Director Report Card: James Gunn (2023)

6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn's career continues to defy expectations. The guy who got his start making movies at Troma, who then directed two box office failures full of gore and antisocial behavior, directing two mega-budget Marvel superhero movies about an obscure, weird team of characters was unlikely. That he got fired by Disney over a troll campaign was even crazier, immediately leading to him getting picked up by Marvel's biggest rival in the superhero movie business. Gunn was then handed the keys to the entire DC Universe, going full-steam ahead with a slate-wide reboot. You'd expect that to be the end of his relationship with Disney. Yet even the otherwise mercenary Mouse House must've recognized that Gunn's sensibilities were an important part of the success of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" series. They hired him back long enough to finish the story he started. And while superhero movies in general haven't been doing great this year, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" has still been acknowledged as the highlight of 2023's capeshit line-up.

Following the events of "Endgame," and having his beloved Gamora killed and replaced by a variant from a different timeline, Peter Quill is depressed. The leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy has been drinking while his teammates turn Knowhere into a proper city state. That's when a super powerful jerk named Adam Warlock flies out of the sky and body slams Rocket. Warlock is there under the orders of the High Evolutionary, a cosmic mad scientist obsessed with building perfect beings and worlds. The Evolutionary created Rocket and he wants his brilliant brain back to fine-tune his latest planet. He also built a copy protection into Rocket's body, preventing the Guardians from healing him. Thus, the team goes on another intergalactic quest to confront the High Evolutionary and save their friend. Along the way, they get back in touch with the Gamora that isn't theirs. 

What makes James Gunn an auteur, in a superhero movie landscape that runs on for-hire directors, is his need to revisit themes again and again in his movies. The "Guardians" films, "The Suicide Squad," "Peacemaker," and even parts of "Super" is the idea of misfits, people who have done awful things and believe themselves unworthy of forgiveness, coming together with other misfits to form improvised family. In its third volume, the "Guardians" story has fully embraced this element. Here, the Guardians are driven by their mutual love for Rocket and a desire to save him. All throughout, the characters call each other friends and family. They talk about love repeatedly. They bicker constantly but always come back together. The sequel's most touching moments are some of its smallest. Such as the ever-blunt Mantis erasing Drax's memory after admitting she thinks he's dumb. The always stoic Nebula breaking into tears upon learning Rocket is okay. Groot embracing his friends by extending his tendrils all the way around him. These moments are only meaningful because they re-enforce the ideas built upon in the previous movies. "Vol. 3" has earned the right to be sappy, because Gunn and his team have taken their time to develop these guys, to let us understand where they are coming from and why they act like this. They put in the work, so a climatic sequence of everyone saying they love each other is exactly as powerful as it should be and not insincere sentiment. 

Throughout the previous appearances of the Guardians of the Galaxy, we've gotten a pretty good idea of where everyone came from... Except for Rocket. The trilogy capper delves into the back story of the team's cantankerous raccoon mechanic. And it's a story full of vivisection, agonizing torture, cruel experiments, and loosing the only friends you've known. The film smartly cuts back and forth between the present story, of the gang trying to save Rocket, and his own recollections of this early life. This structure smartly keeps us hooked to both narratives, eager to see how Rocket got to be this way and whether or not he has a future. It also keeps the incredibly depressing backstory from dragging down the pacing too much, as fun action scenes and comedic dialogue are spaced between the weightier flashbacks.

Earlier this year, some questioned whether including such a violent, traumatic backstory in a film that had Happy Meal tie-ins was wise. Yet the severity of Rocket's origins tells an important story about empathy. In order for every misfit to be accepted into the Guardians' fold, it means overcoming your initial judgement of someone and understanding where they came from. You see this play out in Adam Warlock's subplot, who learns to treat other living things with respect by bonding with a fuzzy, dog-like space critter. That it's an animal that changes Adam's heart is important, as "Guardians 3" is a movie ultimately about extending empathy to animals. This is why the creatures that suffer the High Evolutionary's cruelest, most casual tortures are animals. It's why Mantis reaches out a loving hand to a fearsome monster late in the plot. It's why the film's climax centers around rescuing a whole horde of animals. It's even why the jokiest of story threads is about Cosmo, the psychic Soviet space mutt, begging for forgiveness. I wouldn't be surprised if this blockbuster flick turned some people into vegetarians. 

If animal rights is the main thing on Gunn's mind with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” it's clearly not the only thing. The intentions become apparent when he has the movie's villain refer to one of its heroes, the raccoon that motivates much of the plot, as his “intellectual property.” Gunn got fired from the franchise he made so successful and so singularly his own. In that brief interim, Disney threatened to bring in another filmmaker to film the script he had already written. High Evolutionary wants to cut out Rocket's brain and use it to make his other creations “better,” which also can't help but make you wonder if Gunn is commenting on how his style has largely been grafted to other Marvel properties, like “Thor” and “Ant-Man.” Considering how critical so many people are of Disney/Marvel's role in forging our modern age of “IPs” and “content,” this thread line throughout “Guardians 3” feels very much like Gunn is biting the hand that feeds him a bit.

But maybe that's giving the guy too much credit. The filmmaker clearly has, and continues to have, no problem working with recognizable brands. Yet Gunn's relationship with properties like Marvel and DC has always been more melancholic than many of his contemporaries. Once again, the director and his team finds something meaningful in the nostalgic, pop culture debris that litters his hero's life. Star-Lord, as always, decorates his living quarters with reminders of his youth, like ALF stickers. When the team arrives at Counter-Earth, it's modeled after America in the 1970s. Seeing a suburban neighborhood, outfitted with retro cars and fashion, populated with mildly grotesque humanoid animals causes Quill's reflection on his childhood – and our own cultural fascination with our recent past – to be seen in a new light. Maybe the past wasn't so idyllic. Maybe it was just as strange as the world is today.

While there's been lots of complaints about the generic cinematography and forgettable CGI effects, the “Guardians” movies have always been a cut above. This continues to be true in the third installment. Gunn, clearly a lover of practical creature effects, packs the movie full of as much physical costumes and sets, as well as weird make-up jobs, as possible. The half-human, half-animal residents of Counter Earth are brought to life through lovingly grotesque practical make-up effects. The vampire bat family or little goat girl the Guardians meet look more like realistic fusions of animals and people than cute, marketable stuffed toys. The true visual centerpiece of the movie is when the heroes infiltrate the High Evolutionary's corporate headquarters, a space station made of organic matter. A giant tumor-like structure floating through space or security guards wearing armor that resembles bubbly crab shells are the kind of highly imaginative visuals I don't always expect from our modern comic book movies. Gunn embraces the weird side of the Marvel universe to great effect here. 

The High Evolutionary proves to be a fascinating villain too. He presents the exterior of someone totally under control, determined to show only his most civilized side to the world. Yet that mask often cracks, such as when he comes crawling to Rocket's cage in the middle of the night, practically in tears from desperation. Or any time he displays his God-like sway over his creations, clearly relishing his power over them. Chukwudi Iwuji nicely balances these two sides. The obsession with becoming a God-like creator stems from the Evolutionary's belief that there is no god. And he intends to fill that role. He sees the universe as a chaotic, ungainly mess that has grown out of control. He intends to take it apart and put it back together into something he deems perfect, even if it means he has to destroy everything and start over again repeatedly. It's the kind of villainous motivation that is clearly at odds with the ethos of these films, which follow outsiders and misfits that clearly wouldn't fit into such an idealized worldview. 

The villain's desire to fill the void left by a non-existent god isn't a viewpoint necessarily reflected by the film around him. What role the divine plays in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has never exactly been defined, if the possible exception of "Eternals." "Guardians Vol. 3" doesn't definitively provide any answers... Yet it suggests there's a life beyond. While at the point of death, Rocket is reunited with his loved ones. He's told that his story isn't over yet. That there's more for him to do among the living. This is well-trotted narrative trope but, in a film so concerned with whether a higher power exists and what role they serve, it's an especially meaningful scene. The exact existence of God isn't answered but the script does decide that we mortals have a purpose, that there is more to life than our physical existence.

