THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL – Review

Since the feast is finished and the shopping (in person and online) has begun, the fine folks at Marvel Studios hope that you’ll take a break for a tasty little seasonal treat. And it’s the most unusual of setting for such an offering as much of it takes place in the most distant reaches of the MCU. Another universe, really. You see, the Earth-born leader of our favorite group of planet-hopping (I’m using a line from the first flick) “A-holes” is not quite feeling the yuletide spirit. Oh, as mentioned earlier, little is the operative word as this is yet another Marvel Studios Special Presentation, following October’s WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (for Halloween, ‘natch, so this new one makes sense). It’s not really feature-length and it’s too long to be considered a short subject (maybe a “super deluxe” home video extra). So fire up the egg nog and join the ragtag space crew for THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL.

After bidding farewell to their Asgardian “temp” teammate in THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, and an animated flashback with a grinch-like Yondu (voice of Michael Rooker) prologue, the Guardians have settled in on Knowhere, after Peter Quill AKA Starlord (Chris Pratt) bought it from the Collector. Mantis (Pom Kiementieff) notices that her pal seems a bit off. Discussing this with Drax (Dave Bautista), she believes that he’s down due to the approaching time of “Earth Christmas” coupled with his ongoing search for his lost love, Gamora. Maybe a gift would cheer him up. But what? It’s then that Drax has a great idea (in the comics, a light bulb would appear above his bald noggin). THE perfect gift is a person. The duo then sneaks away to “borrow” the smaller sized (maybe “fun-size”) cruiser, the Bowie (the Milano’s too big), and zip through the space grids to arrive on planet Earth, right above Hollywood. Their search then commences for Peter’s hero, Kevin Bacon (as himself). But there are detours in front of the Chinese theatres, where tourists “make it rain” thinking that the two are part of the usual costumed “buskers” and in a rowdy dance club. before acquiring his unknown info through the wondrous “map of the stars’ homes”. It’ll be a breeze for the aliens to scoop him up and zoom back home, right?

Okay, Marvel maniacs, let’s put your minds at ease right now. They may have taken a bit of inspiration from it, but this bares almost no resemblance to the much-derided and often reviled ” The Star Wars Holiday Special” of 1978 (though it has some fans who like laughing at its campier moments). So don’t expect comic TV actors and out-of-place music acts. I’d say it’s more of a nice little “catch-up” with the gang before next year’s final entry in the trilogy (Volume Three, really). Sure there’s an animated sequence (the late 70s TV event introduced us to Boba Fett), but it feels like a nod and a wink to the Ralph Bakshi rotoscoped (traced drawings over live footage) from forty years ago. And in ways, the rest’s a comic caper headlined by a comedy team, with Mantis and Drax acting as a new twist on Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello. As with the former, both score big laughs with Bautista a sweet, but dim deadpanning lug, and Kiementieff the over-excitable flighty ringleader. Actually, they may be a comic trio (like the Stooges or the Brothers Marx) with Bacon as their straight man although his too-cool, hipster star riff on his persona is lotsa’ fun. Most of the other Guardians are supporting them in bookends to the Tinsel Town hijinks. Pratt still projects a goofy charm while a new husky Groot somewhat resembles his vocal source, Vin Diesel. Writer/director James Gunn has delivered a bouncy, irreverent seasonal surprise full of frothy flourishes from the off-kilter carols by the Old 97’s (Santa’s a super-powered burglar) to Bacon’s choice of Christmas viewing (and yes, it’s an earlier SF/fantasy camp hybrid) that compares most favorably to the previous MCU Special “spook-show”. Hey Rudolph, Frosty, and Mr. Grinch make room under the tree for THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL. So, Excelsior to all, and to all a Marvel-ous night!

3.5 out of 4

THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning on Friday, November 25, 2022