Review of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) by Tiberio S — 26 Jul 2016

I get it, we all love the music in this movie, but did anyone see what was going on during those numbers? This has to be the most convoluted, confusing opening chapter to a new franchise I've ever experienced.

So loaded with characters that there's no possible way for me to cover them all. How necessary was the Collector when we already had the likes of Thanos and Lee Pace's menacing blue guy? It's a space opera, I guess it shouldn't be narrow, we should travel through a galaxy and meet new characters.

But these movies are getting very technical, with their digital POV computer readouts of stats on certain characters and yada yada it's all too confusing for me. The first time I saw it, I was overwhelmed and it went over my head.

I gave it another shot and the story peeked through the entertainment bits. I was most interested in the budding romance between the green Gamorah and Starlord. But the standout performance goes to Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, moreso because I was surprised that he not only had a speaking role, but his story was integral to the overarching plot and his revenge against Lee Pace.

Second best goes to the thing that kept me from seeing it for a year, a digital tree and talking raccoon, Groot and Rocket respectively. We certainly won't forget Groot's name, he won't let us, but to eventually learn that his redundancy of this "I am Groot" line is the equivalent of a dog bark is something kind of tender and sweet, particularly as it's used sacrificially in the final act, "we are Groot.

" I admit, I was touched, and the lightshow spectacle that came with it was beautiful. Re-watching it, I'll better understand Groot as a symbol of subtext and the often pointlessness of dialogue.

I don't love these pure CGI movies, but if character development and story can shine through it, it wins. Story, not so much, but the characters coming together was effective. Now we have the trouble of them being together, friends on a mission, which is going to make the sequel difficult.

I'll probably skip it in theaters like I did this so I can watch it more closely at home and try to keep note of what's going on. And that melodrama at the head of the film, horribly acted and staged, cliche and very unnecessary.

.. I really wish that didn't make it on the cutting room floor.