Have you watched the biggest blockbuster movie this summer? Marvel's "Guardians Of The Galaxy" is soaring high at the box office, and if you haven't watched it yet, think of all the fun you're missing.
Buzzfeed reported that for the month of August, the movie opened with an estimated $94 million in the U.S. alone, which is $20 million above the expected amount of gross theater sales. The film has since bumped 2007 spy thriller, "The Bourne Ultimatum," as the best domestic opening for the month at $69.3 million, but still at par with 2001 film, "Rush Hour 2," at $97 million in 2014 dollars.
The film's gross sales itself speaks of what people should be expecting from "Guardians Of The Galaxy" once they get to see it in movie theaters. The viral news site said that the film, despite being Marvel's tenth feature, is the studio's most successful attempt at launching a new franchise since Robert Downey Jr. led "Iron Man" back in 2008.
So what makes this movie the one to watch right now? Here are our five reasons:
1. The film is led by a comedy actor who is not afraid to get serious if he needs to.
Who would have thought that Andy Dwayer of "Parks and Recreation" could lead such a massive franchise? Dig Mag said that Chris Pratt, who is known to be the lovable fictional "golden retriever" on comedy television, was an odd choice for the film. But the intensity he has brought in moments where he needs to display his dramatic chops were most believable, considering that he has acting experience in "Moneyball," "Her" and "Zero Dark Thirty," his IMDb profile read. Moreover, he has been a press darling during his movie commitments, charming everyone with his impressive braiding skills to his funny interview responses that websites could not help but post list after list on how Pratt is becoming the next big, relatable superstar.
2. The story involves Marvel universe characters obscure to the mainstream public.
Peter Quill aka Star-Lord? Gamora? Drax the Destroyer? Rocket Raccoon? Groot? For those who are not familiar to the comic book universe, the names may have left them scratching their heads in wonder -- how did marvel bring these unpopular characters to life on the big screen without alienating the public? With a director whose mainstream movie credits are "Slither" and "Super," pundits are more interested at how Marvel managed to gamble a lot of money to a director who is known to produce gory, gross-out films, Dig Mag said. However, James Gunn certainly knew what he was doing.
The movie revolves around a group of baddies led by Quill (Pratt), who has a makeshift family in assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), prison inmate Drax (Dave Bautista), weapons expert Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and walking tree Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel).
3. "Guardians of the Galaxy" pays homage to the past.
In the movie's trailer, it could be seen that Quill was very touchy with a prison guard using his favorite Walkman. Billboard said that according to Gunn, Quill's love for music was not in the comic books, but it was essential to his character as an Earthling separated from his family, especially his late mother, who has gifted the Walkman and the mixtape.
The mixtape was packed with not your latest top hits, but a selection of some of the best pop hits Gunn chose personally from the 70s. Aside from 10cc's "I'm Not in Love," Rupert Holmes' "Escape (The Pina Colada Song), moviegoers would also reminisce with The Runaways' "Cherry Bomb," and David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream."
4 The Collector and his huge trove of oddities
In the mid-credits scene for "Thor: The Dark World," comic book fans were excited when a preview of the Collector (Benicio del Toro), was shown in the film, MTV said. In the "Guardians of the Galaxy," Gunn showed the world who the space Liberace is, charming the big screen with his grand wardrobe and over-the-top persona. Moreover, the film also showed the Collector's vast oddities and a couple of Marvel comic books characters that led many to question whether a spinoff about them would be in the works.
5. SPOILER! Post-credits scene
Yahoo Movies writes, "The scene opens on The Collector (played by Benicio Del Toro), looking beat up and dejected as he sits in the middle of his laboratory - or what remains of it, after the events of the movie. He's sipping a green drink with some sort of alien-plant garnish. Then a dog in a spacesuit comes up to him and licks his face... Then another voice pipes up, asking The Collector why he lets the dog lick him like that. The camera pans over to Howard the Duck, a new CGI incarnation of the exile from Duckworld."
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