That "Guardians Vol. 3" looks towards the afterlife is fitting. This is a film all about endings, including that ultimate ending of death. This manifests in the literal sense, of Rocket confronting the trauma of the first family he ever had dying and finally learning to move pass that agony. It's answered in a more figurative sense, of Peter mourning the death of his and Gamora's love, of learning to move beyond that loss. Ultimately, as the film moves towards an ending that brings this particular trilogy to a conclusion, this message extends to us, the viewer. We have to move on from these characters too, the film bringing their journeys to a far different place than they began in. Even if, as everything does in this cinematic universe, the story must go on in some way. But it's clear that, at the very least, James Gunn has finished telling his story with these characters.

It's probably for the best that the "Guardians of the Galaxy" saga has come to an end, strictly from a practical perspective. These are ensemble movies and the ensemble has gotten bigger with every installment. Somehow, "Vol. 3" manages to stay focused on moving its story forward while still giving everyone something to do. Star-Lord gets a juicy arc of overcoming his grief over Gamora's loss, while still giving Chris Pratt a chance to show off the easy-going charm that made the character a fan favorite in the first place. Zoe Saldana essentially plays a different character, allowing Ganora to be far gruffer and more of a rogue than ever before. The script builds some wonderful interactions between Dave Bautista's Drax and Pom Klementoff's Mantis, the two's oddball comic energy enlivening quite a few smaller moments. Such as when they infiltrate OrgoCorp or the way Drax proves himself to be surprisingly useful in the last act. I guess the truth is we love these guys by now. The cast and crew has such a sturdy grasp on who they are and how they work within this group. Watching them play off each other and be themselves is still a delight, because they've been crafted with such care. It allows the movie to have moments of hugs emotion, enormous action set pieces, and little jokes about car doors or couches. 

It's a big galaxy. The film even manages to find time for cameos from Sylvester Stallone. One of the joys of this series is that each corner is filled with something weird or interesting, like a guy with a carrot for a head, a henchmen being a hideous pig monster, or Nathan Fillion as a grumpy security guard. Among the new additions, Rocket's extended family of hideously mutilated animal friends are the most touching. Lyla the Otter, Teefs the Walrus, and Floor the ugly bunny monster all prove to be so lovable and fully realizes in such a limited amount of screen time. If any new additions to the cast doesn't totally work, it's Will Poulter as Adam Warlock. Adam Warlock is a pivotal character on the cosmic side of Marvel Comics. Poulter's version, a superpowered man-child with a limited understanding of the world, doesn't resemble the 616 counterpart much. In a film with so many characters and so many moving parts, Warlock comes off as something of an afterthought. His character arc, of learning empathy through a cuddly dog-thing, isn't as well realized as the other cast members. Poulter is funny in the part. Yet this ultimately feels like a character included more because the last movie's post-credit scene promised him and less because he was necessary to the story. 

As much as Gunn is focused on telling his heartfelt story with these oddball stories amid a wide, cosmic canvas, these are still superhero movies. There are certain action movie expectations to fulfill. The same imagination that powers the movie's sci-fi universe is on display in its action scenes. Groot sprouting wings after Star-Lord takes a dive from the villain's command ship proceeds an impressive shoot-out. A fluid action sequence has the entire time ripping through a hallway of enemies, sometimes rather literally, while the Beastie Boys blare on the soundtrack. The unique powers of the Guardians are nicely utilized throughout, such as Craglin mastering Yondu's magic arrow or Mantis using her empathetic abilities to distract her opponents. There's lots of explosions and space debris but the film is determined to make each one count. 

At this point, the “Guardians of the Galaxy's” soundtracks are as important to the movies as any of the writing or directorial decisions. The "Awesome Mixtape Vol. 3" selection is more eclectic than previous collections, owing in-universe to Quill upgrading to a Zune. The songs are pulled from multiple decades of pop history, providing a wider soundscape for the film. The opening choice, of an acoustic version of "Creep," takes us right inside the melancholy and isolation Rocket feels every day. Later on, the raccoon sings along to The The's "This is the Day," providing a more hopeful sense of introspection. Overall, the mood here is a lot more contemplative, with the dreamy reflection of Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?" being a typical example of the general feel the soundtrack provides. Spacehog's "In the Meantime" got the highly promoted trailer spot, which was a fitting choice as the song's astral quality suits the cosmic setting. Which isn't to say there aren't plenty of upbeat tracks. Several bursts of propulsive pop music energy is provided by classic songs by Heart and Rainbow. The best action beat in the movie is set to "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn," which couldn't be a better combination of visuals and music. Probably my favorite needle drop is a deep cut from Alice Cooper, a sweeping but mildly sinister track that pairs fantastically with the introduction of the darker side of Counter Earth. Overall, it seems Peter Quill has gotten pretty into alt rock and post-punk, as the Replacements, the Mowgli's, and X all put in appearance.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is clearly on the downslope in 2023, so it's hard to say what role with superhero movies will play in the near future of American blockbuster films. Yet, as we look back on this moment in pop culture history, it's clear that Gunn's "Guardians" movies will stand out from the rest of the pack. They've always been more personal, more heartfelt, and more singular than the rest of the caped lot. "Vol. 3" is as bold as the others, in some ways a more thematically ambitious and character driven experience than the other two while sacrificing none of the crowd pleasing theatrics we expect from movies of this statute. If this truly is the last time we'll see these characters, at least together like this, it's a good note to take them out on. [Grade: A]

Director Report Card: James Gunn (2022)

5.5. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Considering James Gunn has spent his entire career reclaiming disregarded bits of pop culture debris, like D-list superheroes and seventies AM radio hits, it's not surprising that he's a fan of the Christmas special. While the best holiday specials remain seasonal staples that are beloved across generations, most of them fade into obscurity after a few years. So, of course, Gunn likes them. When it was announced that the director would be creating a “Guardians of the Galaxy” holiday special for Disney+, with that very specific titling, it was widely assumed to be a homage to the most notorious of misbegotten seasonal entertainment. While one can only assume Life Day was on Gunn's mind, his “Holiday Special” has less unsubtitled Wookie language than expected. Instead, “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” features the same balance of flippant sci-fi antics and sincerity that powered the previous two “Guardians” features.

In the time since “Endgame,” the Guardians of the Galaxy have taken over the Collector's trading post at Knowhere. Still missing Gamora, Star-Lord's friends notice that he is a little glum. After learning that it is around Christmas time on Earth, Mantis and Drax decide to find the perfect gift for their friend. They travel to Earth in search of Quill's childhood hero: The actor Kevin Bacon, who is not enthused to be abducted by aliens. Yet it's all mostly a distraction, as Mantis is more concerned with revealing to Peter that she's also Ego's offspring and, therefore, his half-sister.

More than anything else, the “Guardians” holiday special is a display for Pom Klemintoff and Dave Bautista. The majority of the forty-four minute program revolves around Mantis and Drax having wacky adventures on Earth. The two performers get to really flex their comedic muscles, as they trade comedic dialogue about their Christmas plans and get drunk in what appears to be a Hollywood gay bar. Watching them argue over the holiday decorations they suddenly become attached to produces hearty laughs. Klemintoff's oddball delivery and Bautista's dry and blunt observations have been sharpened to a fine point by now, both clearly being comfortable with these absurd roles.

That the stars get to stretch their comedic muscles so much is fitting, as “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” is essentially a fish-out-water comedy. Half of its runtime is devoted to Mantis and Drax responding to Earth culture in humorous ways. Such as an encounter with Hollywood street performers, which seems to confirm that Go-Bots exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The truth is Mantis and Drax tend to be out of their element everywhere they go. These are the most socially awkward Guardians and pairing them together makes sense. Seeing the nearly indestructible but literal-minded Drax and the shy, ambiguously neurodivergent Mantis use their powers to get out of scuffled – a fun little action beat involving some cops or Mantis using her empathetic abilities to get a star map – are definite highlights. 

