Review: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 Is One of Marvel's Best Films Ever!
Director James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the pinnacle of the Marvel Studios franchise. This movie is easily one of the best films that they’ve ever made… possibly THE BEST. I just need to watch it a few more times before I decide if that is true for me or not. As soon as the movie ended, my first thought was “Good luck to Marvel to try and make a better movie!”
This film is the epic conclusion to the trilogy that Gunn started. This movie brings the story he wanted to tell to an end, and he did it in the most beautiful and incredibly awesome way! It’s a triumph of storytelling, with the perfect mix of amazingly cool action, humor, and heavy emotional depth. Gunn previously explained this movie is “not about saving the universe – it’s about the Guardians saving themselves,” and you’ll understand why he said that when you watch the movie.
Gunn's masterful direction and vision shine through every frame of this movie. One of the central themes of the movie is the importance of family and the ways in which the Guardians' team has become a surrogate family for each other. As the story plays out, we see some of the characters grappling with their past traumas and trying to find a sense of belonging and connection with each other.
The film specifically puts the spotlight on Rocket Raccoon and his tragic background, which involves the film’s villain, the High Revolutionary. The villain is a mad scientist who creates hybrid creatures, and Rocket was one of his early experiments. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything for you, but this backstory is the saddest damn thing ever!
The movie hit me so hard emotionally, and there were multiple times over the course of the film where I just couldn’t hold back the tears. The story arcs for the characters in the film are handled with sensitivity and depth, and fans are going to appreciate it. The movie pulls at the heartstrings, and when the movie ended, I felt like I just needed a big hug after what I had experienced.
Now while the movie is emotional, it’s also filled with great humor and exciting action! Gunn does such a wonderful job balancing humor and heart and there are both moments of levity and laughter, along with moments of profound sadness.
As for the action, it was amazing! There is one scene in particular that completely blew me away! A battle sequence that involves all of the Guardians, and that is for sure the best action sequence in any of the Marvel films that have been made. I hope Marvel takes note and starts thinking outside of the box and doing incredibly cool unique and different things with the action scenes because they are starting to feel a little bland. This movie gets it right! The action is always driven by the story and the emotional arcs of the characters.
The ensemble cast delivers unforgettable performances and every character gets their moment to shine. The cast includes Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Sean Gunn as Kraglin/on-set Rocket, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, and Vin Diesel as Groot. New additions to the cast also include Will Poulter as Adam Warlock and Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary as well as Daniela Melchior, Nico Santos, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm's Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Spacedog.
I also want to point out that I enjoyed the introduction of Adam Warlock in the MCU, and Will Poulter was a perfect casting choice for that role! I also enjoyed his story arc and how this film set up his possible future of the MCU.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a cinematic masterpiece that will leave you laughing, crying, and cheering all at once. It’s a stunning and breathtaking moviegoing experience, Gunn has once again proven himself to be one of the most talented and visionary directors working today, and this movie is a testament to his incredible storytelling skills and creativity.
