"You're. Making. Me. Beat! Up! GRASS!"
Saturday, August 16, 2014 at 2:24PM I’ve been feeling bummed out lately, so I went and saw Guardians of the Galaxy again the other night with my girlfriend to try and lift my spirits. It worked! And I liked it even better the second time around! I wanted to try and pick out some thoughts swimming in my head about it, the way I have in the past, so let’s get to it.
SPOILERS AHEAD OF COURSE
Favorite character? Yondu. Why? Dude’s an outlaw straight out of an old Sergio Leone western and I like that. He and his Ravagers are the only secondary characters with any real personality. More western elements would’ve been nice, actually. You see it in the way Quill uses his guns too, wish they’d taken that a little further.
Second favorite is Drax, because I identify with how dense he is. There are expressions and figures of speech that go way over my head too, man. Not to mention his weird manner of speaking and his mad cackling as they ram Quill’s ship into Ronan’s is hilarious. Any time somebody laughs in a movie makes me grin because you hardly see it. Plus, I really liked Dave Bautista in the Man With the Iron Fists, so seeing him in something huge like this was just great.
Everyone comparing this movie to Star Wars gets on my nerves, and I don’t fully see it beyond Rocket and Groot basically being meaner, dumber versions of Han and Chewbacca. I guess they go with Star Wars because it’s the easiest thing, low hanging fruit. If anything this movie is closer in style and tone to the Fifth Element, with bits of JJ Abrams’s Star Trek movies thrown in. Hey look, Quill sleeps with colored alien women and forgets about them too, just like Captain Kirk! I hope that doesn’t become a thing, because it’s kind of gross. Actually, the way women are portrayed throughout the whole movie is a problem. We need to do better.
(also, Star Wars is still a way better movie, you’re trying to tell me this will hold up as well as it has? I’m not so sure about that…)
I keep referring to him as Quill because I think Star-Lord is a dumb name. The movie and John C. Reilly seem to be in agreement, seeing as how it’s barely used, mostly as a joke.
Oh, this cast. The cast is just bizarre, isn’t it? I mean, the whole thing is crazy. You have the former Troma dude who made Slither directing a big budget sci-fi movie based on a team of B-list Marvel characters that no one really knows or cares about, with so many recognizable people in it. Look at the Nova Corp: Glenn Close, Peter Serafinowicz, and John C. Reilly! How did they wind up in here? And Benicio del Toro creeping around as the Collector. I like how they picked a lot of gnarly looking people as extras, too. Nobody in this movie is terribly attractive past Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, and that’s a good thing.
This is definitely the most visually interesting and unique of the Marvel movies. Not that such a thing would require much effort, especially given the setting, but I appreciated it a lot that this looked like a proper movie and not a TV show. Wish the locales were more distinctive, though.
The opening credits where Quill is on that ruined planet with the scanner reminded me a lot of the Metroid Prime games, and his ship somewhat recalls Samus’s from Prime 3. A big moment during the final action sequence is Rocket and the other Ravagers basically playing a big game of Missile Command. There are some action shots that look like first person shooters, which is a popular thing now. James Gunn also co-wrote Lollipop Chainsaw (which I wrote about when it came out), and oh hey, that Cherry Bomb song is in that game too! Huh.
I liked the way they handled the emotional moments. These hard-ass misfits letting it slip and then immediately shoving it aside, especially Rocket. Nobody really knows how to express their feelings properly, something I think anyone can identify with. Lots of other little human touches to make the characters more endearing: Quill dropping the orb, John C. Reilly fidgeting with the belt on his uniform, Rocket adjusting his crotch. Little things like that always work to help ground these characters and make them easier to relate to. Those moments are more memorable than any of the big spectacle stuff.
Oh, seeing a Celestial? That was great, especially since they kept it looking close to Kirby’s designs.
I still think the villains are lousy. Ronan’s introduction was fantastic, but beyond that there’s nothing there. Everyone talks about what a monster he is, but there’s nothing to it. He hates Xandarian culture and is a radical who’s cut ties with his own people. Okay, why? There’s mention of a peace treaty, but no signs of a war having even taken place, no reason given for why they were fighting in the first place. Unless the Kree are just crazy warmongers? I don’t know anything about them. What is it about Xandar that Ronan hates so much? The movie doesn’t show us much of what goes on there, so that’s another failing, or maybe he hates it BECAUSE there’s a total lack of any real distinctive culture going on. Place has nothing on Tattooine, y’know? Back to Ronan: he has no presence. He should have been more imposing, more menacing, I just didn‘t feel threatened by him at all. Nebula could’ve been swapped out with a cardboard cutout and no one would have noticed. The Broker was more memorable than either of them. The Dark Elves in Thor 2 are probably the lousiest villains to appear in these movies, but at least Chris Eccleston had presence when he was onscreen.
I just wish the villains were as awesome as the heroes, okay? Or at least present a real threat. I’m hoping Thanos will be big whenever they finally put the spotlight on him. Josh Brolin’s a perfect voice for him.
Final note, I guess: this movie was just a big laugh at DC and Warner Bros because their Green Lantern movie failed, wasn’t it? Because it feels like it is, and that’s kind of hilarious.
Reader Comments (9)
Just a couple of notes.
This movie IS better than some of the Star Wars movies. Specifically the prequels.
The Star Trek comparison is 'lower hanging fruit' since Uhura is in Galaxy... that Ho... I'm telling Spock. I really don't see any similarities with Star Wars at all though. It is set in space...
