Review: Disney+’s Delightful Standalone; Nov. 25 (Disney+)

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/guardians-of-the-galaxy-holiday-special-james-gunn-1235267941/

Written and directed by James Gunn, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special opens by bringing in the big guns, emotionally speaking: an animated flashback invoking memories of Yondu (Michael Rooker), whose death in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 still ranks high on any list of Marvel’s most tearjerking moments. Here, the irascible Ravager fills the genre-requisite role of Christmas skeptic — Kraglin (Sean Gunn), in the live-action present, explains it’s Yondu who ruined the day for a young Peter by trashing his tree, throwing out his presents and scolding him for his sentimentality.

Moved to pity by this anecdote, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) takes it upon herself to “save” the day for Peter, who’s been grieving Gamora since the events of Avengers: Infinity War. Enlisting the help of her BFF Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis sets out for Earth in search of Kevin Bacon — a hero Peter speaks of with such reverence that the duo assume him to be ruler of all Earth, or at least of most people — with the intention of delivering him to Peter as the perfect gift.

The special devotes a sizable chunk of its 40-ish minute run time to sitting back and enjoying the spectacle of Mantis and Drax, total weirdos even by Guardians standards, struggle to make sense of the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. Upon landing near the Walk of Fame, they fall in with the costumed characters posing for photos by the Chinese Theater and discover tequila shots at a raucous bar. They also learn, eventually, that Kevin Bacon is not a real hero but only an actor who plays heroes, providing the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special cast with many (maybe too many) opportunities to make winking comments about how totally repugnant actors are.