Where I Watched It: Disney Plus
English Audio description?: Yes
I was thinking about skipping an actual formal review, but hen, that’s what I do. I just don’t think anyone is waiting on reviews to watch this. It’s for Marvel fans. it’s for people who like the Guardians. it’s for people who think a Holiday Special could be fun. i don’t think there’s a demographic ready for this, despite it’s holiday trappings, that will watch this without having seen either Guardians film, or Marvel. And if there were, those people aren’t waiting to see “what the critics think”.
Truth is, it’s a fun time. It feels very inconsequential. But, Star lord, being from Earth, is a fan of Christmas, and Drax and Mantis set out to bring him the greatest Christmas gift ever. Kevin Bacon. It’s a fun time, Bacon is ready to play, and the short film made me like Mantis a hell of a lot more. She has a lot of levity that she wasn’t given in Volume 2, or any other appearance. She’s great in the back and forth with Drax.
It reminds me of the one shots Marvel was doing back in the day for DVD/Blu Ray releases. It runs somewhere between one of those, and the Werewolf By Night special. it seems to fly by, because you’re having a lot of fun. I’m here for these one off projects Marvel keeps releasing.
As far as audio description, it does a good job of tracking Drax in his action sequences, as he does like to… Destroy. So, the whole thing works out.
It’s fun. Don’t overthink it.
Final Grade: B+