4. Rocket Raccoon (Daniel Cohen)
As someone who’s not the biggest MCU fan, Guardians of the Galaxy is by far my favorite film in the franchise, and Rocket Raccoon is a big reason for that. Where so many jokes and one-liners are forced into these films, it’s Rocket who I actually find legitimately funny, because he’s supposed to be. He’s simply a wise-cracking little bastard, and a character I could see in films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the gold standard for animated characters in live action settings.
Whether he’s doing a Mystery Science Theater 3000-style commentary on people walking through his line of sight, or playing potentially deadly practical jokes on Star Lord, Rocket is one of the few multi-layered characters in the MCU. Not only is he hilarious, but also a tactical mastermind. You also feel for the guy, as he’s been heavily experimented on, and has been treated like absolute garbage his whole life. Where Guardians of the Galaxy works where so many other MCU films fail is its subtly in character development. James Gunn gives us a simple shot of Rocket’s back, and we know everything we’re supposed to know about this character. His relationship with Groot is also very Han Solo/Chewbacca-esque.
Not only is Rocket my favorite character in the MCU, but Bradley Cooper gives the best performance as the voice for Rocket. It’s sad that Guardians of the Galaxy has to play in the Disney-fied MCU ball park, because if these characters were given free reign to be their own entity, and allowed to have more of an edge, it could be one hell of a franchise, and Rocket is a big part of that.
Best Line: “Well now I’m standing. Happy? We’re all standing now. Bunch of jackasses, standing in a circle.”
Favorite Moment: It’s got to be when he tells Star Lord he needs a prisoner’s prosthetic leg for a plan, but it turns out to be a sick prank. Now that’s hilarious.
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