James Gunn brings hilarious holiday hilarious in instantly classic 'Guardians of the Galaxy' special: TV review

There will be no coal in James Gunn's storage this year. Its "Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" is filled with fun and heartwarming Christmas cheer, and it's some of the best content Marvel Studios has released in years.

Much like the special Halloween-themed "Werewolf by Night" presentation from Marvel and Disney+, The "Guardians" short film exudes holiday cheer, but this time with elves, candy canes and… Kevin Bacon. Despite the short runtime, it plays exactly like a "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie, with Gunn's signature goofy, goofy style. Not only that, it pays homage to the nostalgic tropes of Christmas specials that make you want to curl up by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate - and a stack of Marvel comics, because this is the MCU, after all. /p>

It's a tale as old as time, overturned by the Guardians of the Galaxy. Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) misses Christmas while in space, so his teammates Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) try to cheer him up with the ultimate gift: Kevin, Peter Lard's beloved 80s movie star. Being otherworldly aliens, Drax and Mantis have no knowledge of Christmas, nor can they tell a candy cane lawn decoration from a "red and white curly man". Despite everything, they are determined to cheer their friend up, so they fly to Earth and embark on a hilarious journey, a fish out of water, bathed in Christmas magic.

After appearing side by side in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2", "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame", Bautista and Klementieff have already developed a sweet and heartbreaking relationship. Drax, ever oblivious to sarcasm and figures of speech, is all too willing to endanger the kind, naive Mantis - sometimes literally - but they share as close a bond as any family. After being relegated to essentially a supporting character in her previous films, Mantis shines in the holiday special. She lets loose on Earth, fights back in a fight or two, and uses her mind control powers in creative, fun, and sometimes questionable ways. The other Guardians of the Galaxy each have their own rewarding moments, but Drax and Mantis dazzle here, carrying much of the emotional weight and learning lessons.

It wouldn't be a Gunn movie without some great songs and some surprise cameos, and the "The special Guardians is delivered within the first few minutes, without spoiling anything, the memorable opening scene ranks among Marvel's strongest, and some of the wacky original songs should descend into the pantheon of Christmas. celebration highlights just how offbeat this "Guardians" special is and how masterful Gunn is at his craft.

It's still about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which means there are some connections manifests with Gunn's next film. capper from the "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" trilogy - which will be released in May - as well as references to previous films that newcomers might not understand. Since we last saw them in "Endgame" and briefly in "Thor: Love and Thunder," the Guardians have purchased the planet Knowhere, pilot a new ship named Bowie, and are accompanied by Cosmo, a Russian-speaking astronaut dog. (voiced by "Borat 2" escape Maria Bakalova). Peter is still heartbroken over the loss of his girlfriend Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), and Mantis has his own secret. But those are stories for another time, that is, "Vol. 3."

It's a Christmas miracle that Gunn was able to pull off this great special and simultaneously do the third" Guardians" movie, not to mention switching Marvel's allegiance to DC and landing a gig as co-CEO of DC Studios in the process. It's not just a great MCU movie; it's a great special. of Christmas that will delight hardcore Marvel fans and newcomers alike. If "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" really is the end of Gunn's run with Marvel, so this holiday special is a near-perfect penultimate film from one of the best in the superhero genre.