Much like the Christmas variety programs of old, a special guest star was recruited for this holiday special. Kevin Bacon – already a Gunn veteran, having appeared in “Super” – proves to be a good sport, playing a good natured version of himself that is ruthlessly mocked and terrorized throughout the narrative. The sequence where Mantis and Drax discover he's just an actor, before she uses her powers to make him assume various heroic identities, is another very funny sequence. Moreover, the experienced character actor playing himself and getting directly involved with this band of intergalactic misfits continues to show the way Gunn weaves pop culture into his stories, not as references for their own sake but to depict what they mean to his characters. Bacon's movies are another connection Peter Quill has to his long-gone childhood and his reaction here – horror that his friends trafficked a movie star for his Christmas special – shows how he's matured.

Truthfully though, the narrative really only occupies the first half of this short program. The second half provides what most people are probably looking for in a holiday special: Just getting to hang out with these characters. Gunn and his team makes sure to include cute moments for each of the Guardians, with Rocket and Nebula getting nice comedic beats of their own. The musical montage at the end of the special, largely devoted to everyone trading gifts, is surprisingly cozy and adorable. This rounded off with a poignant final scene, that shows that these intergalactic stories really are about family, those we make and those we find along the way. 

Unsurprisingly, this thing is packed with Christmas ambiance. Christmas decorations prove to be a minor plot point in the earthbound segments of the story. The second half features Knowhere totally decked out in colored lights, a reveal which is given the proper amount of awe. Yes, before the end, the irresistible sight of Groot being done up like a Christmas tree is featured. This special also convinced me that James Gunn and I share the same taste in holiday music. “The Fairy Tale of New York,” Low's “Just Like Christmas,” Julian Casablancas' “I Wish It Was Christmas Today,” and Fountains of Wayne's “I Want an Alien for Christmas” are some prominent needle drops here that are also on my personal holiday playlist. There's also two original Christmas songs, contributed by Old '97s in alien make-up, that are pretty catchy. 

Supposedly, the “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” acts as something of a bridge between the characters' previous appearance and their likely final bow in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” This includes giving Cosmo, the telekinetic Russian space dog, a proper introduction. And a perfectly adorable voice, provided by Maria Bakalova whose deadpan accent pairs hilariously with Cosmo's typically dog-like behavior. I also like the brief flashbacks here, done in rotoscoped animation that reminds me of “Heavy Metal.” (Which is easy to imagine as an inspiration for Gunn's entire career.) While it's ultimately a fluffy trifle, “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” is well worth a fun, a funny and sweet little gift for fans of this particular corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. [Grade: B]

Director Report Card: James Gunn (2021)

5. The Suicide Squad

While Marvel’s cinematic universe has really changed the way big budget movies are made and released, their Distinguished Competition at Warner Brothers have struggled to do the same thing. By tying their iconic characters to the nihilistic vision of Zack Snyder, they slowly alienated larger swaths of their audience. It’s notable that their biggest superhero successes, “Wonder Woman” and “Aquaman,” shared little stylistic similarities to Snyder’s films. The third film in the DC Extended Universe, David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad,” awkwardly attempted to fuse Snyder’s grim-and-gritty style with a more light-hearted course correction. When combined with a jumbled screenplay and an obvious deluge of reshoots and re-edits, the result was a film that made 746 million dollars but was actually liked by few people. So it's unsurprising that Ayers' replacement, James Gunn – during his brief departure from the Marvel Universe – would disregard many of the first film's elements for his sequel. The result is "The Suicide Squad," an example of a tonally distinct film that both is and isn't a sequel. 

Gunn maintains the general premise of the first film: Ruthless director Amanda Waller sends incarcerated supervillains on secret missions, promising them clemency if they survive. If. This time, Harley Quinn and supervising soldier Rick Flagg lead a team to Corto Maltese, an island nation whose dictatorship government has recently been overthrown by an anti-American military coup. The new government is in possession of a powerful secret weapon, which the Suicide Squad is tasked with destroying. Harley and Flagg's team is quickly massacred and meet up with a second team, led by assassin Bloodsport and hyper-nationalistic super-soldier Peacemaker. The quirky team of misfits soon discover the weapon is extraterrestrial in nature and their objective is not exactly what they've been told. 

Though he's most well-known for his smart-assed but heartfelt "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, long time James Gunn fans know he got his start with Troma, those notorious New Jersey purveyors of gleefully trashy indie horror. "The Suicide Squad" harkens back to Gunn's roots. This big budget studio movie features many of the Troma trademarks. Such as over-the-top but distinctly mean-spirited violence, crude humor, and subversive if fuzzy social satire. Before the opening credits play, "The Suicide Squad" features two graphically exploding heads and a litany of explicit dismemberments. The movie relishes in its R-rated mayhem, with more splattering innards than you usually see in a corporate-owned superhero movie. The dialogue is often colorfully vulgar and there's some random full-frontal nudity. As in Troma, the messy execution of human life and the juvenile humor go hand-in-hand.

Yet as much "The Suicide Squad" sees Gunn returning to his Fangoria days, the movie still resembles his previous superhero work in several key ways. As in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies, this is the story of bickering, amoral outsiders coming together to form a makeshift family while saving the world. Over the course of their mission, this Suicide Squad goes from hating each other to being good friends. (The survivors do anyway.) Gunn's extends this theme even further, cleverly depicting society's most oppressed misfits rising up to save all of us. The director's love of weirdos and losers has now emerged as the defining characteristic of his career.

Combining such mean-spirited violence with a gooey moral about camaraderie probably shouldn't work. Yet Gunn finds an unexpected sincerity among all the death and sarcastic one-liners.  As in the "Guardians'" films, many of the supervillains here are linked by parental issues. Bloodsport's dad was an abusive psychopath, training him to be a killer from the minute he was born. He's so screwed-up that he decides the best thing he can do for his own daughter is stay out of her life. Polka-Dot Man's powers are the direct result of his abusive scientist mother. The youngest member of the team, the rodent-controlling Ratcatcher 2, had a good relationship with her dad but he died of a drug overdose some time ago. The members of the team who don't have daddy issues are still longing for companionship. Harley Quinn is still trying to define herself beyond her abusive relationship with the Joker while King Shark, who is strangely child-like despite being a man-eating shark monster, has never had any friends before in his life. The film is smart enough to pause the carnage long enough to establish it actually cares about these characters and the loneliness that binds them. 

Weirdly, I found the film's R-rated excess to be a detriment to it at times. As in multiple Troma productions and the Gunn-scripted "Belko Experiment," there's a real ugliness to the gore here. Unlike Gunn's "Super," which found meaning and catharsis in its bloodshed, too often the death here seems unnecessarily cruel. Meanwhile, the film's potty-mouthed dialogue isn't quite as funny as it should be. In a post-"Deadpool" world, there's not much novelty in seeing superheroes tell dick jokes and say "fuck." Honestly, I found myself wondering if the leash Gunn's family-friendly Disney masters strap on him isn't good for the director. 

Yet the movie's sense of humor eventually won me over. That's because it eventually stops focusing so much on snickering at penises and four-lettered words and devotes itself to a more absurd breed of wackiness. Polka-Dot Man's disturbing fixation on his mother manifests itself in a very literal way, which the film delights in showing us. In fact, Gunn transforms Polka-Dot Man – a D-list Batman villain whose only remembered because he's so fucking goofy – in an amusingly grotesque creation whose abilities are as much debilitating condition as they are a superpower. Sometimes, the movie even goes on delightfully surreal little digressions. Such as when King Shark befriends a group of colorful jellyfish-like creatures or Harley Quinn's rampage being paired with cartoon birds and colorful flower petals bursting though the air.

