It’s been over five years since we last saw the Guardians of the Galaxy on their own adventures, so it’s a smart idea to release a Holiday special for the brand as buildup for the second sequel film- and the last one by James Gunn- coming up in 2023. Gunn could have easily done a paint-by-numbers TV special, but he delivered a touching addition to the GOTG lore that functions as wholesome filler while also delivering plot-relevant revelations.
When Peter (Chris Pratt) tells his teammates about the time Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined Christmas for him, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) convinces Drax (Dave Bautista) to go to Earth with her in order to bring Kevin Bacon with them to Knowhere for Peter as a Christmas present. Hijinks ensue, and then Mantis and Drax realize that Kevin Bacon isn’t an actual hero, but that he’s an actor who only played heroes on the screen.
What makes this special is the chemistry between Bautista and Klementieff. Drax is oblivious to jokes and expressions, and is always more than happy to put Mantis in peril — even physically — but they have a connection as strong as any family.
Their mission to abduct Kevin Bacon is loaded with detours, such as coming across people wearing costumes inspired by the Avengers in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, or going wild at a gay bar. We also get to see just how strong Drax and Mantis are compared to ordinary humans, which makes for some good comedy when a bunch of cops try to arrest them while they are chasing Kevin Bacon. Speaking of whom, Kevin Bacon looks like he’s having the time of his life playing himself as he freaks out about aliens invading his home during Christmas. We also get to see a new cast member, Cosmo the Space Dog (Maria Bakalova) who instantly makes an impression, buoyed by her cuteness and Bakalova’s adorable performance.
A Guardians of the Galaxy feature would be remiss without a groovy soundtrack, and it’s no different for the Holiday Special. It opens with a delightful original song that skewers the Santa Claus legend with wild abandon, and then we get a mix of the usual Christmas favorites peppered in with some surprise additions that speak to Gunn’s signature jukebox sensibilities.
What makes Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special so successful is that Gunn has the flexibility to craft a unique story without having to worry about connecting it to other projects or larger plot lines. There’s a huge amount of freedom with this Marvel film that most others don’t have the privilege of enjoying. The Holiday Special is a funny, non-mandatory part of the MCU, and that’s what makes it so great. Similar to Werewolf by Night, the Holiday Special demonstrates that the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t require long movies or Disney+ series to tell effective stories with these characters, but rather that a single, one-time special can be just as remarkable and impressive.
We will probably see this current version of the team one last time in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Let’s hope the team gets a worthy sendoff, and also that James Gunn gets to make a worthy swan song for his tenure at Marvel Studios.