As long as a movie depicts men or women in ways that they actually exist in the world then I don't have a problem with it. If women are depicted as sex objects for example, there are women in this world that are only sex objects and live that life. Men are portrayed in every role women are but no one complains about that.
I think the idea that the name Starlord is cheesy was intentional. So you can call him Starlord as long as you smirk while you say it.
Good blog. I loved the design of this movie. The wit was prolific as well.
Note to self, never interact with Daruth or willingly read anything he had a hand in creating...
In the comics, the Kree are a warrior race who are proud to a fault. I'm assuming that carried over to the movie and led to Ronan cutting ties with them after essentially neutering themselves by signing a peace treaty with their enemies. However, I assume they had to substitute the Xandarians as their enemy in the film, since Fox has the movie rights to the Skrull.
Daruth, there are NO women in the world who exist only as sex objects. Because women are ya know, people. And people by definition don't exist in one-dimensional roles of objects. Men are not portrayed the same way as women. In most movies, women are caricatures for male protagonists to react to. It's rare that a female character, especially in an action movie, has any real agency or back-story to the degree that male characters do. Characters like Peter Quill and Wolverine for example may be attractive, but they have complex story, more dialogue, more motivations, and more goals than female characters. Not to mention that they're not "porn for women", they're male power fantasies.
I'm in agreement with Amanda here, Darruth.
First off, calling Zoe Saldana a ho? Don't do that. That's gross and dumb for at least a half dozen reasons I shouldn't even have to mention.
Clearly you don't see what's wrong with the fact that Gamora is treated like little more than eye candy in the movie, with everyone else on the team (except Groot) making some dumb, snide, sexual comments towards her for no reason. She's supposed to be a living weapon, yes? Then why is she not shown as such, why is she treated so terribly? And what about the girl that the Collector kept as a slave?
This is how women are most commonly portrayed in these movies, as something pretty for guys to look at, a prize to be obtained, with no agency or character development. I can't think of a single movie where men are treated as nothing more than eye candy, some prize to be obtained at the end. Or comic for that matter. It's very much a problem. Pay closer attention and you'll pick up on it.
Get a sense of humor folks dang!
I was joking... OBVIOUSLY the character in Galaxy is NOT the same character as the one in Star Trek who is dating Spock. and I am obviously not going to tell Spock that his "ho" is cheating on him. I thought it was just funny that they use her as the love interest in two different sci fi movies.
Porn stars, many models, some wifes, and countless other women either willingly or without choice are used and viewed by themselves and others solely as sex objects. I'm not saying that is right but it is a reality. If you don't know that just wait some day you will come to that realization. Naivete is a luxury of the young and inexperienced.
On another note there are also men who exist with that kind of reality.
How is James Bond not a sex symbol that is purely meant to be eye candy? Because women are attracted to MORE than just physicality means that male sex symbols have to be more complex but no less unrealistic. Did anyone notice that one of the male characters in Galaxy NEVER had a shirt on and was portrayed as an unintelligent brute? Is that a positive male role model? It was funny and cute. Its a movie lighten up.
This movie was a comedy and I think that some folks have missed the spirit of the movie if they are going to not accept humor when it pokes fun at stereotypes. Stereotypes exist for a reason and they are funny for the same reason: because they are based in reality.
Taking offense at every perceived affront would leave me little time for else, being a person or mixed race, Ashely. If you thought THESE comments were offensive you definitely should not 'interact with or read anything I had a hand in'. My views are not for everybody. :)
If my comments are unwelcome BMC I would not take offense if you ask that I not comment again. I enjoyed your blog but if your audience is not open to viewpoints they may be unfamiliar with or disagree with I can keep them to myself. :)
I was gonna keep out of this, but nope.
Here's how society works - Men are essentially expected to reach their full potential. We live our lives holding a power that's encouraged and nurtured. "Take what's yours!" and all that. Advertising, fiction, organized religion, etc. all reinforce this. Women are essentially expected to make themselves desirable to men, and that's all. To live their lives in our service. Advertising, fiction, organized religion, etc. constantly remind them that they are never good enough. That the power we men hold within our society is not really for them. Keep that in mind when you say "It's a movie lighten up". Nothing exists in a vacuum.
So with that in mind, look back at the characters in this film, which I loved despite its shortcomings. Compare the way we see Peter Quill and Drax to Gamora. Yes, Gamora is formidable, but ultimately she's a prize. Quill has to win her over, and not the other way around. She has her flaws, but they're overshadowed by her role as possible love interest.
In the comics there was a scene where Gamora survives direct close-range exposure to solar radiation in order to save the team. SHE TOUCHED THE SUN AND LIVED. With that in mind, remember that scene in the movie where Quill gives her his mask so she can survive in the vacuum of space? In that scene alone, if the roles were reversed we'd have ended up with a faaaar more feminist film. And it would barely have effected the outcome of the story. Not to mention the part where Drax called Gamora a whore was completely unnecessary.
All that to say this: Take it easy with who you call naive.
I saw the movie again today and I didn't realize I was not the first one to call her a "whore" in fact I think "ho" is more endearing.
Frankly, I don't know how you all can live being so serious about everything. The world must be an incredibly stressful place.
I called no one naive. I merely presented a shirt, it's for you to determine if it's cut to your measurements.
On another point that Alejandro made: Gamora is a prize to be won. That is the law of nature. The male of the species always has to vie for the interest of the female. Birds are the classic example: their plumage and behavior have to be a display to attract the interest of the female in order to mate. Its no different for us. Ultimately women have the deciding voice and men have to play to them.