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When Guardians of the Galaxy first came onto the MCU, it introduced audiences to a group of misfits who are not your typical superheroes. After almost a decade with these characters, director James Gunn brings the group back together for one last ride. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wraps up the story of this unlikely team of heroes in a satisfying way. It perfectly wraps up the trilogy with an emotional and action-packed send-off that hits all the right notes. It also digs deep into the origins of a beloved team member, making this perhaps one of the darkest we’ve seen in a Marvel movie of this scale. There’s so much to unravel in the threequel, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 does give something special in what was given on the screen to make this a fitting last chapter for this team.
It’s been quite some time since we last left the team between the second film and the third as a lot has changed since then. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, audiences get a glimpse into the origins of Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) after an incident causes his past to catch up with him. With his life on the line, it is up to Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) to save him. The gang gets some help from Gamora (Zoe Saldana), who has already made a life for herself among the Ravagers. However, they’ll have to outrun Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) who’s in pursuit of them as well as the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), a scientist with god-like abilities who has ties to Rocket’s past. The mission they go on will forever change the group as they each contemplate what their future will be if they end up surviving in one piece.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 keeps the same comedic tone as the previous two films, but it does add some darker elements to it that sets it apart from those films. As Rocket Raccoon’s past is explored, there is a lot of information thrown in to showcase the struggles and horror that the furry team member went through. He was created by the High Evolutionary, a mad scientist whose goal is to perfect the universe as he sees fit. Each flashback adds layers to Rocket’s origins where we see him befriending a few other creatures like Lylla, Teefs, and Floor. It gives audiences a better understanding of where Rocket is coming from. The flashback sequences give Rocket much screen time despite not being in action for most of the film.
Speaking of the High Evolutionary, Iwuji plays the character with ferocity and brutality. He comes off as someone with a God complex who has a twisted vision of how he sees the universe and wants to fix its imperfections. We see him being cruel to his creations, including the animals he captures. He feels threatened by Rocket’s intelligence, making him obsessed with his mind. He may not be a cunning villain like others in the MCU, but he proves to be effective when exploring Rocket’s backstory. We don’t see much of that sinister side of the High Evolutionary in the present, making him less dangerous than he appears to be.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 also introduces audiences to Adam Warlock, a character who was teased in the last film and is featured prominently here. It is somewhat surprising to see that he doesn’t have a bigger role in this installment at all. He is perhaps one of the weakest characters shown in the film, which is kind of a bummer after getting an introduction to him in Vol 2. In the comics, he played a key role in the Infinity Stones storyline, but obviously, we don’t get that version since the MCU closed that chapter. Poulter plays the character like a newborn child as he tries to understand the world around him. He is portrayed more as an imbecile than the powerful cosmic force that he is known in the comics. However, his take on the character works in the film that is given to him. The only issue is he can often feel lost in the story and doesn’t quite fit into the narrative. It would’ve been nice to see that powerful warrior from the source material, but maybe we’ll see that in the near future.
The film works best with the incredible ensemble cast and their chemistry on screen. We’ve seen how much they’ve grown together as a family throughout the years and it is bittersweet to see them together for one final mission. Pratt and Saldana share some cool scenes as their pairing is different from previous entries. Pratt plays the guy who continues to pine over Gamora even though she isn’t the same one he knew before she died in Infinity War. The Gamora shown is the ruthless assassin who Thanos raised before she joined the Guardians, so it gives Saldana more to work with as we see a different side to her character. Both Bautista and Klementieff play off each other very well, carrying that same hilarious pairing from the holiday special. Gillan also steals the spotlight as she is more at the forefront of the film and shares some great moments with the other characters. Gunn has a lot to juggle to bring everything full circle, but the director proves again why he is an expert when it comes to ensemble pieces.
Perhaps the biggest selling point of the film is the dazzling visual effects and the musical score. The CGI and sets shown in space are incredible to look at, with their vibrant colors on the different locations that the team travels to. Some hard-hitting visuals take over the screen that makes it all glorious like the hallway fight scene where the whole team takes down some henchmen. It’s also incredible how much practical effects were used for the creatures of the film that weren’t rendered with CGI. Just like every Guardians film, there’s a killer soundtrack that utilizes the best of the 70s, but it also expands through the decades with tracks through the 00s and it fits with every scene. Even though John Murphy takes over as composer from Tyler Bates from the previous two films, he manages to capture the sound and tone of Guardians perfectly.
In the end, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gives a proper sendoff to the team while offering some fun and humor that fans would appreciate from Gunn and the cast. Getting through Rocket’s horrific origins helps build on his character and is more of a reason to love this cast of characters. Despite its long run time and some new characters not getting enough development, it is the chemistry with this team and Gunn’s vision that truly brings some freshness into the MCU. The film manages to end each character’s stories that make sense of their journeys. It’ll pull the heartstrings as the team crosses over to the finish line and off into the sunset.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will release in theaters on May 5, 2023.
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