No matter how different Gunn's "Suicide Squad" is from David Ayer's, both films run into a similar problem: It's hard to build a smooth narrative around so many different characters. For a long stretch of the story, Harley Quinn is separated from the rest of the cast. She functions off in her own subplot, involving the president of Corto Maltese attempting to seduce her, that doesn't really connect with the rest of the movie for a long time. Supposedly, this subplot was even more extensive in earlier cuts of the movie, before the movie was trimmed down to a more reasonable runtime. Which seems to suggest “The Suicide Squad” was in the awkward position of functioning as both a team movie and as another one of WB's Harley Quinn spin-offs. Even after this subplot wraps up, Harley never quite feels like a member of the rest of the team.

Whether you're a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or not, you can probably agree that the superhero franchise's political campus is indecisive at best. Even when it's criticizing the military industrial complex, it's still operating as propaganda for it. “The Suicide Squad” clearly takes a more decisive viewpoint on this subject... Up to a certain point. Peacemaker's status as a super-nationalistic American soldier, who would do absolutely anything for his country, criticizes the idea of American exceptionalism. As the story progresses, the Suicide Squad discovers their actual mission is to cover up evidence of American atrocities abroad. That's a pretty subversive perspective for a big budget superhero flick to take, admitting action heroes like this are just tools of American imperialism... Yet the film still kind of chickens out in the end, the protagonists' amoral nature allowing the script to stop just short of having the U.S. face actual consequences for its crimes.

Despite its flaws, “The Suicide Squad” is still a really entertaining motion picture. Gunn clearly enjoys engineering some more grounded combat sequences. A sequence devoted to Bloodsport and Peacemaker competing over who is the more effective killer is amusingly flippant, in its dialogue and visual construction. A later fight is partially seen reflected in the super-patriot's shiny helmet. Harley Quinn's javelin assisted rampage, while escaping her captives, is another highlight of the movie, an extended sequence of energetic slaughter. Overall, Gunn enjoys messing around with the movie's sense of time and place. The narrative cuts back-and-forth a few times, while the title cards are created within the film's locations in a very comic-book-y fashion.

Mostly, I found “The Suicide Squad” delightful because of the way it embraces the goofier corners of the DC Universe. Here's the truth: I love King Shark. The humanoid shark monster is an irresistible image. Across the comics and various adaptations, King Shark has been characterized as everything from a mindless killing machine, a tragic monster, a devious schemer, and a nerdy computer expert. In “The Suicide Squad,” King Shark becomes a lovable oaf with a murderous streak. He still gobbles people whole or tears mooks in two. Yet his largely monosyllabic dialogue reveals a child-like personality that mostly just longs for friendship. This idea is aided by the fantastic CGI, which emphasizes the shark monster's pudgy body and big, puppy-like eyes.

If King Shark is the M.V.P. of “The Suicide Squad,” its secret final boss proves to be an even more welcomed introduction. Starro is a seminal character in DC Comics history, being the first supervillain the Justice League would come together to fight. Yet I always assumed he was an unlikely candidate for a major motion picture appearance. Strictly because a giant starfish is kind of a silly visual. “The Suicide Squad” doesn't care about that though. Starro isn't just in the movie, he's actually goofier looking here than on the comic book page. The starfish/cosmic abomination is given a bright pink coloration and a huge, highly expressive eye. Despite his cartoonish appearance, the star conqueror is still suitably intimidating. A real sense of scale is granted to the monster, making him seem enormous. The distressing fleshiness of the creature is emphasized, making Starro a disquieting threat. 

Ultimately, a capable cast helps really keeps the movie together. Gunn smartly utilizes the best performers from Ayers' “Suicide Squad.” In only her third appearance, Margot Robbie has already made herself the iconic take on Harley Quinn. She is comfortable playing up the character's outrageous sense of humor, her unhinged proclivity towards violence, as well as her vulnerable side. Viola Davis' Amanda Waller remains a ruthless voice of authority, which also makes her a comedic straight man to Gunn's quirkier band of enforcers. The sequel also totally redeems Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flagg. A generic army guy with an uninspired subplot in the first movie, now he's a funny and principled man determined to do the right thing as best he can. The sequel even manages to make good use of Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang.

Somewhat inevitably, the newcomers come to dominate the film. Idris Elba's Bloodsport was a replacement for Will Smith's Deadshot, which is very obvious. The minor Superman villain gains several qualities associated with Deadshot, such as a daughter and his ability to turn any projectile into a deadly weapon. Yet Elba is still appealing in the part, showing a kind of gravelly vulnerability that I can't imagine Will Smith pulling off. John Cena can't quite make Peacemaker's sarcastic dialogue distinct but, as a single-minded sociopathic patriot, he's effectively chilling. If nothing else, Cena's casting twists his all-American pro-wrestling face image in a clever way. Relative newcomer Daniela Melchior, as the chronically sleepy Ratcatcher 2, is a true stand-out. She's so sincere and sweet in her motivations that it's hard to even consider her a villain. And it doesn't hurt that the film makes her team of hyper-capable rat companions as adorable as possible.

Gunn rounds out the cast with a colorful collection of largely comedic supporting characters. David Dastmalchian plays Polka-Dot Man as a deeply disturbed guy, a type of queasy humor arising from his oddball mannerisms. Yet he adds enough pathetic humanity to make the character genuinely likable despite his weirdness. Steve Agee appears as an increasingly neurotic office worker, while also doing the on-set mocap for King Shark. Sylvester Stallone provides King Shark's voice, providing a hilariously doofy voice for the child-like shark monster. The opening massacre features a number of amusing actors in bit parts. Nathan Fillion, Flula Borg, and Sean Gunn all show up as fantastically ridiculous characters, short-lived though they may be.

Despite the hype around it, “The Suicide Squad” has debuted to largely soft box office numbers. There's a lot of reasons why this could be. I think that we're still living through a pandemic, the future around that as uncertain as ever, is probably the biggest factor. Especially since audiences could stay at home and still watch the movie. That this film is a sequel to a movie that wasn't especially well-liked might be a factor. Considering “Birds of Prey” also underperformed, it's possible the public isn't as interested in R-rated superhero movies starring Harley Quinn as much as they assumed. Yet it doesn't really matter, as “The Suicide Squad” still proves to be a highly entertaining and delightfully idiosyncratic take on the superhero genre. In other words: James Gunn knows how to keep comic book projects weird and interesting, regardless if they're set in the DC or Marvel universes. [Grade: B+]

Director Report Card: James Gunn (2017)

4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

It feels weird to refer to anything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a billion dollar success story and the most profitable franchise in cinematic history, as “risky.” Yet the original “Guardians of the Galaxy” really did seem like a weirder, nerdier superhero film when it was first announced. That it would become a huge hit and one of the MCU’s hottest titles shows the quality of the first one and how savvy Disney’s marketing is. Thus, the sequel was hotly anticipated and work started on a part two quickly. The studio’s confidence in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” was evident when it received the plum first Friday in May release date, generally regarded as the kick-off to summer movie season. Audiences ate it up again, James Gunn’s unlikely ascent to the Hollywood A-list being ensured.

In the months since the end of the first “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Peter Quill and his make-shift family has only grown more renowned. The Guardians are hired by the Sovereign, a haughty alien empire, to protect some special batteries. When Rocket instead steals the batteries, they are pursued by the Sovereign. A strange man appears to save the Guardians, whose ship is still destroyed in the attack. The man introduces himself as Ego, a living planet, and Star-Lord’s long-lost father. Peter – accompanied by Gamora, Drax, and Ego’s assistant Mantis – is taken to Ego’s world and discovers his destiny... Which is not what he expected. Meanwhile, Rocket forms an uneasy alliance with Yondu and Nebula seeks out her sister.

