Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic universe is off to a rocky start with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, leaving a lot on the shoulders of this phase’s second installment, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, Guardians 3 also marks the conclusion of one of its most beloved trilogies and the first (and potentially final?) MCU directorial effort from James Gunn since his hasty, unceremonious firing-the-rehiring several years prior. Suffice to say, this film had quite the expectations laid upon it, but not only is the film a galactic success on all those fronts, but may even catapult the Guardians trilogy into the conversation of best film trilogies of all time.
Following the charming Disney Plus exclusive The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, the Guardians have fully settled on Knowhere only to have their new normal shattered by the previously-teased arrival of Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). Adam, a member of the villainous Sovereign last seen in Vol. 2, was tasked to retrieve Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and deliver him to the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), a megalomaniacal scientist who experimented on Rocket as a young raccoon all in the supposed name of science and enhancing lifeforms (read: rip them to shreds for his own twisted desires). The Guardians survive Adam’s ambush, but not without a gravely injured Rocket. They deduce he has 48 hours to live and can’t operate on him because of a killswitch the High Evolutionary implanted in him. This sets the Guardians on course to save their friend, drudge up some unreconciled baggage, and find a way to move forward.
No dancing around it, Guardians Vol. 3 is the darkest film in the MCU to date, and that’s saying something considering a previous installment depicted a universal genocide. This film tugs at heartstrings in a way no other has thus far, and not just because this film wraps up the story beats surrounding our beloved ragtag bunch of misfits. The film masterfully weaves flashbacks of Rocket’s backstory into the present-day narrative that gruesomely depicts the abuse he endured. These flashbacks also visually allude to the same mistreatment a bevy of other creatures suffered under the High Evolutionary, who has a strong case as the most despicable villain in the MCU. The film also contains the most graphic imagery in the franchise thus far, driving home the ramifications of this individual’s actions. Lastly (and most fittingly for a James Gunn film), the first instance of an F-bomb occurs. In stark contrast to the above, it’s quite delightful.
However, the film has more emotional beats than just despair and agony. The phrase “emotional rollercoaster” feels overused in film discourse, but this movie perfectly fits that concept. As per usual of this cast of characters, their bickering and digs at one another are aplenty, particularly between Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Nebula (Karen Gillan). However, these moments never distract from the somber one and feel authentic to these characters we’ve grown to know and love. From the aforementioned F-bomb delivered over the frustration of opening a car door to another character not sharing nuts, these little moments often provide some of the biggest laughs. Rounding out these peaks and valleys is the emotional growth these characters experience that satisfyingly conclude their development throughout the franchise. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt in a franchise-best performance) still mourns his lost love and struggles accepting that the Gamora (Zoe Saldana) he’s embarking on this mission with is not that same. That said, this is not the only emotional baggage he makes peace with in this movie either, and his ongoing story and character development throughout this franchise comes to a rewarding conclusion.
As previously mentioned, the High Evolutionary is possibly the most sinister and gripping villain in the MCU yet, but Adam Warlock has nothing close to the same memorability. Poulter delivers a solid performance with what he’s given and the action sequences showcasing the character are a visual marvel, pun definitely intended. However, he’s comparatively underdeveloped and acts more like a plot device, moving the story along and instigating keys events without offering the same fanfare as other characters. A potentially emotionally-gripping scene involving him provides a semblance of development to his character, but that emotion barely registers. However, once that development occurs, Adam begins to shine more as the stakes ramp up.
Regarding those stakes, what truly sets Guardians Vol. 3 apart from other films in the MCU is the conflict the characters take on. In contrast to the showy, action-packed spectacles we often see where the heroes have to stop a world-ending threat, the Guardians also have to grapple with the conflicts within themselves. Amongst the aliens and laser guns and hyper intelligent racoons lies depth and relatability that has resonated with audiences for a decade since the first Guardians film hit theaters. This film takes all of those elements and amps them up to deliver not just the strongest film in the Guardians trilogy, but one of the strongest in the entire MCU. For that, all the props in the world to James Gunn on a gripping conclusion to possibly the best franchise-within-a-franchise in the MCU.
Be sure to check out our video review with Monty and Nicki here!
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