Summary
Like every Christmas, this one involves being with an arguing family, eating too many Zarg-nuts, and chasing Kevin Bacon through suburbia.
It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time before Guardians of the Galaxy. Prior to the release of the 2014 film, prognosticators of doom had already written off the gamble as Marvel’s folly. A sequel and several crossovers later, writer/director James Gunn’s sense of humour is in the very DNA of the MCU.
Following the Werewolf By Night Halloween special, THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL continues to have fun with the form. The premise is bonkers: after learning of Peter’s (Chris Pratt) disappointing first Christmas in space, Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) head to Earth to get him the one thing they know will make him happy. That is, of course, the legendary hero Kevin Bacon (who plays himself).
The special is something of an anomaly in the MCU to date. Playing like an extended version of the One-Shots that peppered the first few phases, it speaks to the existing canon while setting its own holiday tone in the process. Although clearly inspired by the weird-ass Star Wars Holiday Special, it stays true to the characters while putting them in decidedly non-MCU scenarios. It’s a comedy, it’s a musical, it’s an action adventure. In other words, it’s a Guardians of the Galaxy film.
All of the Guardians are involved to some extent, but it’s primarily a Drax and Mantis joint. This hapless duo works incredibly well, especially during a drunken night in a club that gives off some serious Venom: Let There Be Carnage vibes. A chase sequence involving Kevin Bacon, a plastic elf, and a candy cane (that may or may not look like a man) is just golden. Speaking of Bacon, he’s an incredible sport in a flick that variously (and lovingly) refers to actors as “repugnant” and “pieces of shit.”
Set between Avengers: Endgame and next year’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, Gunn also uses this special as a way of casually establishing the status quo. As a long-time fan, I was excited to see the Celestial head called Knowhere housing the gang, not to mention Cosmo the sentient dog (voiced by Maria Bakalova) mixing it up with Rocket (Bradley Cooper). It’s like the Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning books coming to life.
On a technical level, there’s very little separating this from the big screen adventures (especially when watching it in glorious 4K Dolby Vision). Gunn judiciously chooses the locales to maximise the effects, while playing up on the fish-out-of-water gags of Drax and Mantis on Earth. Even Yondu (Michael Rooker) gets to appear via an animated flashback, in the best Christmas tradition. It does, however, mean that Rocket and Groot are kept to a minimum.
The soundtrack is characteristically lively, including an alt.Christmas selection featuring the likes of The Pogues, Julian Casablancas, Fountains of Wayne, and The Smashing Pumpkins. Old 97s not only provide a theme song but cameo as an alien band. This might be a minor spoiler, but the final sing-a-long is as wacky as it is heartwarming.
Phase Four has been a bit of a mixed bag, but THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL ends it on a joyous and silly note. It’s a reminder that this whole thing started with a fanbase who were just happy to see their favourite characters up on screen. So, kick back with your favourite nog, slice of pie, or other beverage and unwrap the holiday gift we didn’t know we needed.
2022 | USA | DIRECTOR: James Gunn | WRITERS: James Gunn | CAST: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, Old 97’s, Michael Rooker, Kevin Bacon | DISTRIBUTOR: Disney/Disney+ | RUNNING TIME: 44 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 25 November 2022 (Disney+)
