"Guardians of the Galaxy" isn't as widely known an entity as fellow Marvel-Comics-turned-big-screen-franchises "Iron Man," "Captain America" and "Thor," but that is destined to change with the release of writer-director James Gunn's (2011's "Super") vivaciously crowd-pleasing space adventure. Based on the 2008 comic reboot by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (which, in turn, derived from a 1969 incarnation with different characters), the film separates itself from the pack by not really feeling like an origin superhero story at all. Instead, Gunn and co-writer Nicole Perlman have conceived of a full, vivid tale, one that has room to develop into a multi-picture saga but could just as confidently stand on its own. More important still, "Guardians of the Galaxy" displays an irresistible personality that does not appear to be stuffily beholden to the source material. Spending time with the picture's ragtag team of unlikely intergalactic warriors proves an irresistible two-hour proposition.
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