Pratt a Reason to See ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

This week: taking a trip to a galaxy full of fun times and surprisingly warm moments.

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It seems that nearly every comic ever put out by Marvel has made its way to the big screen or is heading that way in the not-so-distant future. The lesser-known “Guardians of the Galaxy” is no exception to that trend and follows the adventures of Peter Quill aka “Starlord” who along with a band of random misfits sets out the save the universe from an evil villain bent on destroying it.

While the plot certainly isn’t that original–and more than a few have pointed out that it bares more than a passing similarity to another well-known summer science fiction movie from nearly 40 years ago called “Star Wars”–the movie is surprisingly funny with unexpected touches of humor and wit. One of the most notable is the character of “Rocket,” a genetically modified raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper who nearly steals the show with his one-liners.

However, it’s the non-CGI lead, Chris Pratt, who is the real reason to watch this. Pratt, who is best known to audiences for his work on the TV show “Parks and Recreation,” shows that he really can act. He has great delivery and a charisma that makes him and his character memorable. In the wrong hands, Peter Quill could easily have all the dimension of a cardboard cutout but somehow, Pratt gives him an unexpected level of depth. With said, neither Pratt nor the movie for that matter ever takes the material too seriously which is a good thing.

For my money, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is the best high-action, fun movie of the summer. Watch it on the big screen before it leaves this galaxy and heads to DVD.