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Poster Description: The title is white. (From left) Kraglin (Sean Gunn) stands with his hands behind his back in a red and black jumpsuit, looking up. His metal Mohican shines faintly red, and his mouth is open as if to whistle. Mantis (Pom Klementieff) gazes up, holding a fried creature on a stick. Peter (Chris Pratt) has scruffy hair and thick stubble. He wears a crumpled shirt and sweatpants, holding his Walkman and headphones. Drax (Dave Bautista) sits with his hands in his lap. He wears a similar red and black suit to Kraglin. Nebula (Karen Gillan) has a hand behind her bald, blue head. She frowns off to the side in a tie-dye vest, black trousers, and boots. Gamora (Zoe Saldana) reclines on her side, one hand propping up her head and the other on her hip. Rocket attempts to grin beside Groot, a chunky tree with a placid smile. Cosmo is a golden Labrador in an astronaut suit; she bares her teeth. The Guardians pose on a red and black spaceship, in front of a bright, planet-filled sky. A beam of orange sunlight pierces the gap between Mantis and Peter near Groot’s head. The tagline is “Once more with feeling.” |
As the final part of James Gunn’s trilogy, it was bound to be an emotional rollercoaster – and oh, boy, it is. I haven’t cried so much during a film since Avengers: Endgame! This time, the Guardians have set up their new headquarters, only to be attacked by a super-strong warrior called Adam (Will Poulter, Midsommar). When Rocket (Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born) is injured during the battle, the gang sets out to find help.
We’ve experienced a worrying trajectory with recent MCU films, but Vol. 3 feels like a hopeful catalyst. It is a last hurrah, sure, finally revealing Rocket’s backstory in all its brutality, but it is a shift in tone that I welcomed. Although how the filmmakers managed to get this past the Disney execs, I’ll never know! Chukwudi Iwuji (John Wick: Chapter 2) is a chilling villain without those impressive prosthetics, but they enhance his cold inhumanity to an insane degree, even if his motives are somewhat stale.
It irritates me how the writers are desperate for us to feel sorry for Peter (Chris Pratt, The Super Mario Bros. Movie) after Gamora’s death. He keeps talking about how much fun they had together, but this must have happened between movies, or Peter is delusional. Yup. That sounds more like it. It’s no surprise that I happily empathised with the characters who persistently tell him to get over the past – none more so than Gamora herself. Hey, it’s not a spoiler if she’s on the poster! This Gamora is Zoe Saldana at her most liberated, offering a nuanced version of her that is really refreshing. Likewise, Karen Gillan gives us a softer (but no less angry) Nebula, and yes, Drax and Mantis are the blatant comic relief, but their perfect timing cannot be overstated. Dave Bautista’s delivery of Drax’s (dubious) explanation of analogies had me ugly-laughing in a busy theatre! As for Groot…he’s just there, looking like a knock-off 90’s Ninja Turtle.
The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy satisfy my joy for exploring fictional worlds better than most sci-films, all with a banging soundtrack. There are a few surprises in Vol. 3, especially towards the end. The song choice is cathartic and uplifting, and the character arcs are completed similarly. It’s been a while since I left an MCU movie feeling so satisfied and at peace…I just hope it isn’t a one-time thing!
My Rating: 4 STARS OUT OF 5
My Sources:
Guardians of the Galaxy poster and plot - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardians_of_the_Galaxy_Vol._3
Will Poulter’s filmography - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Poulter
Chukwui Iwuji filmography - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1030244/?ref_=tt_ov_st
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