I Am Groot is a declaration of war.
Guardians of the Galaxy was hugely successful when it was released in 2014, largely thanks to Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel. Although he said three words (“I am Groot”), Groot’s gentle but mischievous nature won people over. His rebirth as a baby sapling at the film’s end officially kickstarted Baby Groot mania. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 solidified Groot as the adorable pop culture icon of the moment, and it seemed like his reign would continue unchallenged.

Of course, no one could’ve anticipated what Jon Favreau had in store with The Mandalorian. Grogu, better known as Baby Yoda, immediately captured the public’s imagination. Baby Groot was a success, but Baby Yoda was a full-blown phenomenon. News articles, magazine covers, countless memes, Etsy products, clothing, and (eventually) toys; you couldn’t escape Baby Yoda if you wanted to. (And honestly, why would you want to?)
It would probably be an overstatement to say that Marvel had prepared I Am Groot as a direct response to Star Wars and Baby Yoda. (They are all foot soldiers for the House of Mouse, at the end of the day.) But isn’t it infinitely more fun to see it that way? Think about it. Baby Groot would be jealous of Baby Yoda’s global attention. He also would be unable to focus long enough for a full-length television series. This is the same creature who nearly killed everyone on Ego’s planet because he couldn’t follow instructions. Not even the almighty Feige can contain him.

So, I Am Groot is the perfect compromise: a collection of five animated shorts that show Baby Groot as his sweet, naughty, anarchistic best self. Totaling roughly 20 minutes, the shorts are very low-stakes compared to what the character has experienced before and after Guardians 2. Groot’s greatest adversary? A space Bonzai tree that two floating babysitter robots pay attention to more than him. His most challenging battle? With himself, or rather a parasitical puddle of goo that mimics his shape and engages him in a dance battle. The closest Groot gets to Thanos-level annihilation is his accidental genocide against a space bug colony. (They worship him after he effectively ends world hunger by shedding a leaf because, of course.)
These tiny toon adventures (in narrative and in actual size) are endearing because they are important to Groot and Groot alone. Apart from a wonderful cameo from Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), I Am Groot largely ignores his Guardian responsibilities. This is Groot’s world, and we are but spectators as he wreaks charming chaos in it. His experiences are small on paper, but the shorts scale them appropriately. Groot never looks swallowed up or overwhelmed by his surroundings. He is always the primary focus, and the designers of his character model afford a heaping amount of charisma and confidence.

Speaking of visual effects, I Am Groot’s 3D animation sets it apart as one of the best-looking Marvel projects of the Phase 4 era. The shorts are beautifully detailed and colored, practically sparkling in some frames. There’s a tangibility and fullness to the landscapes of I Am Groot that’s missing from Marvel’s larger-scale offerings. (I’m sympathetic to green and blue screens’ limits, but the difference is staggering.) That isn’t to say that the visuals are perfect. There are scenes where the animation could’ve used some more polish. However, Groot is such a lovable menace that you can forget and forgive. It’s worth seeing him dance or dress up in Marie Antoinette drag.
So, if I Am Groot is a full-on assault against cute baby characters, what are Baby Groot’s chances of victory? For those whose Baby Groot fervor dulled by time, these shorts are a welcome reminder of what they lost. Fans who stuck with him through those awkward teenage years in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame will see their devotion rewarded in spades. Baby Yoda is on hiatus until The Mandalorian returns, so we’ll see what he retaliates with. For now, Baby Groot has reclaimed the throne, and I don’t see him giving it up easily again.
Your move, Grogu.

I Am Groot is the perfect compromise: a collection of five animated shorts that show Baby Groot as his sweet, naughty, anarchistic best self.
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GVN Rating 9
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A late-stage millennial lover of most things related to pop culture. Becomes irrationally irritated by Oscar predictions that don’t come true.