If the first “Guardians” was about a group of heartbroken oddballs finding solace with each other, the sequel is about the cost of that make-shift family. Rocket’s irresponsible and selfish actions kick off most of the story, the cast learning to forgive him – and Rocket forgiving himself for his self-destructive actions – is the story’s emotional core. If Peter Quill was still grappling with the death of his mother in the first film, here, he’s faced with his father and a troubling legacy. He has to grapple with the difference between the perfect father fatherless sons imagine and the grim reality... Before accepting the easily overlooked truth in front of him. This theme, forgiveness and acceptance among make-shift families, extends to every subplot. The idea is solidified with an ending scene where infant-like Baby Groot, the youngest member of the Guardians family, passes between everyone’s arms, embracing each of them.

If what Gunn has said about his own childhood is any indication, “Vol. 2” is an even more personal film than the first. Yet it also has a similar issue with having to juggle a lot of characters, each with their own subplots and history. “Guardians 2” is a heavily plotted movie, with four or five story threads viewers have to keep track of. It’s also a movie of divergent tones, whipping from wacky comedy to comic book action to quirky drama. That the movie still works extremely well is a testament to its quality. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” comes dangerously close to shaking apart at times but somehow holds everything together in a very pleasing way.

Yet the wider scope does allow for Gunn to indulge in even more cosmic weirdness this time around. This is a mainstream blockbuster where the main antagonist is a living planet, after all. I guess if audiences accepted a tree and a raccoon as lovable characters, that's not any more outrageous. Ego only becomes a more odd character as we learn more about him, Kurt Russell's body being blown apart and reforming on camera. A giant brain puts in an appearance, along with tentacles of energy and huge, rocky faces. The Ravagers get an expanded role, the weird and ugly space-mercenaries getting even more screen time. Over the course of the film, we visit the genetically perfected world of the Sovereign and a pleasure planet occupied by robot prostitutes. When Star-Lord says “I”m going to make some weird shit” at one point, you can almost imagine Gunn saying the same thing to the Disney execs.

The film's far-out comic book concepts and outrageous humor cross over clearly in one sequence. In order to reach Ego as quickly as possible, Rocket passes Yondu's ship through fifty star-gates. This results in everyone's faces distorting wildly as they scream in agony. (That's also where Stan Lee's cameo, confirming a popular fan theory about the Watchers, is dropped.) The sequel certainly doesn't back from the original's ribald and referential humor. There's a running gag about Drax's nipples after all. There's a long, hilarious discussion about Ego's penis. One scene has Baby Groot retrieving a series of more unlikely items. A similar and even funnier moment has the big battle pausing so Star-Lord can ask around for a piece of tape. That seem irrelevance is evident in small but very successful gags, like Ayesha's royal carpet roller getting stuck for a minute. Some of the gags, like that revolving around a unripened space fruit, are so absurd they almost don't work. As with the first film, Gunn manages to make pop culture more meaningful. He derives pathos from a David Hasselhoff shout-out, turns Pac-Man into a crowdpleaser, and makes a Mary Poppins homage a delightfully sweet moment.

If “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is densely plotted, with an overly large cast, the film was obviously aware of it. In order to balance an ensemble that is sometimes pushed in too many directions, Gunn thinks of a pretty orderly solution. The film largely pairs up its various characters in teams of two. Rocket and Yondu are teamed together for long portions of the story. Drax and Mantis end up bonding in unexpected ways. Gamora and Nebula meet up, their sisterly rival rising to a different level. This leaves Star-Lord and Ego to drive most of the plot's major beats. It's a smart decision, the movie compartmentalizing its large cast, keeping thing orderly, preventing some of the unsteady screenwriting that was present in the first.

James Gunn has said Rocket is the member of the Guardians he relates the most too. In light of recent actions, you can't help but see some parallels, in the way that Rocket's self-loathing manifests in him pushing his loved ones with bad decisions. His pairing with Yondu seems odd at first. The film does an extraordinary thing where it manages to clarify Rocket's flaws and his connection with Yondu through one monologue. That moment, where Yondu lays out his own past, is among the film's most emotional. It's also a display for Michael Rooker's acting. Rising from a small supporting role, Rooker turns the space-redneck into a surprisingly parental and sincere person.

Another lovable addition to the cast is Pom Klementieff as Mantis. An insectoid empath, Klementieff makes Mantis a lovably innocent character. Unacquainted with social interaction and human emotion – which has been largely interpreted as a metaphor for being on the spectrum – Mantis is adorable. This is a source of comedy, such as the way she bluntly explains her powers, but also for pathos. This is most clear in her unlikely pairing with Drax. Dave Bautista's ability for deadpan comedy is utilized even more this time. Yet there's also a stillness to his performance. Such as the brilliant moment where, when talking about his deceased wife and daughter, Mantis – who experiences emotions through tactile connection – touches his shoulders. She breaks down in tears but Drax, who has lived with this pain for years, simply stares off at the sun.

In the previous film, Gamora and Nebula's subplot was the only clunker. Freed of having to set up Thanos, who is referenced here but never seen, the relationship between the sisters can be focused on. Nebula grows from a typical supervillain to another wounded soul, someone traumatized by her psychotic upbringing at Thanos' hands, who resents the better loved sister. In fact, Nebula – performed by a hard-as-nails Karen Gillain, who growls most of her dialogue – eventually emerges as an unlikely member of the team. How she makes peace with Gamora near the end is especially sweet. Zoe Saldana still works best when bouncing off other characters. Such as the scenes, comedic and romantic, she shares with Peter.

In recent years, Marvel took steps to fix their perceived lack of good villains. Kurt Russell's Ego would prove to be another quality bad guy. Russell is immensely likable, of course. He's the kind of dad any boy would want, ruggedly masculine but also funny, wise, and sensitive. That's the exact kind of charm Russell has built his entire career on. This is, of course, before the extent of Ego's villainy is revealed. His plot – expand his existence to planets all over the galaxy, wiping out millions of lives – is standard comic book evil. Yet Russell and the film makes sure to clarify Ego's humanity. He's motivated by very relatable emotions. He doesn't want to be alone. He wants his life to have meaning. As Quill turns on him, as his plot falls apart, he's even shown fearing death in a very human way.

As Star-Lord, Chris Pratt still mostly plays the part as a quibbing man-child, though his pain and insecurities are still close to his chest. In order to disguise the Ego twist, Elizabeth Debicki's Ayesha was reported as the film's main villain. That wouldn't have been as interesting, though Debicki is pretty good as a regal alien with a carefully constructed outward attitude. A veneer which falls apart more and more as the Guardians continuously stymie her plans. Sean Gunn, the director's brother, gets a bigger role as Yondu's right hand man, Kraglin. In fact, Gunn even gets a few moments of genuine emotion to himself, with a well-placed cry of remorse. Another secondary villain is Taserface, played as fantastically unaware of his own ridiculousness by Chris Sullivan.

While the characters and comedy are the main reason to see “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” it is a big budget action movie. And a pretty good one at that. The opening fight with the rainbow spewing interdimensional beast is well executed, concluding with the delirious shot of Drax slashing away at the beast's inside. The chase through a quantum asteroid field, another really crazy idea, is satisfyingly intense. Since it was so cool last time, we get a longer sequence devoted to Yondu taking out tons of dudes with his magic arrow. In its final act, “Vol. 2” becomes a bit excessive with its CGI action. In the interior of Ego's planet, there's lots of energy blasts and rocky tentacles. It all becomes a bit too much, though it is certainly never hard to follow.

After the chart-topping success of the original, Gunn admitted that there was some pressure on him to replicate the success of the first film's soundtrack. There aren't as many crowd-pleasing hits here. Glenn Campbell, Sam Cooke and “Lake Shore Drive” don't make as much of an impression on the viewer. However, Gunn still makes great use of some numbers here. The dance party opening of ELO's “Mr. Blue Sky” perfectly captures the effervescent joy of Baby Groot. The team separating and Quill going off with Ego is cut around the percussion and bass of “The Chain” brilliantly. The same can be said of “Come a Little Bit Closer,” an unlikely number to score Yondu's massacre of his former team to. But the best use of songs in the film belong to “Brandy” by Looking Glass, a bit of cheese reclaimed as an emotional checkpoint for the hero, and Cat Steven's “Father and Son.” That last one is on the nose but, fuck it, it works fantastically.

