tyler Bates, Music
Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord
Zoe Saldaña as Gamora
Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer
Vin Diesel as Groot
Bradley Cooper as Rocket
Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser
Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta
Karen Gillan as Nebula
Djimon Hounsou as Korath
Glenn Close as Irani Rael
Benicio del Toro as Taneleer Tivan / The Collector
Josh Brolin as Thanos
Budget:
$232.3 million (gross)
$195.9 million (net)
Box Office and Ranking:
#17 among all MCU films
Worldwide box office: $773.4 million
Total domestic box office: $333.7 million
Domestic opening weekend: $94.3 million
Critic Scores:
RT: 92%
Metacritic: 76
Letterboxd: 3.8/5
Plot Summary: In "Guardians of the Galaxy," director James Gunn crafts a rollicking space adventure that seamlessly blends humor, heart, and a killer soundtrack. The film introduces us to Peter Quill, a charming rogue played by Chris Pratt, who finds himself in possession of a mysterious orb with the power to destroy civilizations. As Quill assembles an unlikely team of misfits, including a green-skinned assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), a walking tree named Groot (Vin Diesel), a trigger-happy raccoon named Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and the vengeance-seeking Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), the stage is set for a cosmic escapade unlike any other.
Gunn's screenplay infuses the narrative with witty banter, cultural references, and a surprising amount of emotional depth. The chemistry between the cast is palpable, elevating the film beyond its genre trappings. While the plot follows some familiar superhero tropes, Gunn injects enough originality and personality to keep the audience engaged; successfully navigating between moments of laugh-out-loud comedy and poignant character development, making it a standout entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Did You Know?:
When Dave Bautista found out he got the role of Drax the Destroyer, he broke down in tears, overjoyed at getting a Marvel comic book role.
Vin Diesel recorded all his lines in several different languages, including Russian, Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and French, so that they could use his real voice in the film around the world.
Chris Pratt apparently stole his Star-Lord costume from the set, for the sole purpose of having it available so he could show up in costume to visit sick children in the hospital, who might want to meet Star-Lord.
James Gunn stated that Chris Pratt's audition was so good, he was prepared to offer him the role, even if Pratt did not lose weight, or get in shape in time. Gunn joked that he was willing to CGI a six-pack on Pratt's body. However, Pratt asked Gunn to give him six months to lose fifty pounds, and he ended up losing sixty.
The soundtrack album "Awesome Mix, Vol. 1" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, the first film soundtrack ever to do so without any original music. It was also nominated for the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack.
Best Villian: Ronan the Accuser (15%)
Best Love Interest: Gamora (20-35%)
Best Sidekick: Groot (50%)
Best Scene:
Prison Escape (40%)
Oooh, Child
Come and Get Your Love
Zandar Fight
Rocket Saves Quill
Best Action Scene:
Prison Escape (40%)
Holding Back the Dark Aster
Yondu's Arrow
Nowhere
Zandar Fight
Best Lines:
Groot: We are Groot.
Gamora: ... I have lived most of my life surrounded my enemies. I will be grateful to die among my friends.
Rocket Raccoon: Well now I'm standing. Happy? We're all standing now. Bunch of jackasses, standing in a circle.
Drax the Destroyer: Nothing goes over my head...! My reflexes are too fast, I would catch it.
Rocket Raccoon: That dude there. I need his prosthetic leg.
Peter Quill: His leg?
Rocket Raccoon: Yeah. God knows I don't need the rest of him. Look at him. He's useless.
Rhomann Dey: He said that he may be an... "a-hole". But he's not, and I quote, "100% a dick".
Nova Prime Rael: Do you believe him?
Rhomann Dey: Well, I don't know if I believe anyone is 100% a dick...
Peter Quill: ...Well, on my planet, we have a legend about people like you. It's called Footloose. And in it, a great hero, named Kevin Bacon, teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that, dancing, well, is the greatest thing there is.
The Stan Lee Rubric:
Legacy: 9.25
Impact/Significance: 9.75
Novelty: 10
Classic-ness: 8.75
Rewatchability: 9.5
Audience Score: 9 (88% Google, 92% RT)
Total: 56.25
Remaining Questions/Nitpicks:
How do any of the Guardians know who Jackson Pollock is or what any of his paintings look like?
Is Dave Bautista our best former wrestler actor?
How is this movie ok for kids? It's layered with adult content and jokes?
What are the aerodynamics of Ronan's ship?
How do all the aliens always understand English?
Are there possibly hundreds or thousands of Groots now?