Guardians of the Galaxy (Rated T)
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Batista
Genre: Action Adventure
Dwight's Rating: 3.5
Sometimes having low expectations can be a very good thing!
The previews for "Guardians of the Galaxy" left me cold and uninterested in the film. Commercials made the characters look like laughable rejects from the "X-Men". And it seemed this would be another dud of a movie that only comic book fan boys familiar with these Marvel characters would even care about.
But after learning of its massive success in its opening weekend in the United States (it was the largest ever August release in history), my interest was peaked. And not only did it exceed box office expectations, but it managed to exceed mine as well -- and in a way as big as our galaxy is vast.
In the film, brash adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits: Gamora (Zoe Saldana); Drax the Destroyer (professional wrestler Dave Batista); Rocket, a genetically enhanced, gun-toting, talking raccoon; and Groot, a verbally challenged, tree-like humanoid. The galaxy's fate rests in the hands of this motley crew.
Yes, you read right. There's a talking raccoon, and a walking-talking tree, among many other oddities. Nevertheless, one can apply just about any and every positive superlative to this superlative movie. It is the funniest and most fun film so far this year!
No comic-based movie has felt this refreshingly humorous since the original "Iron Man". And the humor comes at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. The main sources of the laughs come from some of the characters that initially had me most skeptical about the film -- which greatly contributed to those low expectations. But Drax, Rocket the Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and the tree, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), are the life of the party, and at the center of the movie's snappy dialogue and overall spirited pacing.
And who knew Chris Pratt -- a supporting player on TV's "Parks and Recreations" -- had it in him to be the next great leading man? There have been little hints here and there, including with his small role in the film "Zero Dark Thirty". But it's certainly cemented here. He demonstrates extreme versatility, with a classic leading man combination of comic timing, action ability and capability, and romantic chemistry with Zoe Saldana.
She, too, is arguably better here than in pretty much anything in which I've ever seen her, including "Avatar" -- the last blockbuster in which she played an oddly colored alien (this time she's green instead of blue).
Lest one assume it's all fun and games, there are scenes of sensitivity and emotional depth. Each one of the core characters has a touching back-story and is overcoming some form of loss or pain in their lives. These elements could have easily derailed everything into one giant, cheesy mess. But in the deft hands of Director James Gunn, who co-wrote the screenplay along with Nicole Perlman, these moments are skillfully managed and not overdone or overbearing. Instead, we are treated to a clever and witty balance of exuberant humor and spectacular action.
All of this high praise and buzz might now lead you to have overly great expectations for the film. But "Guardians" is unlikely to disappoint. I was tempted to give it my top four star (excellent) rating, but I've settled on three-and-a-half (very, very good). It is not for everyone; I'm pretty sure my mom would not appreciate all the weird aliens, talking raccoon and fighting tree. But it is more accessible and palatable than many movies of this genre, even some regarded as classics.
This movie sets up a sequel (scheduled to be released in 2017), and possibly the next, long-running movie franchise. While that's an exciting proposition, it comes with a bit of trepidation too. As we've seen before with "Iron Man", often the bar is set so high with the original that it makes it exceptionally difficult for any subsequent movie in the franchise, or even in the genre, to fill the galaxy-sized shoes. Great expectations, indeed!
o Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of " Morning Blend" on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.

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