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The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special | Average Guy Movie Review


In an effort to cheer up Quill (Chris Pratt), and restore his love of Christmas, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) travel to Earth in search of the perfect gift.



With the help of Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn has finally got the chance to share his love of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, and to spread a little festive cheer while he's at it, with his very own Holiday Special. But a Holiday Special born from Gunn's interesting sense of humour can only mean we're in for another gonzo galactic adventure, one served with copious amounts of cheese, and - rather unsurprisingly - an excellent soundtrack. All of which Gunn delivers, and more. Seeing the Guardians deliver Christmas in their own (very) weird way, it turns out, is actually a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.



As well as being a delightfully sappy adventure, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a fun way to catch up with the gang before the arrival of the much-anticipated Vol. 3. This is especially so for Mantis, who finally becomes more than just a supporting character. She is now truly one of the Guardians, spearheading their latest crazy endeavour, and Klementieff more than delivers on that with an especially bonkers performance. She and Dave Bautista, once again, make the perfect pairing as they travel to Earth in search of the illusive gift, resulting in a whole host of hilarious antics. If anything, this should serve as a reminder that those two shouldn't be allowed out without a chaperone.



Unfortunately, the reveal of a certain someone's involvement in the trailer does - for a while, at least - take the wind out of these festive sails. Especially with such a short runtime. It almost feels like the Holiday Special has been robbed of its big 'WOW!' moment, leaving it with very little in the way of surprise. Thankfully, the chaos and hilarity that follows the arrival of the mystery guest - along with the arrival, itself - quickly dispels any disappointment. Meaning this Holiday Special has the potential to become a crazy Christmas tradition, with Marvel fans sitting down to watch it every year.



The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is the perfect way for Marvel fans to get into the festive spirit. Despite being robbed of its big surprise, it's as cheesy as it is bonkers. In fact, it's everything you'd expect a Guardians of the Galaxy movie to be, and somehow it still manages to warm your heart in a way only Christmas can.

9/10



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