This past weekend, Marvel Studios’ GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
proved to be a box-office monster; its $94 million opening tally is the largest
in history for an August release. This adaptation of one of Marvel’s more
obscure comics is not only a victory for comic book fans, but for cinema in
general. Here are the Top Five reasons why:
An Obscure Comic
Property is now a Household Name: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY was originally
published in 1969, and had a re-invented run in 2008. It never made it to the
upper-echelon level of notable superhero characters like its cousins Captain America
or The Hulk, which is why the idea of turning it into a big-screen venture was
certainly a gamble. Comic book movies, believe it or not, are not made
exclusively for the comic-book crowd; you have to get the general public
through the gate because that’s where the big money is. If you don’t do that,
the genre would have died at the box office a long time ago.
Faith in your
Characters: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY has some weird looking dudes and ladies
walking around; a green-skinned warrior woman, a wise-cracking raccoon and a
walking/talking tree are just the tip of the asteroid. Marvel knew they had an
uphill climb in selling these obscure and bizarre characters to the public, and
the solution was simple; you take those high-concept characters and make them as
human as possible. Everyone can relate to a common human emotion of sorrow,
joy, rage…and when those emotions are seen on the big screen, it doesn’t matter
what kind of creature it is coming from. This is important because Marvel has
proven that even the weirdest looking thing can be a true character. Other
studios will take notice.
No Fear of Color: Many
films these days go for a darker or even de-saturated palette. GUARDIANS
embraces its comic roots by throwing just about every color of the rainbow at
us on the screen. Green skins, pink skins, yellow outfits, deep purples of the
cosmos…it makes for an eye-popping visual experience and stays true to its
colorful comic origins.
Cosmic Diversity: In
the 1960’s, Gene Roddenberry’s STAR TREK TV series subtly promoted diversity in
space, with people of all races, color, and alien origins working together and
living in harmony. This was a concept taken further in STAR WARS (1977), as
human characters interacted and didn’t think twice about living and working
with robots and aliens. It’s a concept that seems to have been lost in the
recent decade, and a concept that GUARDIANS embraces fully and runs with. Drama
in movies comes from contrast; contrasting characters and their personalities
clashing and learning from each other is what storytelling is all about.
No Fear of Fun: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is a
blast with surprises and laughs coming at us at light speed. Having fun at the
movies should always be a priority for studios, and GUARDIANS puts that up
front and center and isn’t afraid to bring the house down while maintaining an
important story and common threat for the characters to bond against. Even when
things go dark in GUARDIANS, there is a great sense of whimsy and adventure
which is very reminiscent of STAR WARS; giving it a classic and familiar feel
that anyone can enjoy. GUARDIANS OF
THE GALAXY is not about superheroes and sci-fi adventure, it’s about good cinema, and is a major step forward for
the industry. *
Reel Speak's Review HERE
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