Guardians of the Galaxy

Right now you can watch Guardians of the Galaxy in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 29,902 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Chris Pratt — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Guardians of the Galaxy earns its spot. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Guardians of the Galaxy through its more ambitious moments. Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser. The human element stays intact thanks to Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldaña, who anchor every scene. It hit screens in 2014. What separates Guardians of the Galaxy from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Guardians of the Galaxy a chance. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Watch for Chris Pratt in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.