Guardians Of The Galaxy: 10 Glaring Flaws Everybody Just Ignored
7. A Lot Of The Jokes Fall Completely Flat
This is sure to be a controversial point, but it's plainly true. Though there are lots of good jokes scattered throughout this flick (essentially a "sci-fi comedy"), there are heaps of gags that don't quite work; either the timing is off - due to editing - or something else is going on that distracts from the moment, like an action scene or a musical cue. That's not to say Guardians is "unfunny" - just that the humour doesn't feel honed. In a way, Guardians recalls another good movie that was only half successful in its comic intentions: Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. In a similar way, jokes fumbled due to the editing, or because the actors unleashing said jokes seemed unsure of how to deliver them. It's not a monumental issue, but there are a healthy number of noticeably awkward moments in Guardians where the funnies don't hit their marks.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.