The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Starring: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Kevin Bacon, Vin Diesel (voice), Bradley Cooper (voice), Michael Rooker (voice), Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Kyra Sedgwick (voice), Rhett Miller, Maria Bakalova (voice), Flula Borg, David Moskovitz (uncredited)
Directed by: James Gunn
Rating: TV-14
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
2022
Times Seen:
Tim: 1
Summary: With Peter (Chris Pratt) reminiscing about Christmas on Earth, Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) go to any lengths (even kidnapping) to give him the best Christmas ever.
Review:
Tim: This review will have to take on two different forms. First, I do just want to talk about The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Secondly, (and more complicatedly), trying to assess a 41 minute special. Is it a film? A short film? If it's a film, how do you rate that? I'll get to that, but first, let's talk about this Holiday Special.
I had a lot of fun watching James Gunn's slightly unhinged special. It's absurd, hilarious, wildly entertaining. I love that it was designed to fill in a few gaps to bridge between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (and the last two Avengers movies) and the upcoming third film in their trilogy. It makes a ton of sense to save time in the trilogy capper, plus it gives fans something to digest while we wait. The Special includes Peter Quill in a meaningful role, but it really gives more limelight to two supporting characters, Drax and Mantis. This is the thing I loved most about it. Dave Bautista is absolutely hilarious as Drax and we never get enough time with him. Pom Klementieff has been growing significantly into the role of Mantis and building a stronger emotional connection with the audience. She's able to really drive this character forward because of the extra time this Special allows. That is invaluable for this franchise and it's a really, really good thing.
I also loved that there was no antagonist in this film. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is understandably driven by the actions of its antagonists. Without any villain here, we just get to hang out with this really cool, fascinating characters. It felt like such a unique opportunity, such a relief not to have the third act filled with big battles. I wonder if that felt nerve-wracking to anyone at Marvel. It's a departure from their modus operandi, but it's a welcome one.
Finally, I absolutely love the inclusion of Kevin Bacon in a meaningful role. This pays off a joke from the original Guardians of the Galaxy, plus it includes this great actor in the MCU. Bacon is great here- he's game for anything and really steps into this version of himself. This all accumulates with a terrific song, "Here it is Christmastime" sung by Bacon and performed by the Old 97's. This was my favorite part of the Special. Bacon does a terrific job with this rendition and it's just a perfect song for this mixed up, messed up family. To see each of these characters have a quiet moment with each other was powerful. There's no explosions, risk of death. Just family and friends at the holidays. That's not what anyone would expect from Marvel, but subverting expectations is a key why they've been so successful.
Now, however, things get tricky. Do I treat this 41 minute Special as a film, with a rating? Or, is it a short film, rating unnecessary? I had a similar issue with Werewolf by Night, but that clocked in at over 50 minutes, so it was a bit easier. I decided I have to go with the Academy's definition of a film, which is over 40. So, this movie needs a rating.
I really liked the movie- it's zany and different and one of the most unique things Marvel has ever done. And yet, by a movie standard, I don't think it lives up to the bar set by the films. How could it possibly achieve that, in just 41 minutes? I really enjoyed the movie, though- that's never in doubt. I decided on a "7", signalling a "good" movie. Notably, this is the first film in the MCU to ever get a rating that low. Nothing else has dipped below "7.5". It's not fair, though, to suggest this is the "worst" thing in the MCU. It's too short to be properly compared to others. In some ways, this is among the best. But, 41 minutes is too short to tell a compelling narrative from beginning to end. I also recognize that none of this matters, in the end. My ratings are a helpful tool for me to remember what I thought about a film. No one else cares, as it should be.
To summarize, I really liked The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. A lot. I hope Marvel continues to do these and films like these. It was fun, festive, and something I'll absolutely revisit in the future. I wish it was a bit longer so it felt more like a proper film, but it's a terrific Special.
Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7
If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame