Watched: May 3, 2023
Hello Everyone! Last night I watched Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 and I have to say that I was very impressed by the movie and believe it was the perfect send off for this chapter of the Guardians of the Galaxy. I would even say that you could even make the argument that this is the best MCU movie since Avengers: Endgame. However, one thing is true and that is that this movie is easily one of the most dark and emotional movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. But even with some of the darker tones and elements it still manages to make you laugh and is filled with great moments for the audience to enjoy.
I would like to start out by talking about the things that I really liked about the movie. If you don't know already, the Guardians of the Galaxy are a group of misfits who go around the galaxy protecting it from all of the different evils that exist in the universe. This group of unlikely heroes form to create a beautiful family-like dynamic that is explored throughout these movies. In particular this movie is about Rocket the Raccoon and his origin story and the conclusion of the Guardians as we know it. For me, this movie wraps up everything very nicely and leaves us at a solid conclusion to end this franchise. This is in large part to the cast, who really give it their all this time around and convey each and every emotion in this almost 2 and half hour movie. In particular, Chris Pratt, who you may not always agree with politically, brings a great performance that many may consider to be his best in the role of Star-Lord. He really is the star of the show, and along with Rocket, brings raw emotion and a powerful performance to screen. Chukwudi Iwuju as the villain, the High Evolutionary, is one of the most menacing MCU villains in the past 2 years in my opinion. This character is written so well that you will be hating him by the end of the movie. His screen presence is so powerful and every line he delivers is delivered with raw rage and emotion. He really does show us his range as an actor. Two characters that I was wish got more screen time and action were Groot (Vin Diesel) and Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). Both of these characters I believe were underutilized and I believe should have gotten more to do in this Guardians adventure. Besides those two characters though I believe each character got their deserved character arc and ended on a high note.
Next, I would like to talk about the work behind the camera, specifically the director James Gunn. In my opinion this is one of, if not the best directing, we have seen out of James Gunn. I have been critical of James Gunn in the past and some of his previous work like The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 that just did not work for me. But for this movie, you can really tell that Gunn loves these characters and he wants to make sure that the cast pours their whole selves into these roles. Also, Gunn's screenwriting has gotten a lot better. The humor he injects is sharper and he can balance the emotion and humor. Like all of the Guardians movies the humor can be hit or miss. At some points I found the tonal shifts to be a little much but overall, a nice balance throughout. Even behind the camera he continues to improve. Some of the action sequences are really well shot and overall, the camera work is very crisp. James Gunn ends his MCU run with a bang and it definitely makes me excited to see what can come out of his DC Universe. I would love to see some of the darker tones explored in a Batman or Superman film and I think that after seeing this movie James Gunn could deliver.
Overall, this film gives a satisfying conclusion to this trilogy and the characters we have all come to know and love. This movie brings a more serious tone back to the MCU that was missing for some time and gives the fans a great ending. It will be interesting to see how this film is received by general audiences as most of the critics are scoring this film pretty high (80% on Rotten Tomatoes). The film is tracking around $120 million at the U.S. domestic box office that would give a solid opening weekend for the franchise. Anything under $120 million would be a little concerning for the film. This is a win for Marvel in my opinion and gives a satisfying conclusion, with high stakes, incredible performances and an emotional rollercoaster ride that I believe most fans of this franchise will enjoy!
Review: 4/5 Stars
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