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Deep space laughs in the Marvel-ous 'Guardians'

The obscure Marvel comic book series is now a funny outer space action comedy starring Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana.

CORRECTS SPELLING OF NAME TO BRADLEY COOPER - This image released by Disney - Marvel shows, from left, Zoe Saldana, the character Rocket Racoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, the character Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel and Dave Bautista in a scene from "Guardians Of The Galaxy." (AP Photo/Disney - Marvel)
CORRECTS SPELLING OF NAME TO BRADLEY COOPER - This image released by Disney - Marvel shows, from left, Zoe Saldana, the character Rocket Racoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, the character Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel and Dave Bautista in a scene from "Guardians Of The Galaxy." (AP Photo/Disney - Marvel)Read moreAP
    by GARY THOMPSON
    Published 

FOR AT LEAST a century we've been beaming our pop culture into deep space, which probably explains why we've gotten no official visits from aliens.

If there is intelligent life out there, watching "Gilligan's Island" and listening to the Starland Vocal Band, surely they'll skip the Milky Way altogether.

At least that would be a reasonable guess. The funny, kicky "Guardians of the Galaxy" offers a different take - that whatever magic resides in an '80s mix-tape could save the universe.

This Marvel product, based on an obscure, droll series of comics, is the story of Earth orphan Peter Quill (Chris Pratt, displaying his comic chops) who grows up to be a wisecracking outer-space bounty hunter (Han Solo, with better writers) caught in the struggle between a galactic terrorist (Lee Pace) and the planet (run by Glenn Close) he wants to destroy.

The plot turns on some mysterious metal ball that ends up in the hands of Quill, who guards it (and the fate of the universe) by cobbling together a renegade band of intergalactic misfits. They include a foxy ass-kicker (Zoe Saldana, painted green) and a lumbering wad of muscle (WWE's Dave Bautista) from a planet known for its extreme literal-mindedness. There are also a couple of computer-generated sidekicks - Bradley Cooper is the voice of Rocket the talking raccoon, Vin Diesel the voice of a tree-like creature. It's the best wooden performance he's ever delivered.

Quill has been raised in outer space by a bounty hunter (Michael Rooker), but retains his upbeat, '80s-era Earth-dude facetiousness (Bill Murray could have played this character in his heyday), and whenever he needs to recover his mojo, he pops in his favorite cassette tape.

It's his last artifact from life back home, given to him by his dying mother, one of the movie's few gestures in the direction of emotional sincerity.

Even the action is tongue-in-cheek, which makes you wonder why they made poor Pratt diet and exercise in order to obtain Taylor Lautner abs. I think the movie would be funnier if he had a bit of a gut, and a supply of indestructible Earth snacks, like Twinkies.

But it's plenty funny enough - "Guardians" has some of the meta-comedy chops of "22 Jump Street," taking straight-faced "Star Wars" motifs and turning them into mischievous fun.

Online: ph.ly/Movies