‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Wows Moviegoers and Critics

Midway through a ho-hum summer of mostly underwhelming movies, Marvel’s latest offering, Guardians of the Galaxy, managed to blast through with an amazing $94.3 million debut after its release on August 1.

Globally, it has earned about $161.7 million. This completely surpasses the openings for films like Lucy and Hercules, which have been straggling behind with $44 million and $29 million, respectively.

Guardians of the Galaxy is also enjoying a winning streak with moviegoers and critics, hitting an 8.8 out of the 10 ranking on the Internet Movie Database and snagging a cool 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.

So what’s all the hype about? Delve into the winning cast that portrays the Guardians, along with some background information about the film’s creation process.

Buckle up and get ready for an intergalactic adventure!

Unstoppable casting

You’re bound to be a fan of someone in this film, although you might not recognize the performer at first glance. Just who are the Guardians of the Galaxy?

When you look at the promotional materials, you might shake your head in confusion after being confronted with a towering tree-like character called “Groot,” a raccoon-like creature named “Rocket,” a female assassin with green skin known as “Gamora,” the blue warrior with patterned scars called “Drax,” and good old Star-Lord, the leader of this bunch.

Behind the makeup and special effects, you might be shocked to discover the big names that bring these characters to life. Vin Diesel plays the lovely Groot, who will charm you with his redundant yet powerful line of dialogue and his gentle approach to violence.

Zoe Saldana plays the vicious and powerful female warrior, Gamora. You might recognize this actress as the one who played Uhura in the recent reboot of Star Trek or from her ballet role in Center Stage back in 2005.

And whenever Rocket speaks up, you might feel a hint of nostalgia creeping into your laughter. This character is voiced by Bradley Cooper, whom you might recall for his hilarious and lovable characters in Silver Linings Playbook and Kitchen Confidential, a television series based on the book written by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.

Another surprise cast member is Karen Gillan, who is famous for her role as Amy Pond, the companion of the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC’s long-running series, Doctor Who. Sci-fi nerds everywhere rejoiced when it was announced that she would portray Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Breaking gender barriers

This is the first Marvel film release that has credited a female writer. Nicole Perlman co-wrote the script with director James Gunn. The fact that this is noteworthy news shows how male-dominated comics-to-film projects have been, even though women make up a significant amount of viewership.

A high level of publicity has focused on Perlman’s debut as the first credited female Marvel screenwriter and raised exciting questions. Will we see more women participating in and leading these projects? Will there be an increase in female comic hero representation on the big screen?

Saldana’s Gamora has also been the focus of considerable buzz when it comes to gender representation and equality. She displays substantial physical skills on the missions, but not as a mindless action hero who will take anyone’s orders.

Gamora constantly thinks on her feet and adjusts to emergency situations in a commendable fashion. It’s clear that her team respects her as an indispensable member.

Humor-infused action

The humor in Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most compelling reasons to see this movie. Where else are you going to watch a blue wrestler and a raccoon getting into drunken brawls while placing bets in outlaw territories?

Someone needs to let these two know that online gambling is a much safer pastime. This film won’t wear you down with nonstop action that has no substance, because the substance is all there: threaded with hilarious zingers and awkward, yet endearing dialogue.

So what are you waiting for? The box office ratings and earnings prove that Guardians of the Galaxy is this summer’s breakout hit. This is a must-see film for summer 2014.

[Images via Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios]