WHEN THINGS GET BAD, THEY’LL DO THEIR WORST.

Somewhere in outer space, a human pilot (Chris Pratt) lays his hands on an orb that contains powerful forces and is immediately hunted; along the way, he befriends a motley gang of warriors and adventurers.

Another mighty Marvel adventure in 3D, but this time with heavy emphasis on comedy. That is its salvation, as the film gets a big boost from a laidback style, golden oldies soundtrack and charming performances from the actors who play the ragtag bunch (and in two cases provide voices to irresistible CGI creatures).

The action and the villains are strictly Marvel-formulaic, but it’s still fun.

2014-U.S. 121 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by James Gunn. Screenplay: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman. Comic Book: Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning. Cast: Chris Pratt (Peter Quill), Zoe Saldaña (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Benicio del Toro. Voices of Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Seth Green, Rob Zombie. Cameos: Josh Brolin, Stan Lee.

Trivia: Eddie Redmayne and Joel Edgerton were considered as Quill; Jason Momoa as Drax, with Peyton Reed considered for directing duties. Followed by two sequels, starting with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).