14 May Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 Review by Amaru Moses

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

From the very first scene after Marvel’s opening flipbook, I knew that director James Gunn was going for straight gut-punches with Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3. Between that opening shot of a young Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and a line later in the film where another character tells him “You may not have known it, but this story has been about you the whole time”, Gunn uses the most personal story of the entire trilogy to keep emotion at the heart of this finale. After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love & Thunder, and The Guardians Holiday Special (the latter two not being pre-work for this film), the Guardians are faced with a mission they can’t fail less they want to lose another member of their found family.

While Volume 1 necessitated exposition and set-up to introduce fans to the team, and Volume 2 leaned way too heavily on comedy, this trilogy capper excellently balances everything that makes Guardians great. It’s James Gunn at his most James-Gunnsian, and his ability to generate feelings that don’t mesh with what your eyes are seeing is a testament to how much he cares about this story and these characters. The action is both exciting and heartfelt, with the punches, shots, and aerial battles feeling as earnest as the quieter moments. There’s one beautifully choreographed fight scene I’m betting will instantly become an MCU-favorite. Music is utilized heavily throughout, and while there are a few moments when needle-drops feel a bit heavy-handed, the soundtrack is as much of a character as anyone on screen. Gunn also finds a way to authentically incorporate his body-horror sensibilities into the film, and those scenes are simultaneously the most joyful and most painful. Volume 3 is easily the darkest film of the trilogy, but he leans on the human ability to laugh at our pain, find light in the dark, and rely on loved ones to give depth and dimension to all the characters. And it is the great ensemble of characters, both new and old, that might make this my favorite movie of the trilogy.

Newcomer Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) comes in and immediately introduces the kind of wreckage he can cause within the MCU, making his presence felt from his very first frame. Admittedly, he is a little underutilized after that scene due to some unique characterization choices. But I thought those choices worked well in the big picture, allowing the focus to stay between the team and the true antagonist, The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). Coming off a great performance in Peacemaker, Iwuji is menacing, unhinged, and dangerously intelligent. He sets High Evolutionary up as a top-tier MCU villain that has his own unique lane compared to the rest of the MCU’s baddies. Maria Bakalova’s Cosmo the Space Dog is another hilariously warm addition, and her dynamic with Kraglin (Sean Gunn) creates one of the film’s best running gags. Other cameos and guest spots, including James Gunn regulars like Nathan Fillian and Daniela Melchior, are all utilized to their highest potential, and that ends up becoming the film’s biggest strength. Volume 3 realizes each team member’s best version of themselves.

Much of the story is focused on Rocket’s origins, and interspersing flashbacks into the present-day story allows Bradley Cooper to show an amazing amount of range in his voice acting. Learning about his tragic backstory makes his arc over three films harrowing and beautiful. While Rocket leads the way, it’s Gamora (Karen Gillan), Drax (Dave Bautista), and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) who gain the most in their three-film arcs. The abrasive, one-note Nebula we see in Volume 1 is now the embodiment of resiliency, concurrently emanating sadness and hope through Gillan’s brilliant delivery. The Drax-Mantis duo was nothing more than ham-fisted comedic relief in Volume 2, but here their balanced comedic timing and warmth creates a connection felt deeper than some romantic on-scene duos. Groot (Vin Diesel) is now in his 4th different visual iteration, and this one feels the most realistic, allowing the myriad of “I am Groot’s” to sound as complex as a two-hour conversation. All the while, the two main leads of this series, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Star-Lord (Chris Pratt’s), don’t lose any of their luster as the rest of the team shines. This is Pratt’s most well-acted, well-rounded performance of Peter Quill, Saldana brings about new layers to this version of her character, and their interactions allow us to really believe this isn’t the same Gamora we’ve gotten to know over three films. The entire team is firing on all cylinders as they battle against one of the best antagonists in the MCU since Thanos.

Guardians of The Galaxy has been a roller-coaster of a franchise since its release in 2014. There’s been extraordinary highs, and some relative lows which Gunn was able to level out over the span of three movies, two Avengers team-ups, a Thor cameo, and a Christmas special. Volume 3 has been marketed as the true conclusion of this iteration of the team, and the film does not fail to deliver on an outstanding farewell to Kraglin, Groot, Drax, Mantis, Gamora, Star-Lord and Rocket. Everything you’ve wanted this franchise to be is beautifully fulfilled in this kinda perfect finale.

Review by Amaru Moses