Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

5 outta 5

After two movies (and a couple of guest-starring efforts in other Marvel Cinematic Universe films) the superhero space heroes return in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. This is an emotional finale for the Guardians crew, with awesome stylistic flourishes courtesy of writer and director James Gunn. It’s a bit darker than the previous Guardians films and a huge character chunk here is entirely dependent upon having seen the last two Avengers films but that’s okay. Vol 3 also delves deep on the backstory of one of the team’s characters for good drama. And there’s lots of spectacle, laughs, laser blasting and awesome music needle drops throughout.

The Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) have taken up residence on Knowhere, however things aren’t entirely great as Peter is in a depressed haze having lost the love of his life, Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Things get even worse with the unexpected and brutal arrival of Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), which leaves Rocket in critical condition. As Rocket was genetically engineered by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), the only way they can save their friend is to find a piece of technology. But on their tail is Adam, and Adam’s mother Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) who have been tasked by the High Evolutionary to retrieve Rocket as the High Evolutionary wants the modified raccoon’s brain for study. The Guardians need help from the space pirate Ravagers which brings Peter face to face with an alternate version of his former love, Gamora. But while Peter tries to connect with this Gamora, the clock is ticking on Rocket’s survival, leading the Guardians to the High Evolutionary and his planet, Counter-Earth.

The Gamora plotline hinges upon the events of Infinity War and Endgame. It is a somewhat time-travel complicated notion that the Gamora in Vol. 3 isn’t the one from the first two movies, that Gamora was killed in Infinity War and the Gamora in Endgame is from an alternate timeline that never experienced life with Peter and the Guardians. The film has some fun with the history complexity. Some characters refer to her as dead, others saying she “doesn’t remember the last few years”, and eventually the entire intricate history is laid out in a funny monologue by Quill. Admirably, the film doesn’t turn back the clock on the character relationship between Peter and Gamora, which would cheapen her dramatic exit in Infinity War. This Gamora has found a new, somewhat rough, place in the world. In one touching moment, Peter lays out his affinity for her and she gently lets him down saying that was an alternate future version, not her. But as it goes on, she just gets more annoyed that he keeps talking about this other woman. Saldana gets to show multiple sides of his different Gamora, as Pratt’s Star Lord bobbles between wallowing in self pity and heroic moments.

There are multiple flashbacks to Rocket’s origin with the High Evolutionary, and it’s rather tragic. It is sort of a prison movie with talking animals, and the big moment when Rocket finally escaped is powerful. Also, the ability to make the audience care this much for a CGI racoon is remarkable as Cooper’s vocal performance as Rocket features lots of emotion. Iwuji as the High Evolutionary is nasty, creating and destroying life just because he can. He claims to be trying to improve all of creation, but in a great moment Peter cuts him off saying he doesn’t care about megalomaniacal despot monologues.

The film starts off with a bang with Adam’s attack on the Guardians, and that feeling of impending doom hangs over the entire film. Poulter gets in some different shades when Adam begins as a pure force of destruction and then evolves as Adam is an entirely new, and somewhat confused, life form. Debicki as his mother rages at her son’s naivete, like when she wants him to get information out of someone and he completely wrecks it in a darkly hilarious bit. Every character at some point looks like they are heading towards a tragic demise which increases the tension. The movie elegantly balances the ensemble so each gets a standout moment, Gillan’s Nebula has really grown over the films and become a very different hero, Bautista’s Drax always has amazing reactions, and has awesome comedic moments with Klementieff’s psychic Mantis. And Groot, now a larger version of himself, still has amazing new tricks and a surprisingly deep final line.

There’s a great balance of heartfelt emotion, dark revelations, and fun spectacle. There’s a really entertaining heist that goes sideways. When the Guardians arrive on Counter-Earth, it is amusingly weird with animal people, and funny bits like Peter Quill trying to drive a car. The explosive climax is set on a burning space station as the crew desperately try to save the day, and the confrontation with the High Evolutionary is full of cathartic moments and the movie’s closing scenes deliver emotional payoff. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a great return to one of the more unique stylistic corners of the MCU and a satisfying finale for the Guardians.