Gunn clearly loves playing in this corner of the Marvel Universe. In fact, he might love it a little too much. While “Guardians Vol. 2” is steady in its story focus, the film does go a little over-the-top with the sequel hooks. The film introduces most of the original 1969 Guardians of the Galaxy team as Yondu's original Ravagers team. It casts well-known actors like Sylvester Stallone, Michelle Yeoh, and Ving Rhames in the parts, so the audience is certain these guys are important. The subplot with the Sovereign serves its purpose but was likely chosen to set up the next movie's antagonist, who happens to be a major player in cosmic Marvel history. None of this stuff bugs me. In fact, I think it's all pretty fun. Yet it's also a largely inessential addition to a story that stood well enough without all this stuff.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” on account of being a sequel, doesn't have the exact freshness of the original. While it is flawed, it might also be a better written and structured film than the first. Regardless of where it stands in your ranking of Marvel movies, the sequel is still an absolute delight. The cast is having a ball, it's hilarious, hugely imaginative, and an effectively emotional motion picture. It has all the stuff I go to movies for and a dancing tree baby. Gunn continuous to make hugely ambitious and highly personal art even within the realm of 200 million dollar superhero movies. [Grade: A-]

I had to re-write the end of this Director Report Card a few days before I started posting. For a while there, it seemed like Disney kicked James Gunn out of the director's chair for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," following alt-right trolls acting in bad faith and digging up some tasteless Twitter jokes Gunn made ten years ago. This threw the third "Guardians" film into crisis, Disney pulling it from its future release schedule. Some members of the cast considered walking. Some wondered if the movie itself was basically cancelled. In the turmoil, Gunn seemed to jump ship, waltzing over to Marvel's Distinguished Competition to direct the "Suicide Squad" sequel/reboot.

Instead, a week or two ago, it was announced that Disney re-hired Gunn to make "Guardians Vol. 3" again. Apparently, he had been quietly re-hired quite a while ago, the official announcement being held off until the controversy died down a bit. Amusingly, this does not mean Gunn is leaving "The Suicide Squad" behind either. Apparently, he's going to write/direct the DC ensemble superhero movie about a group of misfits – from the sounds of it, Gunn's line-up is heavy on unconventional characters, recalling "The Specials" – before going back to Marvel to write/direct an ensemble superhero movie about a group of misfits.

What a strange time to be alive. While I obviously love and enjoy Gunn's superhero works, I do hope he returns to weirder, smaller movies some day. I think he probably will, as that sensibility still directs his big budget stuff. Anyway, that concludes my latest Director Report Card. Thanks for reading.

Director Report Card: James Gunn (2014)

3. Guardians of the Galaxy

James Gunn was probably an unexpected choice to direct a big budget Marvel superhero movie. “Slither” bombed and “Super” was widely disliked by the few people who saw it. Either Gunn is really good at networking or he made a great impression with the right people. (Joss Whedon is apparently a fan so I'm betting the latter played a role.) Then again, the superhero movie Gunn got hired onto wasn't your typical Marvel property. This wasn't a relatively well-known character, like Captain America or the Hulk. This was the Guardians of the Galaxy, a C-list team of cosmic heroes. Having bounced around since 1969, they didn't get even sort of popular until a completely new line-up was introduced in 2008.  The quirky combination really paid off. “Guardians of the Galaxy” was a massive hit, widely beloved, and quickly became a defining movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In 1988, as his mother dies of brain cancer, ten year old Peter Quill is abducted by aliens. Twenty-six years later, Quill has grown into the cosmic outlaw Star-Lord. While chasing the Orb, an artifact of immense power, he crosses paths with Gamora – daughter of omnicidal titan Thanos – and partners Rocket Raccoon and tree-creature Groot. In prison, they form a loose team with literal-minded warrior Drax. They are pursued by Ronan the Accuser, a religious extremist aligned with Thanos and determined to destroy the planet Xandar. Along the way, the Orb changing hands several times, the unlikely team become the heroic Guardians of the Galaxy.

Up until this point, all of the Marvel movies were based on Earth. “Guardians of the Galaxy” would open up a previously unseen cosmic corner of the universe. This gave Gunn, a highly imaginative filmmaker, a playground like no other to operate in. So, yes, this is a 200 million dollar movie with a talking raccoon and a tree-monster with a limited vocabulary as its heroes. The film is steeped in Marvel lore, truly introducing then-obscure concepts like Thanos, the Kree, the Nova Corp, and the Infinity Stones. Every crowd shot is full of weird looking aliens or creatures. Part of the movie takes place within the head of a dead giant. In other words, this is deep-nerd shit that is also deeply weird. There's a reason why some seriously speculated that this might be Marvel's first flop. Instead, the audience was receptive to the wide-open world and crazy ideas the film presented.

Of course, the Guardians being weird and obscure doubtlessly worked in the film's favor. It's unlikely that Disney/Marvel would've allowed James Gunn to make the Avengers so totally his own. Gunn's aesthetic mostly comes through via the film's highly irrelevant sense of humor. This is, after all, a superhero epic with a jizz joke in it. There's a lot of jokes along that lines, including a space-raccoon pawing at his crotch, the sudden deployment of a middle finger, nobody being one hundred percent a dick, or a robot-leg being snatched for no reason. Running jokes about “Footloose” are highly unexpected, as are moments where the simple act of standing up becomes hilarious. The movie's hilarious streak is such that it can casually introduce the likes of Howard the Duck or Cosmo the Spacedog like it's no big deal. I attribute the film's wide ranging success largely to its fantastic sense of humor.

And getting to that point probably wasn't easy. The first act of “Guardians of the Galaxy” is its messiest. Getting all of these characters together quickly, each one with their own convoluted origins, is tricky. Star-Lord is the de-facto protagonist, Rocket and Groot speak for themselves and don't need much explanation. Drax's backstory is quickly explained. Gamora and Nebula, meanwhile, get the worst of it. There's a lot of convoluted stuff here, involving Thanos and Ronan's backgrounds. The whole movie has a slight problem, juggling its individual needs with all the established lore of the Marvel universe. While the plot is never hard to follow, you can sometimes get a little lost about where everyone is from or where they are going.

But it doesn't really matter much. The cosmic connections of the Guardians aren't really important anyway. What truly bonds these characters are their mutual statuses as heartbroken losers. Quill has never processed the death of his mother. Drax is still avenging his wife and child's murders. Rocket suffered cruel experiments most of his life. Gamora was raised by one of the universe's biggest supervillains. Each one of them are, in their own way, broken. It is this element that links them together. It takes a lot to establish a cast as feeling like family just within one two hour long movie. “Guardians of the Galaxy” pulls it off, creating lovable, wounded characters that you believe as a lovable unit.

Something else that differentiates “Guardians of the Galaxy” from typical superhero movies is how rift it is with nostalgic signifies. Quill's collection of seventies Top 40 pop hits accompanies him everywhere he goes. He peppers his dialogue with other eighties call-backs, “Who's the Boss?,” “Alf,” and Troll dolls just being some others. Yet this isn't just the movie trying to get some cheap laughs or nods of recognition by shouting something most people in the audience will know. “Guardians” struggles with what nostalgia actually means. Peter's arrested development, his boyish obsessions and consequences-free womanizing, are linked directly to the loss he suffered in childhood. These things are escapes from the hurt that still wounds him. He's not bad for relying on this stuff. It's a part of who he is. But it's not exactly healthy either.

