Marvel sci-fi adventure has laughs and action violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Lots of hand-to-hand combat, fistfights, explosions, and shoot-outs with what look like stun guns that incapacitate but don't kill. But characters do die, and, in a couple of cases, the deaths are heartbreaking (spoiler alert: one starts off the movie and involves the sad loss of a parent, and the other is only temporary). In a couple of other scenes, it looks like characters have been killed, but they end up OK. Not much gore or blood, but an entire fleet of fighter pilots dies in an explosion, and there's collateral damage as the villain tries to destroy a planet.
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Occasional strong language includes "s--t," "bulls--t," "damn," "d--k," "a--hole," "bitch," "idiot," "bastard," "crap," "pr--k," "jackass," "wench," "whore," "stupid," "imbecile," and "bats--t crazy." One scene features a prominent/extended middle-finger gesture.
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Cues and comments that Peter has been with lots of women across the galaxy, as well as references to his past exploits, like a joke about "black light" picking up how filthy his ship is or another about him being referred to as "one who lain with [alien creature]." Sexual tension between Peter and Gamora, who almost kiss more than once. Peter wears just boxer briefs when he's hosed down at a prison. Rocket suggests that because the prisoners find Gamora attractive, she should "trade" favors for what they need to escape.
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Brands seen include Sony and JanSport. Pop culture references to Footloose, Kevin Bacon, etc. This is also part of a franchise with vast quantities of tie-in merchandise.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
The Guardians drink unnamed liquid, alcohol implied -- Peter says to Rocket, "you're drunk." In the post-credits ending, characters drink liquor and a martini.
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Positive underlying message about teamwork, friendship, and helping others -- even if the characters' motivations and actions aren't always 100% pure.
Positive Role Models
some
The Guardians are all flawed (they're outlaws for a reason), but they ultimately make selfless decisions to protect one another and defend the universe.
Diverse Representations
very little
The film centers around a White male lead. Though people of color play several key roles, nearly all of them are hidden under makeup and VFX, including Zoe Saldana (Black Latina) as Gamora, Dave Bautista (Greek-Filipino American) as Drax, Vin Diesel (multiracial) as Groot, and so on, removing any sense of ethnic diversity. The only visibly non-White character with more than a couple of scenes is Korath, a low-level villain played by Beninese American actor Djimon Hounsou. While Gamora has a positive and substantial role, she's the token woman among a band of male superheroes. Casual sexism is everywhere: The film leans heavily on dead women to provide backstories for male characters, the camera objectifies Gamora (e.g., lingering on her butt as she climbs up stairs), and she and her sister Nebula are pitted against each other. For disability representation, a prisoner in a minor role (portrayed neutrally) sells his prosthetic leg to Peter to fight with -- it's used as a visual gag.
Parents need to know that Guardians of the Galaxy is a Marvel sci-fi action adventure about a group of outlaws led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) who band together to defend the universe against a murderous villain. Expect a lot of hand-to-hand combat and a few deaths (or near deaths) that are heartbreaking for other characters and viewers alike (one involves a child's loss of a parent). There's also grand-scale action violence with explosions and weapons. Peter has a reputation as a ladies' man and jokes about his past conquests; Peter and Gamora (Zoe Saldana) also have a lot of chemistry and almost kiss a couple of times. Language isn't frequent but includes "s--t," "bulls--t," "bitch," "ass," "bastard," and "d--k"; at one point, the Guardians also drink an unidentified liquid that makes them drunk. There's unfortunate, casual sexism throughout the film: Gamora is the token woman among the group, several dead women exist to provide backstories for male characters, the camera objectifies Gamora (e.g., lingering on her butt as she climbs up stairs), and she and her sister are pitted against each other. Still, given that it has a little less edge than Iron Man or The Avengers -- as well as themes of teamwork and friendship -- this adventure may be a good fit for a slightly younger crowd than some other superhero movies. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Awesome!! So exited for the sequel! Although pretty good amount of violence and a little graphic. Besides all that this is a hilarious movie. There is a reason there is two movies.
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What's the Story?
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY follows adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), who was abducted from Earth as a child in 1988 after his mother died. Fast-forward 26 years into the future: In a galaxy far, far away, Peter is a rogue outlaw who steals a powerful orb he plans to sell. After getting arrested, he reluctantly teams up with a group of criminals he's briefly imprisoned with -- Rocket, a genetically modified raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper); Gamora (Zoe Saldana), the adopted daughter of the most dangerous being in the universe; tree-like Groot (Vin Diesel); and Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), who's on a personal mission to avenge his family. The fate of the universe lies in the hands of these not-quite-friends when it's clear that the villainous Ronan (Lee Pace) plans to use the orb to destroy an entire planet.
This movie is truly a lot of fun. The Marvel universe includes a wide array of heroes, from playboy billionaire Tony Stark and the arrogant god Thor to serious, duty-bound Steve Rogers and broody scientist Bruce Banner. What's so charming about director James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy is that no one in the group starts out as a hero: They become superheroes by virtue of working together. Pratt's leading-man charm is significant, and there's surprising chemistry between Pratt and Saldana (though Gamora does feel tokenized as the only woman among a male-dominated cast). And Cooper and Diesel sound like they're having the time of their lives playing the supergenius raccoon Rocket and his muscle, Groot, who can only ever say "I am Groot."
Everything from the fantastic soundtrack (populated by Peter's beloved mixtape, a catchy playlist of his mother's favorite songs, like "Hooked on a Feeling," "Spirit in the Sky," and "O-O-H Child") to the wink-wink pop-culture jokes, the thrilling action sequences, and the overall theme makes Guardians of the Galaxy a joy to watch. As in The Avengers, the main actors mesh well, the villain is imposingly played, and the intergalactic stakes couldn't be higher.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of Marvel adaptations. Why do you think comic books like Guardians of the Galaxy make such well-received movies? Are all movies inspired by comic books created equal? Why do some stand out?
How does Guardians of the Galaxy compare to other superhero stories? Do you prefer hero movies with just one star, or do you think the ensemble styles are better, like TheAvengers?
Do you consider the Guardians role models? Are some of them "worthier" of respect and admiration than others? Why, or why not?
Actors of color play several key roles, but almost all of them are hidden under makeup and visual effects (VFX) to play "alien" characters. Do you still consider this a diverse movie? Or does erasing on-screen ethnicities make representation more shallow?
MPAA explanation:
intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language
Last updated:
August 30, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
