A Marvel to behold
Guardians great for action but fun guys they ain’t
A FRANKENSTEIN film due out next year will star James McAvoy, who is 5ft 7ins, and Daniel Radcliffe, 5ft 5ins. In Mary Shelley’s novel the monster is eight feet tall. Maybe both can play the role, one sitting on the other’s shoulders.
THE strangest group of heroes Marvel comics ever created blast off into space in this visually sensational sci-fi action adventure.
It is a knockabout romp with stellar design and special effects. And the CGI characters blend seamlessly with the real actors. But it’s not as funny or as smart as it could be – and drowning scenes with 1980s pop tunes quickly wears thin.
Deluded villain Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) the self styled Star- lord, is abducted from Earth as a kid and raised by intergalactic thieves known as the Ravagers.
He steals an orb of mysterious power which is also wanted by the psychotic Ronan (Lee Pace).
Ronan secretly works for powerful Thanos (Josh Brolin) who wants the orb to wage war on his enemies.
Quill is thrown into a space-prison called The Kyln where he meets a warrior called Drax the Destroyer (Dave e Bautista) who has swornorn vengeance on Ronan.
In a fantastic action sequence they break out, helped by beautiful greenskinned assassin Gamora ( Zoe Saldana) a genetically engineered raccoon called Rocket ( Bradley Cooper) and tree- like humanoid Groot (Vin Diesel).
Much like the Hulk in Avengers Assemble, Groot steals every scene he’s in, despite only being able to say the words ‘I am Groot’ – which, to be fair, is more than the Hulk ever m managed. British actress and for former Dr Who star Karen Gillan is impressiveim as the bald baddie Nebula who shares a history and a terrific fight scene with Gamora.
When Quill discovers the true danger of the orb he discovers the hero inside himself and cajoles the squabbling misfits to fight a desperate and spectacular battle to guard the galaxy against destruction.
It’s entertaining enough, if not Marvel’s finest hour.
And the joke at the end of the film’s credits isn’t worth hanging around for.