It's sort of hard to realize its only been four years since Chris Pratt was transformed from the schlubby guy on “Parks and Rec” to a superstar headlining two different billion dollar franchises. Yet, watching “Guardians of the Galaxy,” it's easy to see how that happened. Pratt is so damn appealing as Peter Quill. He's obviously extremely handsome. Yet his easy-going comedic persona makes him incredibly likable. He's believable as an action hero, accessible as a hurt man-child, and really funny. It's no surprise that Star-Lord, a character with a long and convoluted history that never connected much with fans, was totally re-written to resemble his film counterpart after this.

The other great discovery of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” most surprisingly, is Dave Bautista as Drax. We all just thought he was another hunk-of-beef pro-wrestler. His previous turns in stuff like “Man with the Iron Fists” did little to dissuade that notion. As Drax, Bautista creates a hilarious and immensely likable character. His literal mind makes Drax a great source of comedy, his inability to understand metaphors being a rich source of jokes. Bautista's totally straight-faced delivery utterly sells these lines. That comedy helps sell what otherwise might've just been another tough guy hero looking to avenge a fallen family.

The break-out characters, even more than any of the other characters, were obviously Rocket and Groot. Yes, at one point, people feared a talking space-raccoon and a soft-spoken tree-man were “too weird” for the mainstream. Hard to believe that now that both are among Marvel's most beloved characters. Yet its not just their memorable gimmicks and cuddly appearances that make Rocket and Groot lovable. Both are the secret hearts of the team. Groot only says three words, delivered by Vin Diesal's distinctive growl, but each are packed with so much meaning.  He's the immediately empathetic core of the film. Rocket may be a bad-ass with a giant gun but he wears his fears on his fuzzy sleeves. Bradley Cooper's voice work is similarly strong. The partnership between the two, especially how it plays out, cements the love beneath this sci-fi tale.

Of the main Guardians, Gamora doubtlessly has the least interesting subplot. Her emotional core is connected to a largely off-screen villain we wouldn't really get to know until 2018. The sisterly rivalry with Nebula is similarly underwritten, the blue-skinned alien never quite coming into her own as a character here. Zoe Saldana's performance is strong, as she projects an appealing, no-nonsense toughness. Yet the character only really comes to life when interacting with Quill. It ultimately doesn't matter too much, the character works and the film is a delight, but the scenes expounding on Gamora's background are definitely the slower-going ones.

In fact, the intergalactic politics in the story are not what made people love the film. Ronan the Accuser is a character with a long history in the comics, having fought the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. As an antagonistic force in the film, he totally serves his purpose. His fanatical desire to destroy innocents, delivered grimly by a growling Lee Pace, provides a proper obstacle for the heroes. There's even some interesting parallels to Islamic extremism to be seen there. Yet Ronan is still a bit of a blank villain. He's a big evil dude who wants to kill everything but doesn't have much in the way of a personality.

The movie's supporting cast is loaded too. Gunn regular Michael Rooker gets a juicy role as Yondu. A founding member of the Guardians in the comics, the proud archer is turned into a weirdo redneck space-pirate here. And it totally works, Rooker's oddly paternal warmth mixing nicely with Yondu's grittier appearance. John C. Riley's role as a wholesome Nova Corps. member may be small but it perfectly utilizes Riley's special brand of warmth. Glenn Close, who has admitted she took the part of Nova Prime for the money, still brings some class and dignity to the role. While Benicio del Toro has the job of delivering exposition during one of the film's more convoluted stop-offs, he does bring a certain degree of style to the part.

James Gunn has clearly never handled action scenes of this scale before. Not that the action in “Guardians” is bad. It's actually really good. Quill's rocket boots are utilized in creative ways. The siege on Ronan's ship in the last act features lots of cool moments, like the Milano's dramatic entrance or Groot discovering how deadly he can be. Yondu's magic arrow emerges from the film as one of pop culture's coolest weapons. Yet you also don't see the same degree of Gunn's visual sense that you saw in “Super.” The spaceship-heavy action scenes, while still really cool, were directed more by the special effects team than anyone else. Mostly, Gunn's style emerges from brief rough-zoom on Drax or the occasional leap towards the audience.

Since “Guardian's” release, there have been several attempts to emulate its soundtrack. Admittedly, scoring a sci-fi comic book flick to classic pop/rock radio shouldn't work. You wouldn't expect schlock like “The Pina Colada Song” or “Hooked on a Feeling” to have any pathos inside them. Yet Gunn digs under these bubblegum tunes, finding deeper meaning. Gunn's directorial vision especially come through in catchy scenes set to numbers like the Runaways' “Cherry Bomb” or “Come and Get Your Love.” He even taps into the unexpected haunting beauty of something like 10cc's “I'm Not in Love” or “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.” While the Five Stairsteps and the Jackson 5 provide the perfect note to take things out on. Tyler Bates' score is pretty good too, it must be said.

“Guardians of the Galaxy's” pop culture spanning success can be seen in how much it would influence future Marvel Cinematic Universe offerings. The cosmic tones of “Thor: Ragnarok,” “Avengers: Infinity Wars” or “Captain Marvel” likely would have played out very differently if Rocket and Groot hadn't gone there first. Though the film isn't without some bumpy story turns or underwritten decisions, it is ultimately an utter joy from beginning to end. By letting his imagination run wild, and letting him do what he pleased with less known characters, James Gunn became maybe Marvel's most distinct and lovable auteur. [Grade: A]

Director Report Card: James Gunn (2010)

2. Super

There was something in the air at the end of the last decade. Superhero movies had been around long enough that it was apparent they weren't going away. Yet the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which cemented cape movies as the crowning filmic trend of our time, was just getting started. Nevertheless, there was a brief period where a bunch of people had the same idea: What if a real person became a superhero? From 2008 to 2010, indies like “Special,” “Defendor,” “Boy Wonder,” and “Griff the Invisible” came out. Definitive deconstructed superhero text “Watchmen” hit theaters in 2009 while 2010's “Kick-Ass” made the biggest impression on audiences. Coming shortly after that was “Super,” James Gunn's long-simmering – he started writing the script in 2002 – follow-up to “Slither.” Unfairly compared to the glossier “Kick-Ass” at the time, Gunn's film won divisive reviews and didn't find much of an audience. But I'm here to tell you that “Super” isn't just the best film of this particular wave of superhero flicks. It's one of the best superhero movies period.

Frank Darbo has lived a life of misery and humiliation. He believes he’s only had two perfect moments: A brief instance where he helped a police officer catch a fleeing criminal and when he married his wife, Sarah. A recovering addict, Sarah has slowly been getting back into drugs and eventually leaves Frank for her dealer, Jacques. This breaks Frank. In his desperation, he seems to have a vision from God, inspiring him to become a superhero named the Crimson Bolt. Armed with a simple pipe wrench, he goes about brutally bashing small time crooks – or anyone he deems in violation of the rules – with “rescuing” Sarah being his ultimate goal. Frank’s way in over his head, of course. After befriending an unhinged comic book clerk named Libbie, who self-appoints as his sidekick, his journey only grows more disturbing.

What makes “Super” especially subversive is that it’s not really about superheroes at all. Frank is not a comics fan. Seemingly his only previous exposure to masked heroics is a cheap Christian television show called the Holy Avenger. “Super” is not paying homage to Marvel and DC the same way “Slither” did to eighties horror. Gunn’s main inspiration for “Super” was likely his 2007 divorce from actress Jenna Fischer. The film is all about the masculine sense of loss felt at the abrupt end of a relationship. Specifically, Frank is grappling with his male entitlement, saying Sarah belongs to him and must be returned. That his “acts of heroism” largely involves beating petty criminals to bloody pulps with a wrench draws his mentally instability, and the absurdity of the entire superhero premise, into sharper focus. “Super” paints becoming a superhero as an act of toxic masculinity and insanity. By circumnavigating most of the specifics of the superhero, “Super” ends up being more insightful about the genre than most other films attempting to deconstruct it.

