MARVEL'S Sort-of Animated GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Article originally written for Seat42F.

MARVEL’S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY was an awesome surprise last summer, a film set far apart from the others the comic book company’s movie studio has released, yet thoroughly enjoyable in its own right. Full of unique, developed, magnetic characters and a moving story arc, it is worth repeat viewings, and has quickly sparked both a sequel and a cartoon spin-off. That spin-off, also titled MARVEL’S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, premiered recently on Disney XD. And it is not worthy of the name.

I used to watch cartoons as a child, of course, but have not watched this type of cartoon since probably around 1990. The type I’m talking about is a formulaic action drama in which a generic group of bland characters jump from action scene to action scene, spouting trivial dialogue that means nothing to the story, and lacks any emotional depth or character development. MARVEL’S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is exactly this, and could have blended in a late 1980s lineup seamlessly.

Gone is everything that makes MARVEL’S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY special. Sure, the characters, including many of the supporting ones from the movie, are still there, as are the settings, and even the soundtrack. But they are all merely set dressing for a trite, flat adventure, not used to any real effect. For instance, Drax the Destroyer (David Sobolov, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) still talks about getting revenge, but we no longer feel the sadness in his eyes. And Peter Quill (Will Friedle, Boy Meets World, Kim Possible) pops in the song “Hooked on a Feeling” as background noise as the team stages a raid, but it doesn’t mean anything like the songs do in the movie, it’s just static.

I am loathe to blame the voice cast, because I know many of them have good reputations in the voice-over world, though I haven’t watched most of their work. Yet, the magic that the original group, none of whom return, brought to the film is completely missing. Friedle’s Quill is fine, I guess, as a lead, but he doesn’t exhibit the layers that Chris Pratt communicated in each line. A large part of this could be because Friedle is not given the material with which to play, but part of it is the chemistry between the ensemble just isn’t there.

The plot itself is extremely A.D.D. In a single half hour, there are no less than six, arguably more, sequences that are all about shooting and running, both on the ground and in space. The movie has its share of action, to be sure, but it’s not constant. It slows down to get inside the characters’ minds. This cartoon shows no signs that it will ever do that.

Even the mystery of the pilot, in which Quill discovers that he’s half of a specific alien race, has no impact. That’s because the show has not given viewers enough time or substance to get to know the character. Now, being a follow-up to the movie, it might assume we already know him. But because this Quill is different, we need to meet him all over again, and we don’t get to.

There’s also much made as to whether the characters are outlaws or heroes. Gamora (Vanessa Marshall, Star Wars Rebels), of course, argues for the latter. Yet, since there are no consequences in sight for the former, no one questioning their motives or holding them accountable, the question is a moot point, merely included so Gamora gets a couple of lines, not because it matters.

The bottom line is, I won’t be giving this series another chance. It is a generic as they come, with none of the spark of its source material, and no compelling reason to tune in, the cliffhanger lacking any real sense of danger because of how tame the violence is. Not being a child any more, nor having one yet to seek an opinion from, I can’t say for certain if it will hit its target audience; after all, myself and many of my friends used to watch this kind of junk. But I know there is better, more intelligent programming out there for kids, and it would be nice to see even a little bit of effort on the part of this production to be something stand-out.

MARVEL’S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY begins its regular run on Disney XD on September 26^th.

2014 Disney Movie Gift Guide

Article first published as 2014 Disney Movie Gift Guide on Blogcritics.

Every December holiday season, there are numerous Blu-ray titles from which to select gifts for your loved ones. Although I mainly watch television shows, I’m far from immune to the draw of a good film, and Disney had a pretty solid lineup of choices this year among its offerings. This guide serves as a short summary of some of the best choices from “The Mouse.”

Sleeping Beauty Diamond Edition (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Combo) ~ I already had Sleeping Beauty on DVD, but this new edition is pretty sweet anyway. One of the old Disney classics, the story is timeless, if not quite as relatable as some of the studio’s other films. There’s a magic to it, enhanced by Tchaikovsky’s score. Older viewers will love the nostalgia, while the young should appreciate a movie that isn’t as dated as they might think. There’s a reason Sleeping Beauty got a new, fancy release, packed full of extras, and it’s deserved.

The picture and sound quality on this thing are remarkable! If you already bought the Platinum Edition Blu-ray from a few years ago, this is the same presentation, so there’s no need to shell out again. But if you’ve only watched this film on DVD or (shudder) VHS, I recommend taking the opportunity to upgrade. It’s well worth it, as clearly much time and effort has been spent making a remastered version to be proud of. This is also the first edition offering a digital copy, so that’s worth noting if you want to protect your physical discs from the kids.

Maleficent (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Combo) ~ You’ve seen Sleeping Beauty, so now check out the other side of the story. This live-action movie stars Angelina Jolie, spectacularly playing the titular “villain.” I recently did a full review of the movie, but suffice it to say, despite some issues with the story, the effects are mostly terrific, and the core performance makes this picture worth checking out. Plus, if you’ve already viewed the original, why not go a little deeper into what make Maleficent tick? It’s an interesting take on motivations and back story. And yes, Sleeping Beauty put in an appearance!

Frozen Sing-Along Edition (DVD / Digital Combo) ~ Frozen has swept the country, if not the world, by storm. If you’re around kids at all, you’ve heard lots about it, as well as its famous song, “Let It Go.” The best Disney animated feature in years, it is the story of two sisters, one with a power she doesn’t know how to control. It’s sweet, full of positive female role models, and amusing to boot. Even some of my peers, in their twenties and thirties, enthusiastically count themselves among the fan base.

This edition, sadly, has no Blu-ray disc. That’s OK, though, because it’s really for the kids, who will love it, and probably won’t notice the quality difference as much as the older folks would. It offers two options: play the full film, with lyrics appearing on screen during the musical bits, or play just the songs from the movie, which is equally popular with the young crowd. Even if that child you’re shopping for already has the regular release, this is something to consider, given that latter feature.
 
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / Digital Combo) ~ In my opinion, this is the best of the recent Marvel slate of movies. Besides being action-packed, it’s also a political thriller co-starring Robert Redford, which might raise the opinion of anyone who has unjustly dismissed it as a simple popcorn flick. Follow Captain America (Chris Evans), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as they take on a figure from the Cap’s past in a battle that forever completely changes the franchise. It’s really, really good stuff.

As with other Marvel titles, the best way to experience this is in 3D. If you have a 3D television available, I recommend taking full advantage of it to get the most out of the visuals, which are finely detailed and quite impressive. If not, the regular Blu-ray is included in the box, which pack quite a punch all on its own.

Guardians of the Galaxy (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / Digital Combo) ~ While Captain America is dramatic and serious, Guardians of the Galaxy is loads of fun while being a little dramatic and serious. The movie introduces a whole crop of new superheroes, set away from the Earth. It has an excellent retro soundtrack that helps lock the tone and style of the piece. August theatrical releases aren’t usually as big as those earlier in the summer, but because this one is so well-crafted, Guardians succeeded in the box office and as a quality film.

Like Captain America, I do recommend watching this in 3D if you can. It has even more impressive effects, with the often-present CGI necessary for a space-setting rendered naturally. Not once did I question the believability of the piece, grounded with authentic characters and a moving climax, and  I look forward to Marvel’s continued expansion if this is the type of direction they will be going in.