“If you believe in this spirit thing, the miracle will happen, and then you’ll want it to happen again tomorrow… It can happen every day, you’ve just got to want that feeling.”
– Bill Murray in SCROOGED
That’s right – it’s time to feel the moment and that holiday spirit thing. It’s time for Spoiler Free Review’s 12 days of Christmas 2022 edition! We will be posting our favorite holiday experiences with 12 reviews and illustrations of movies, TV, and music. So sit back, enjoy some spiked eggnog, and enjoy to SFR’s 12-days of Christmas 2022! 🎅
THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL lives up to its name by being something incredibly special. Unlike the STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL, which clearly inspired it, this MCU installment is actually good! Not just good. Spectacular!
Writer/Director James Gunn crafts a one-off short filled to the brim with the best of Gunn’s trademark offbeat hilarity but also a huge dash of heart and a terrific Christmas soundtrack playlist of catchy B-Sides. The special also put two characters who have often been shafted in many of the GUARDIANS films into the spotlight: Mantis and Drax.
After hearing an incredibly tragic story about Peter Quill’s (aka Star-Lord) negative experiences with Christmas as an alien abductee since childhood, the dynamic holiday duo decides to head to Earth to get Quill the perfect gift to make up for the Christmases he never got to have as a kid. Holiday hijinks and hilarity ensue. Pom Klementieff’s Mantis delivers the best performance she’s ever had playing the character, and there’s a level of depth and sweetness to the character in the special that we haven’t seen as much of in the films, which haven’t had the opportunity to showcase Klementieff’s talents or the layers of Mantis.
We are also given a significant whopper of cannon mythology from this special that creates complexity and emotion in some of the relationships we’ve had the pleasure of viewing for the past few MCU films involving the Guardians. Add to the mix a hilarious performance from an absolutely game Kevin Bacon, along with so much perfect Christmas heart, and you have an instant classic on your hands that I know I’ll be viewing regularly every year for the rest of my life!
THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL is a wonderful, heart-warming, hilarious good time and a perfect present from James Gunn to all of us. Groot bless us, everyone!
It’s available on Disney+.
