I read a review of #GotG that said the movie didnt have a plot, or that it was inexplicable without understanding of the Marvel Comics source material. As someone who has NEVER given two damns about the cosmic stuff in the Ol 616 until now, and was able to follow along fairly well, I figured Id take a swing at breaking it down in two sentences. 1. Cosmic Hitler hires Space Bin Laden to retrieve a powerful weapon in exchange for wiping out SBLs enemies, who have recently signed a peace treaty with SBLs native world. 2. Five misfit criminals attempt to thwart the plans of these genocidal monsters, for selfish reasons at first, but through teamwork and friendship, find hope, heroism, and happiness. Whew. One draft. Didnt even break a sweat. This reminds me of the quick reviewers who rushed to their MacBooks following Captain America: The Winter Soldier to proclaim the preposterousness of a plot about secret government groups with kill lists and drones to carry out targetted world-wide assassinations...oh wait, if theyd gotten to the end of that thought maybe theyd have realized what the movie was about. In Guardians, were given the MOST bizarre assemblage of heroes every thrown on screen, not one from a similar background or species, and they team up to protect the hair-trigger peace of ancient mortal enemies? Diversity vs. Genocide. Chaotic Friends vs. Ordered Hatred. Variety of Lifeforms vs. Singularity of Death. Yeah, its a fun flipping movie, dude, but its also clever as hell. Second point, though: ----SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT--- ----------------------------------------------------- The same reviewer said the reveal of the present at the end was predictable and cheap, lacking in emotional heft. So, okay, no. Every screenwriting book in the history of screenwriting books would have made that a gift from Peters father. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. They set it up the whole damn movie, with big flashing lights, that OH SNAP THATS GOING TO BE SOMETHING FROM HIS SPACE DAD, because, every Joseph Campbell-regurgitating Hollywood mofo wants their heros journey to be about his dad. How many times do we have to hear about what a good man Dr. Thomas Wayne and Jor-El were before someone gives Batman and Supermans moms something to do in a movie? Yeah, well you know what Peter wanted? THAT GIFT. Its the best emotional payoff Ive seen in a film this year. The amount of bullshit studio notes that any other studio wouldve lobbed at the simplicity of that reveal would bury the Milano. Hugs and high-fives to Gunn and Perlman from another kid with a great mom.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:53:56 +0000
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