With writer/director James Gunn, director of some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best work in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, departing to take the reigns of DC Studios, Gunn is going out of the MCU with a bang in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the conclusion to the series, a rare honor in this shared universe. This third installment certainly doesn’t hold anything back, making it a true swan song for the oddball super team from space that millions have come to love.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt, The Tomorrow War) is still grieving the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana, Avatar: The Way of Water) after being murdered in Avengers: Infinity War, only for a version of Gamora from a past timeline who doesn’t love him to reappear in Avengers: Endgame. But when Rocket’s (voiced by Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook) life is threatened by a sadistic villain with ties to his tragic past, Peter and Gamora must reunite along with the other Guardians to save his life.
While this time around, the GOTG as they’re known aren’t saving the galaxy from maniacal warlords or living planets, that doesn’t mean that this film suffers. The stakes here are personal with everyone’s favorite gun toting raccoon animal in mortal peril and the team is tested like never before by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), who bucks the trend of Marvel supervillains with a complex moral philosophy and a tragic underpinning. This guy is straight up Evil with a capital E, with virtually no attempt to humanize him from either Gunn or Iwuji, giving this film a nasty edge at times, especially when Rocket’s tragic past hinted at in past films is finally shown to brutal effect. It’s frankly refreshing to hate a guy this much, calling to mind the old school days of action films where viewers can’t wait to watch the villain die.
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Speaking of making things personal, each member of the Guardians gets plenty of opportunities to explore their evolution over the past several films. Saldana deserves special mention, playing an angrier, colder Gamora with ease, but still hinting at the Gamora that we love. Karen Gillan plays Nebula a far cry from the uncaring menace from the first film, showing true growth that feels very earned. And fan favorite talking dog Cosmo, voiced by Bodies Bodies Bodies breakout Maria Bakalova, makes her mark in a fun way, with a crowd pleasing payoff in act 3.
To add to the film’s pluses is the presentation. Every GOTG film has been a visual delight to look at, but this film turns that up to 11 with some of the coolest and trippiest visuals seen in the MCU thus far. It also distinctly feels like a James Gunn film, with unique, oddball imagery not seen since his 2006 directorial debut, Slither. There’s even a show stopping action set piece in the finale that should not be ruined outside of saying that it puts the iconic team up moments of The Avengers films to shame.
There is, however, one major character that doesn’t quite get time to shine- Adam Warlock (Will Poulter, The Revenant), who was teased waaaaaay back win 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, feels shoehorned into the story outside of an impressive introductory moment, which is no doubt going to rub comic fans the wrong way. His character feels superfluous and as if Gunn had to include him based on a post credits tease from six years ago, which is frankly exactly the case.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a sendoff that feels like a journey audiences have been taking for nearly ten years. Its character focused to a pitch perfect T, a visual trip from minute one to the end, and is a honest to God blast to watch. Gunn may be leaving the MCU, but he did so with a stellar bang.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now playing in theaters.