1. Forget Setting Up The Sequels - Make A Great Standalone Film
The biggest problem with the Marvel Studios films is that a lot of them are far too concerned about setting up the sequel than actually making a film that is enjoyable in its own right. While you can't blame the studio execs for salivating over that sweet franchise money, from a viewer's stand point it is highly annoying to see a film that feels more like a trailer for the next entry in the series than a kick ass blockbuster. Before you clutch your Thor plushie and scream bloody murder, think about it: Thor, Captain America and Iron Man 2 were half baked films that were more concerned with setting up The Avengers than being great cinematic experiences. The fact that you had to see all of them to get the full setup for The Avengers further cements this fact, and was an ingeniously annoying move. Thankfully, Guardians of The Galaxy opted to abandon the 'origin' story and instead used its blistering pace to quickly establish the characters and put them through more exciting perils and events than the three films above combined. While there will almost certainly be a sequel, The Guardians Of The Galaxy was a brilliant standalone film, and could satisfy viewers on its own merits - not having them think "that was cool, for a setup move". With the recent furore over Edgar Wright leaving Ant Man, many wondered if Marvel were too strict on creativity, and couldn't take an overly out there version of their characters. Guardians Of The Galaxy is their defiant response, proving that the studio can take risks and more importantly - create films that aren't just good compared to their back catalogue - but that are brilliant experiences in their own right. Which other lessons do you think comic book movie film-makers need to heed from Guardians Of The Galaxy? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.
Having written for Official Playstation Mag, Godisageek and obviously What Culture. Tom is a London based writer who loves him some games. You may also find his articles lurking in the film and comic sections on rare occasions.
