I went to go see this recently with one of my best friends. The film was getting good reviews, but I tried not to go in with really high expectations. I didn't go see this movie in 3D, but it did seem like it could be pretty cool in 3D, but I also think it could be pretty nauseating during some of the more heavy action scenes, so I would say invest in the extra dimension at your own discretion.
While I'm not the biggest fan of sci-fi films, this movie was an exception for the genre. Though the movie takes place in various planets and places in the galaxy, it was never too absurd and the straightforward plot helped make sure it wasn't too confusing or overwhelming. If you're not sure if a Marvel sci-fi movie is for you, I would recommend checking out the Thor movies and/or The Avengers. These movies add a decent amount of sci-fi elements to the plot (and the Thor movies largely take place on other planets). The only other thing I would recommend is Thor: The Dark World does contain a mid-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy, so if you get through to that, you can kind of get an idea of what this movie may be like. You don't need to see any of the previous Marvel movies in order to understand what goes on in this movie, but if you are interested in appreciating some of the details that they mention, watching The Avengers and the two Thor movies would be my recommendation. That being said, if you are a Marvel fan, they do tie in other Marvel movies and details from them for fans to appreciate.
What I enjoyed most about the film was that the main characters were all different and stood out from each other while being well-acted. Though all the characters were great, Chris Pratt (who plays Peter Quill) was definitely my favorite out of the Guardians. He acted his character so well in my personal opinion, that it didn't even seem like he was acting, just having a great time singing to classic songs and sassing a lot of the other characters in the movie. I also enjoyed that the plot was simple to understand, yet well-done and entertaining. The humor was present throughout the whole movie, which really kept it light and helped balance out the more serious moments in the movie (which were also well-done). Though this film had the standard big bad, borderline generic, villain (played by Lee Pace), it allowed for more attention to be sent towards the Guardians, who were more complex and had a stronger onscreen presence.
Overall, I really enjoyed the film and was really entertained by it. It had great moments of humor, action, and serious moments as well. The soundtrack of the movie is also a really great element in the film. It contains classic songs from the 70s and 80s (which is much of what I grew up listening to), and after leaving the theater, I can honestly say that I had the soundtrack on repeat for a long time. The movie had a straightforward plot that helped make sure the setting was never too overwhelming, and the main characters were well-acted and unique. I recommend checking this movie out if you're looking for a fun movie to see or if you really enjoy Marvel movies.
*There is an ending credits scene, but no mid-credits scene that other Marvel movies tend to have. Most of the ending credits scenes are usually just funny scenes or don't really contribute to the plot. This ending scene falls under this, it's nothing really mind-blowing, but you can stick it out to see it if you want.*
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZ2Tp9yXyM
