'Guardians' better than 'Avengers'

I am not a comic book geek, and the first time I heard of “Guardians of the Galaxy” was when I saw a trailer for it at the theater.

I was intrigued. Chris Pratt from “Parks and Recreation,” one of my all-time favorite shows? Check.

Vin Diesel as a mobile tree creature? Weird, but badass. Check.

Bradley Cooper as a wise-cracking raccoon with a machine gun? Hell yes. Check.

It seemed “Guardians of the Galaxy” was going to be good. But trailers often set one up for disappointment. I had my reservations.

Those reservations were quickly put to rest. Guardians is everything the trailer suggested it would be. The movie combines action, humor and mythology in a perfect mix that manages to exceed the high bar set by Marvel Studios’ previous reigning triumph, “The Avengers.” The movie hurries along at a breathless, entertaining pace, and only drags toward the end of the movie when the obligatory action climax gets a little overwhelming, even as it leads to a satisfying conclusion.

The world may not have heard of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” but they have now. I’m already looking forward to the sequel.