Guardians of the Galaxy promises the kind of irreverent disdain for blockbuster norms that founded the Marvel Studios juggernaut, way back when they handed the reins to Mr. Favreau and Mr. Downey Jr. It features an unapologetically weird crew of intergalactic outlaws – green-skinned princesses and rocket-wielding raccoons – in an unapologetically weird universe mined from Marvel’s back-catalogue. The poster reads “You’re welcome.” Unfortunately, the film itself is disappointingly conventional; Guardians of the Galaxy is a lie. It’s a decent movie but lazy cinema, a thin veneer of originality of an increasingly tired framework.

Continue reading at The Essential.