Close Menu
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    The First Descendant Season 3: Breakthrough keyart

    The First Descendant Season 3 Looks Like A Gamechanger

    05/11/2025
    Mafia: The Old Country promotional still

    Everything We Know About ‘Mafia: The Old Country’

    05/08/2025
    Sunderfolk Phone Players

    10 ‘Sunderfolk’ Tips To Help You And Your Party Thrive

    05/02/2025
    Bob in Thunderbolts But Why Tho

    ‘Thunderbolts*’ Visualizes Depression As Only A Superhero Movie Can

    05/02/2025
    Games to Play After Expedition 33

    5 Games to Play After Beating ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

    05/01/2025
  • Star Wars
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Blood of Zeus
  • MCU
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Delivers Comedy Christmas Capers

REVIEW: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Delivers Comedy Christmas Capers

Aaron PhillipsBy Aaron Phillips11/23/20224 Mins ReadUpdated:11/24/2024
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special - But Why Tho

The Holiday period is fast approaching, which can only mean one thing for Marvel fans: it’s time for the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Marvel is not one to miss an opportunity to expand its ever-growing universe of superhero stories, and we all know James Gunn loves playing in this sandbox! So get ready as Peter Quill, Rocket, Groot, Drax, and Mantis bring Christmas cheer in the only way they know how—with utter chaos and a smile on their face.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The special, written and directed by James Gunn, initially takes place on Nowhere following the events of Thor: Love and Thunder. If you’ve not seen the film, don’t worry, as there’s very little connective tissue from one to the next. In fact, there’s very little connective tissue to the MCU as a whole and instead, it serves as a self-contained one-shot narrative in which the Guardians want to bring some Christmas magic to Peter to be able to give back to the man who gave them so much. As such, Mantis and Drax return to Earth to acquire the one man that can save Christmas, Kevin Bacon. The special features the talents of Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, and yes, Kevin Bacon himself.

The Guardians special runs around 42 minutes and has incredibly low stakes, so if you’re heading into this expecting Kang the Conqueror or something that’s going to blow your socks off, maybe check your expectations before pressing play. This is not to diminish the quality of the story, because what Gunn delivers is a highly entertaining, hilarious narrative that adds another level of depth to these characters and above all, gives us an excuse to hang out with this crew for a short while as we witness the hijinx they cause.

The special primarily focuses on Mantis and Drax as they sojourn to Terra/Earth in search of the legendary man who saved a town with his dancing skills. The story is just so entertaining, and funny to boot. Klementieff and Bautista steal every scene they’re in, as their playful duet continues to yield some fantastic comedic results. Klementieff in particular really dialed up her physical comedy and the delivery of some of her lines far beyond what we’ve seen from her in the past. It lands with such gusto here. It’s all in the way she approaches Mantis’ interpretation of what command looks like and how she over-exaggerates the action paired with her over-the-top facial expressions. Yet, she has these moments where she slips from the task and lets loose and it’s just ridiculously hard not to smile. Bautista at this point in the game understands his role as Drax inside and out, so if you’re a fan of his past performances as the destroyer, you will not be let down.

Similarly, if you’ve been a fan of what James Gunn has brought up until this point, you can fully expect to head into this special with one element being more present than most, which is the musical aspect. Once again, he kills it, finding a unique library of songs to pair with this story that highlights the tone all the way through. One particular song he uses that really stuck out for me was Fairytale of New York by the Pogues. A famously depressing, yet catchy song and one that for me is the best Christmas song around. The special actually opens and closes with the same tune, which I loved for its capturing the quintessence of this group of intergalactic misfits who stumble through their assignments and make a mess of the situation more often than not. Yet, when push comes to shove, they’re all in it together. For better or worse they find a way to pull together.

Leaning into these special feature presentations is a very interesting trend and one I hope that we see more of in the future. Whether it’s used to highlight existing characters or to introduce newer ones, the special feature space allows for a very specific story to be told without the need for it being a spectacled event in the cinema, or a weekly drawn-out episodic story.

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is an absurdly comical take on a Christmas special in which we get to officially welcome Kevin Bacon to the MCU. I love how this self-contained story has a specific message to deliver and doesn’t attempt to do literally anything else. The stakes are low, the music is brilliant, and the jokes and comedy are flowing. Sit back and let the Guardians hype you up for the holiday season.

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will be available Friday, November 25th, exclusively on Disney+.

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
  • 7.5/10
    Rating - 7.5/10
7.5/10

TL;DR

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is an absurdly comical take on a Christmas special in which we get to officially welcome Kevin Bacon to the MCU.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Vanish,’ Issue #3
Next Article DOC NYC 2022: ‘Super Eagles ’96’ Is the Inspiring Tale of a Legendary African Team
Aaron Phillips
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Aaron is a contributing writer at But Why Tho, serving as a reviewer for TV and Film. Hailing originally from England, and after some lengthy questing, he's currently set up shop in Pennsylvania. He spends his days reading comics, podcasting, and being attacked by his small offspring.

Related Posts

Josh Hartnett in Fight or Flight movie promotional still
9.5

REVIEW: ‘Fight or Flight’ Is The Single-Location Actioner You Need

05/06/2025
Jeanne Goursaud as Sarah in Netflix Original Film The Exterritorial
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Exterritorial’ Is A Netflix Action Movie Worth Watching

05/03/2025
Seohyun, Ma Dong-seok, and David Lee in Holy Night Demon Hunters
6.0

REVIEW: ‘Holy Night Demon Hunters’ Holds Nothing Back

05/02/2025
Oscar in The Rose of Versailles (2025)
3.5

REVIEW: ‘The Rose of Versailles’ Fails To Harness Its Potential

05/01/2025
The cast of the Thunderbolts
5.5

REVIEW: ‘Thunderbolts*’ Fosters A Half-Hearted Identity

04/29/2025
Spreadsheet Champions
8.0

HOT DOCS 2025: ‘Spreadsheet Champions’ Excels In Heart

04/28/2025
TRENDING POSTS
The First Descendant Season 3: Breakthrough keyart Features

The First Descendant Season 3 Looks Like A Gamechanger

By Kate Sánchez05/11/2025

At PAX East 2025, NEXON previewed the groundbreaking mega-update for The First Descendant Season 3: Breakthrough.

The Devil's Plan Season 2 key art
4.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The Devil’s Plan’ Season 2 Is Off To A Rough Start

By Charles Hartford05/07/2025Updated:05/07/2025

The Devil’s Plan Season 2 challenges its contestants to outsmart and outmaneuver each other. Unfortunately, it does so in pace grinding ways

Razer Joro product image
9.0
Product Review

PRODUCT REVIEW: The Portable Razer Joro Is A Travel Gamechanger

By Kate Sánchez05/08/2025Updated:05/08/2025

Reliable and uncompromising in its gaming features on the go, the portable Razer Joro is a travel gamechanger.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here