Frank is also, the movie repeatedly points out, pathetic. He’s not very smart. The opening montage shows the crueler humiliations from his life, including his prom date sleeping with the photographer. He makes childish crayon drawings and seems pretty clueless about his wife’s wants and needs. Yet there is also a startling humanity to his patheticness. After Sarah leaves, he gets on his knees and prays to God. He tears himself down, calling himself stupid and ugly. Rainn Wilson ugly-cries through the bracing monologue, making what could’ve been a cruel joke into a touching display of utter vulnerability. “Super” in general, and Wilson specifically, are totally sincere in their depiction of Frank as a not-bad person that is completely broken down by the sense of loss in his life.

As serious as “Super” takes Frank, that doesn’t mean he isn’t a source of humor. “Super” is a really funny movie and a big source of that is Frank’s strangeness as a character. A gag the film successfully returns to is how bad he is at lying. While trying to do research for his crime fighting quest, he wears an obviously fake beard. When the librarian calls him on this, he doubles down in claiming the beard is real. Later, a police detective comes for a standard visit to Frank’s house, which the would-be hero makes more suspicious by his shifty behavior. His attempts to cover this up just makes him look more guilty. Later, while talking about the Crimson Bolt with a co-worker, Frank changes his opinion and doubles back several times, to the co-worker’s bafflement. Rainn Wilson’s utter commitment to Frank’s half-assed attempts at lying makes this running gag way funnier than it would’ve been otherwise.

Another source of humor is how divine inspiration plays a role in Frank’s quest. Early on, he rather nonchalantly drops the revelation that he's received visions from God his entire life. That he never second-guesses the source of these visions says a lot about Frank's grasp on reality. The way Gunn portrays these visions adds to the comedy. Demonic faces are crudely pasted over the faces of evil-doers, their voices digitally distorted in bizarre ways. This leads up to the biggest freak-out in the film, the elaborate vision of God's finger touching Frank's brain and planting the idea of a becoming a superhero, with the assistant of some naughty tentacles and a paint-roller. An audaciously hilarious moment, Gunn also makes sure the audience doesn't take this presentation at face value. Frank's holy vision is inspired by bad television. The tentacles come from a bit of hentai he crosses on cable. Everything else, meanwhile, is boosted by a super low-budget “Bibleman” style television series, Gunn perfectly imitating the crude production values of such a series. It's pretty clear that Gunn is painting the steadfast motivations of various superheroes – Batman's quest against crime, for example – as ridiculous and impractical concepts.

Among the film's most biting criticism of comic book fandom, and its most entertaining character, is Libbie. Libbie has a boundless youthful energy, randomly doing handstands or crouching behind a desk. She has no filter, mocking Frank's name after specifically asking him not to mock her's or dropping offensive language. The twist is that Libbie isn't merely a quirky female character in an indie movie. She's a full-blown sadistic psychopath, who derives clear glee from hurting people and with zero regard for traditional morality. She takes way too much pleasure in viciously exterminating criminals, treating life-and-death like a game. Bringing this difficult character to life is Ellen Page at her most breathtakingly gorgeous. Ellen easily nails the limitless enthusiasm of Libbie while never betraying her child-like psychosis. Libbie is a very dangerous person but doesn't consider it a big deal at all, a contrast Page fantastically realizes.

That Libbie is a dangerous nut that does and says whatever she wants paints a pretty clear picture of what a superheroic sidekick would be in real life: A lunatic, a thrill-seeker, or both. (She's also in her twenties, a bit old for a “kid” sidekick.) “Super” continues to slyly mocks the superhero traditions throughout. Frank's weapon is not a high-tech suit of armor or specially made batarangs. It's just a plain old pipe wrench. His costume is an ugly mishmash of material woven together by someone with no experience in needlework. The pithiest catchphrase he can muster is “Shut up crime!,” a juvenile statement screamed with the conviction of a madman. He spends most of his patrols hanging out and waiting for something to happen, which it rarely does. When he does fight, it ends in one of two ways. Either he's embarrassed or seriously injured during combat... Or he bashes unsuspecting people into unconsciousness with a wrench. His incompetence and humiliation play as absurd comedy, with the severe beatings he hands out – Gunn's violence is gloriously R-rated – his victims rolling out as especially dark humor.

The severity of the movie's violence is, in fact, preparing the audience for what's to come. There's an intentional and hard tonal shift in the movie's last act. While taking the fight to Jacques' compound, wearing armor and wielding weapons, reality ensues. Libbie has her head suddenly, graphically blown off. Frank becomes a hardened executioner, blowing away limbs with bombs and killing goons at point-blank range as they beg for mercy. Gunn adds comic book sound effects over these acts of realistic violence, drawing the contrast between real life murder and comic book action into sharp relief. Yet the brutality of the last act is amazingly effective on its own, “Super” transforming into a disturbing crime film totally assured of its convictions. It's an amazing gut-punch of a switch, the thoroughly disarmed audience drawn completely into a brutal and ugly finale.

That tonal shift left a bad taste in many people's mouths. That's not the only element of “Super” that'll make you uncomfortable. Much of the film's comedy is what we'd call “problematic” today. Offensive slurs, once part of the common nerd vernacular but now rendered verboten in today's climate, are flung around easily. The bad guys and supporting cast members often talk in the kind of outrageous language familiar from Gunn's Troma days. Yet the most offensive moments comes when Libbie, sexually aroused by a day of crime-fighting, attempts to seduce Frank. Faithful to Sarah, he's not interested. But Libbie doesn't take no for an answer. I've seen the scene that follows referred to as deeply offensive, hilarious or even erotic. How exactly you are supposed to take the scene is hard to say and the movie could've functioned without it. You're also not going to forget it any time soon either.

As a visual filmmaker, Gunn has already come such a long way since “Slither.” “Super's” direction occupies two worlds. Many of the film's scenes are shot in a gritty, seemingly handheld style. Gunn's camera often follows the characters as they move around the unnamed but harshly industrial city, capturing the realistic world the film is set in. This is often contrasted with the colorful montages of the Crimson Bolt's superheroic adventures. Comic book graphics flash on the screen during these moments, gifting the movie with a sure-footed sense of whimsy. Yet there are surreal touches too and not just in tentacle-laden fantasy scenes. Frank's recollection of his first night with Sarah has the furniture casually moving around them. Or in Frank's meeting with the Holy Avenger, in a clear white room. It's a really interesting looking movie, that's for sure.

While Wilson and Page are clearly the stars of the show, “Super” does have an accomplished supporting cast. Liv Taylor often comes off as blank in other films. Here she shows a humanistic trauma during most of her scenes, even coming off as charming or insightful when Sarah is sober. Gunn regulars like Gregg Henry and Michael Rooker show up in understated roles, Henry as a cop just doing his job and Rooker as a thug that approaches his rough business casually. Nathan Fillion is hilariously uptight as the Holy Avenger, delivering preposterously self-righteous dialogue with a totally straight face. Kevin Bacon steals the show as Jacques, a childish and petty man who doesn't often considers the consequences of his actions. He even seems somewhat prissy about the nasty side of his business, Bacon playing the villain as a conceited teenage brat trapped in a grown man's body.

“Super's” world is one of contrast. It's opening credits are portrayed as a ridiculous cartoon, packed with gory violence. It's score shifts between willowy choirs and hard action movie bass. The back-and-forth Gunn brings to the material, seesawing between absurd humor and extreme violence, isn't going to appeal to everyone. Yet “Super” is a movie I grow more fond of every time I see it. Beautifully acted, deeply sincere in its emotions, and one hundred percent successful at the different tones it aims for, it all builds up to a genuinely touching epilogue. Maybe I'm alone in loving this oddball movie that is a gonzo comedy, a harsh crime thriller, an outrageous cult experience, and a strange deconstruction of the superhero concept. More for me than, because I think “Super” is fucking great. [Grade: A]