Guardians of the Galaxy (film)

Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2014 superhero team-up film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It was directed and written by James Gunn. It is the eleventh installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The film stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Emma Stone, Lee Pace, Pom Klementieff, Alan Tudyk, Michael Rooker, Jessica Chastain, Annette Bening, and Christian Bale. It was released on November 7, 2014 and grossed $657.8 million on a $165 million budget. It ran 136 minutes and received critical acclaim.

Plot
In 1979, a ship crash lands in Missouri. A young woman, Meredith Quill, discovers the ship, along with a man inside. She nurses him back to health and they begin a relationship. However, they are forced to break-up when the man, calling himself Jason, reveals he must return to fight a war in outer space. Meredith learns she is pregnant after he leaves and raises her son, Peter, by herself. When Peter is ten years old, an army of cybernetic creatures arrive in Missouri and kill Meredith, along with attempting to kill Peter. However, he manages to escape the house before they blow it up, presuming Peter dead. He is then raised by Meredith's friend, who holds a high position in NASA. In 2011, Peter has joined NASA and is carrying out a mission in space when he is attacked by a spaceship. Peter loses his memory and awakens on Hala, home planet of the Kree, only remembering his name. Throughout the next three years, Peter slowly makes his way up to being a trusted military adviser to Ronan the Accuser, General of the Kree army. The Kree are currently at war with the shapeshifting Skrulls, which are aided by their several allies. When Hala is invaded by the Phalanx, a Skrull ally species, Peter is recognized as the son of J'son of Spartax. J'son is a wanted criminal for being accused of conspiracy in attempt to assassinate Empress Co-Lar of the Phalanx. Peter tries to explain his memory loss, though he is taken into custody by the Phalanx, and Hala is overthrown.

The Phalanx torture Peter in an attempt for him to regain his memory, and he gets bits and pieces, including his mother's death at the hands of the Phalanx. Peter escapes and breaks out fellow prisoner Mantis, an empath who alligned with the Kree in the Kree-Skrull War and was arrested as well. Peter decides to create a team of space heroes to take back Hala. Peter recruits mercenary Drax, and bounty hunters Rocket Raccoon and Groot. Peter's friend on Hala, Phyla-Vell, also joins him. However, the team, preparing to go back to Hala, are confronted by assassin Gamora, the adoptive daughter of Thanos, who the Kree answer to. Peter is shocked when he learns that Gamora was sent to kill him. Phyla stops her and they are forced to bring her along after they steal her ship, which only flies at her voice command. Gamora reveals that after Ronan discovered Peter was J'son's son, he realized Peter was too risky to keep around. Peter feels betrayed and nearly gives up on his mission to save Hala, until Phyla reminds him that the Kree are the only possible chance at stopping the Skrulls from invading every inch of the universe.

The Guardians first stop by Knowhere, a space "pitstop". There, they meet Cosmo, a telekenetic and telepathic space dog, and Richard Rider, the leader of the Nova Corps, one of the only space nations that didn't take a side in the war. Rider agrees to help them on the condition that they also attempt to stop the war. They agree and make their way back to Hala, with new weapons and the Nova Corps to back them up. Gamora nearly escapes, though Mantis puts her to sleep. On Hala, Mantis stays behind to watch Gamora, while the other five find the Phalanx leader. They get through several battlefields before meeting up with Ronan. Peter tries to fight him for betraying him, though Ronan takes the upper hand, before Phyla stops him. Phyla manages to realize the error of the Kree's ways and disbands from the Kree for good. Empress Co-Lar discovers the team and fights them, before taking Peter to the Kree dungeon, where he meets J'son. J'son reveals to his son that his father, Eson, was set to marry Co-Lar and unite the nations. However, it would cause the Spartoi to take the Skrulls side and leave the Kree without allies. This forced the Kree's overall ruler, the Supreme Intelligance, to frame J'son for trying to kill Co-Lar, which interrupted the wedding but killed Eson instead, and J'son was imprisoned. Peter breaks his father out, and they overpower Co-Lar and escape. J'son also sets free Vance Astro, the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, a Kree-sponsored team from years ago that realized the Kree's flaws, and got them all killed, except Astro, who was imprisoned due to his immortality.

The Nova Corps is delayed, which causes Phyla, Rocket, Drax, and Groot to be quickly overpowered by the armies. Peter, J'son, and Astro return and fight off the soldiers. However, J'son sacrifices himself to save Peter. Gamora escapes Mantis, knocking her unconscious. Gamora awakens Ronan and he takes advantage of the weakned Phalanx to set up the Kree armies. However, this is revealed to be a trick by Gamora, who had joined Peter's side. The Nova Corps arrives and takes out the entire Kree army in one blast, due to Ronan's actions. Gamora quickly disables Ronan. Co-Lar awakens to find the Phalanx has retreated. Co-Lar and Ronan are taken into Nova Corps custody, while the Supreme Intelligance is destroyed. Astro gives Peter the idea to call his new team the Guardians of the Galaxy, as a way of remembering his team. Peter agrees and Astro leaves. The new Guardians of the Galaxy become Nova Corps-sponsored and help the Corps take on the Skrulls to end the violence.

In a mid-credits scene, the Collector finds Thanos, who is dismayed at Gamora's betrayl. The Collector unveils the Casket, which Thanos crushes and discovers a blue gem under. He sends the Collector after the Cosmic Cube next. In a post-credits scene, on Knowhere, Cosmo has set up a base for the Guardians.

Cast

 * Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Gamora
 * Zoe Saldana as Gamora
 * Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer
 * Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon
 * Vin Diesel as Groot
 * Emma Stone as Phyla-Vell/Quasar
 * Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser
 * Pom Klementieff as Mantis
 * Alan Tudyk as Richard Rider
 * Michael Rooker as Vance Astro
 * Jessica Chastain as Co-Lar
 * Annette Bening as Supreme Intelligance
 * Christian Bale as J'son