After intense promotion from Marvel over the past six months, Guardians of the Galaxy is out in cinemas next week, but not before the critics get their say. This time, it’s a resounding yes, as the acting, the story and most of all the visuals of Guardians get the reviewers’ approval.

Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy
Marvel made a gamble with Chris Pratt and it's paying off big time.

According to Forbes’ Scott Mendelson, “writer/director James Gunn and co-writer Nicole Perlman’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an absolutely crackling action-adventure film, a dazzling and engaging bit of optimistic sci-fi melodrama.” As for the story, which is usually a strong point of Marvel’s brand of superhero action,  there is “inventive spectacle to spare, but it remains rooted in character chemistry and successful broad-strokes storytelling that makes the action beats count as more than visceral moments. ”

More: Ok, So It's Official. Guardians Of The Galaxy Is The Best Marvel Movie, Ever.

In short, it’s good. This is the first film where the studio ditched its tried and true cast of blockbuster favorites, but the experimental blend of stars works for this rag tag team of galactic misfits.

Watch the trailer for Guardians below.