5 Screenwriting Lessons – Guardians of the Galaxy

Who Wrote It?

Guardians of the Galaxy was written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman, based on the Marvel comic book written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.

How Long Is It?

Guardians of the Galaxy is 121 minutes long, including end credits.

What’s It About?

Guardians of the Galaxy is centred on Peter Quill (Played by Chris Pratt), a human who was abducted by aliens as a child. 26 years later, he is a Scavenger and thief known as “Starlord”. In one of his missions, he discovers a mysterious Orb, which he believes can lead him to a fortune. The orb contains the “Infinity Stone”, an extremely powerful weapon which can destroy entire planets, and is being sought after by Ronan the Accuser (played by Lee Pace), a fanatical member of the Kree race who wants to use it to destroy the people of the peaceful planet Xandar. Whilst attempting to sell the Infinity Stone in Xandar , Quill is caught and winds up in a giant space prison, where he meets four other prisoners: Rocky (Voiced by Bradley Cooper), a hot-tempered Racoon and bounty hunter, his sidekick Groot (Voiced by Vin Diesel), a giant humanoid tree, Gamora (Played by Zoe Saldana), the adopted daughter of Ronan’s boss Thanos, and Drax the Destroyer (Played by Dave Bautista), an alien who wants to avenge his family’s death at the hands of Ronan. The five are forced to form an uneasy alliance in a bid to thwart Ronan’s plans.

5 Screenwriting Lessons- Guardians of the Galaxy
(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Pop Culture References Can Be Effective if Used Correctly – In Guardians of the Galaxy, pop culture references are used heavily, and help define the main protagonist, Quill. Quill owns a mixtape full of songs from the 1970’s, given to him by his late mother, and has a number of obsessions that he developed as a child on earth during the 80’s. These are showcased in a number of ways. In one memorable scene, he tells Gamora about the Kevin Bacon movie Footloose.  Furthermore, Quill has named his ship “The Milano” in an allusion to the 80’s television actress Alyssa Milano. These references serve to make Quill a more relatable character. Although he has lived most of his life in outer space, his interests remind us that he is essentially an ordinary earthman at heart.

There are also a number of references to contemporary issues, which are instantly recognizable to audiences. The villain Ronan is essentially a religious fundamentalist, angry that his people have made peace with the people of Xandar, and willing to destroy that planet in order to assert his people’s way of life on it. This ensures that audiences are able to connect with the movie, as the conflicts that take place in these faraway planets reflect those that highly important on this one.

Never Underestimate the Importance of a Character Arc- With the exception of the innocent Groot, the Guardians are all flawed, self-serving characters. During the course of the movie, they become considerably more selfless, as they learn to function as a team to protect the galaxy. This growing change is shown in a number of simple but effective scenes, such as one where Quill hands over his electronic helmet to Gamora so that she can breathe in space, and the distress Rocky feels when one of the pilots fighting for Xandar is killed by Ronan. Because we have grown attached to our unusual heroes, we have a greater interest in seeing them grow as characters, and therefore, when they exhibit a strong emotional reaction to something, we are Inclined to feel it too.

However, even with the changes in character, the protagonists still retain a number of their negative traits. This is evident at the end of the film, when the Guardians are rewarded for their heroism with the wiping of their prison sentences. Rocky and Drax are willing to push their regained freedoms pretty far, asking if their gives them the right to steal and murder. This shows that whilst the protagonists have changed for the better in various ways, many of their flaws are integral to their personalities and will therefore remain. Overall, the film succeeds in making the protagonists more heroic whilst keeping many of the imperfections that make them realistic and relatable.

Set-ups Have to Seem Natural – One of the more controversial scenes in the movie occurs at the climax, as Quill distracts Ronan by singing and dancing to one of the songs on his mixtape, allowing him to take the Infinity stone and use it to obliterate the villain. Whilst the scene lasts a bit too long, it makes sense for the character. In the opening credits, Quill is shown listening and dancing to another song as he roams a deserted planet looking for treasure. This obsession with dance is also showcased in his conversation with Gamora about Footloose at the movie’s midpoint. Therefore, the scene feels appropriate and fitting, even if it’s a bit embarrassing.

Another element carefully set up is the power of the Infinity Stone. It is first introduced when Quill obtains it and gets into a fight with some of Ronan’s men in the process. Its power is hinted at throughout the first half of the film, and finally revealed when the Guardians meet The Collector, a flamboyant alien who owns a collection of rare treasures and endangered species. During their meeting, one of The Collector’s slaves unleashes the power of the Infinity Stone in an attempt to destroy her master. The ensuing damage highlights the devastation that the Stone can cause, and shows that it is almost impossible to control, foreshadowing its use in the final confrontation with Ronan.

Create Vivid Worlds – The opening of Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the strongest sequences in the movie. It depicts Quill as a child in 1988, waiting in the hospital where his mother is suffering from cancer. The sequence is highly emotional because the pain, confusion and sadness that Quill feels is depicted in a vivid and powerful manner, yet still seems truthful and realistic. This ensures that when a spaceship arrives and take Quill, it has even more of an effect than usual, as the fantastical world of the aliens intrudes on the ordinary human world and the powerful tragedy that has occurred inside it.

However, the majority of the film is set on variety of alien planets. All of these are depicted in a simple and striking manner. The planet of Xandar is bright and modern, like a computer-generated rendering of a proposed modern new town or building project. Ronan’s warship is shaped like a bird of prey. The giant space prison is full of elaborate technology designed to keep intergalactic felons in line. These locations are highly memorable because they are based on clear and distinct images, and they provide an intriguing and colourful backdrop that helps to make the film even more interesting.

Create Unusual Characters – One of the selling points of Guardians of the Galaxy is the unusual nature of the protagonists. The two who are most unique are Rocky, a genetically-engineered racoon and Groot, a humanoid tree. They are introduced in Xandar, as Rocky makes disparaging comments about the various locals, and Groot drinks out of the water fountains. This establishes their personalities quickly and effectively. Whilst not quite as unusual, Quill, Gamora and Drax also have unique personality traits (For example, Gamora and Drax both take many of the expressions Quill uses literally). These stand-out features ensure that the Guardians are memorable characters, and make the viewer interested to see what happens to them.

However, the protagonists are certainly not the only quirky characters. The world-building of Guardians of the Galaxy extends to the various peoples and species on the numerous alien planets. Compared to the rest of the movies in the Marvel Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy is generally self-contained. With the exception of Thanos, introduced as a villain in Avengers Assemble, and a few minor Easter eggs, most of the elements here are new to the Marvel Universe. This movie does not require familiarity with the previous Marvel Movies in order to be fully understood. This increases its appeal, as it means that both hard-core Marvel fans and casual cinemagoers with no interest in comic books can enjoy it equally.

Verdict

Guardians of the Galaxy is an enjoyable blockbuster that represents another success for Marvel. In spite of its offbeat nature, it succeeds as mainstream entertainment because it is energetic and entertaining. It is simple to understand, but full of memorable worlds and characters. Most importantly, it balances spectacular visuals and explosive action sequences with interesting, well-developed characters. Overall, it provides a great example of how to do a summer blockbuster correctly.