Fans have anxiously been awaiting the final chapter of the Guardians of the Galaxy saga. We’ve grown to love the band of misfits that came together and are now family.
The Guardians are approaching the conclusion of their story in the MCU. Avengers: Endgame gave us a chilling look at what can happen to any of our heroes. As we like to say, not all heroes wear capes, but as we learned, all heroes can die. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Marvel Studios have changed how we view our comic book heroes and movies. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 keeps what we know and love about our heroes and takes it to another level.
Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finds our heroes still dealing, or not dealing, with the loss of their Gamora. When one of their own is in jeopardy, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord rallies his team to come to the rescue and defend the universe from the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock. The film brings back our heroes: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and Sean Gunn. We are introduced to new characters through Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary, Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Spacedog, Sarah Allyn as Homeless Sad Rabbit, and Linda Cardellini as Lylla the Otter.
One of the things I look forward to in the Guardians of the Galaxy film is the music. I even found myself listening to Guardians of the Galaxy: The Complete Mixtape before seeing the new film. The music in this series has always been epic and an additional character to the adventures we find ourselves in with the Guardians. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 does not disappoint with the tunes. Whether it’s ramping up the fight scenes or coming from Quill’s headphones, the music in the film is perfect. The songs chosen are classic and match perfectly with the scene every time — even the remix of the Avengers theme song.
The story told in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is not one to be taken lightly. It is intense and grabs hold of the audience’s emotions from the beginning to the end. Gunn’s screenplay takes what we know and intricately weaves in backstory while enhancing the universe.
Even after two standalone films and numerous appearances in other Marvel hero films, this film proves there’s always more the audience can learn about these characters. The film also highlights that the heroes themselves can still learn a thing or two about each other. Emotional and tense moments of the movie are gently diffused with humor. It’s great writing performed by a great cast with great direction.
The relationship that has formed between Drax and Mantis is phenomenal. If you haven’t seen The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, do yourself a favor and watch it immediately. While it’s not necessary, it will prove a good stepping stone for the back and forth we see from Drax and Mantis. Their relationship and their character development are highlighted in this film.
There were moments of pure edge-of-your-seat action and consequences. Audiences get great fight scenes that display each character doing what they do best. The way these fight scenes are choreographed not only highlights their individual talents but also highlights their strength as a team. They know how to move and fight with each other to get the job done. Some fun moments are displayed. Everyone plays their role perfectly. I was excited to see how Zoe Saldana would do as a different version of Gamora. She was very good. There was no doubt that she is not the Gamora from our timeline.
So where does it go wrong? Adam Warlock. This is not the Adam Warlock fans have waited for. Is he powerful? Yes. But this introduction and version of Warlock do not do the character justice. I hope Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios find a way to bring back the character and present him the way he should be. Adam Warlock should be more intelligent, faster, more durable, and stronger than many of our Marvel heroes. Warlock is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Based on who we were introduced to in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, that is not the case. Sorry, but Feige and Gunn got it wrong this time.
Guardians of the Galaxy was a sleeper hit when it was released in 2014. Now, it’s a major franchise. A lot of that success has to do with a perfectly crafted cast and a great story. The Guardians are characters that are easy to love and easy to root for. These are just great films in general. I am sure fans from all over will enjoy this final round. As always, make sure to stay for the post-credit scene.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5, 2023.
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