[Rating: Rock Fist Way Up]
We’ve all suffered the Marvel fatigue for the last few years in the post Endgame world. Movie after movie, and now streaming shows added into the mix has made this cinematic universe in my opinion, a mess.
However, there are at least a few beacons of hope to get me hyped for the next billion-dollar project. To me, the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise just hits differently. James Gunn’s trilogy just makes me laugh and makes me care about these characters. Despite some hesitations, I’m happy to say that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a grand and emotional finale to our intergalactic friends.
Years after the events of Endgame, the Guardians Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) now protect from their outpost in Knowhere. They are attacked by Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) as revenge for the events of Vol. 2. Warlock critically injures Rocket and tampers with his kill switch that prevents the guardians from saving their friend. It is determined that in order to save Rocket, they first must get aid from Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) who is an alternate timeline version after the events of Infinity War. The Guardians soon discover Rocket’s past at last. He was mutated by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) whose vision of a perfect world resulted in horrific animal mutations. His one goal is to destroy Rocket and the Guardians who interfere in his plans.
While Rocket is unconscious waiting for his friends to save him, audiences finally learn of Rocket’s background. Without going into too much detail, while being experimented on by the High Evolutionary, Rocket befriends an otter Lylla (Linda Cardellini), a walrus Teefs (Asim Chaudhry) and rabbit Floor (Mikaela Hoover) who all dream of the perfect world the High Evolutionary has envisioned for them.
What I liked about this was the fact it didn’t feel like a standard Marvel film. I think only a few movies before (most recently Wakanda Forever) make me feel like this. I wasn’t rolling my eyes at nonsense because the world of the Guardians is all nonsense and a whole lot of action.
Giving audiences the backstory of Rocket for the final film (maybe) in the franchise was a great move from Gunn, who also wrote the screenplay. It’s something worth waiting for and yes, something that made me cry. Also, how in the world this film doesn’t get praised and recognized more for its makeup and production design is beyond me. It’s incredible. One such location of a floating flesh planet is rich to the eyes with its very vibrant colors.
If anything Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 might be one of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’m not ashamed to say it because it made me feel like I was watching something from Marvel’s hey-day, which is the entirety of the Infinity series. This is the weird stepchild of a franchise that needs to find its way—and with these saviors of the universe, maybe it will again one day.
Christian Ramos is a classic film fan, having had the dream to host Turner Classic Movies for years now. He also has a large amount of Oscar trivia in his head, remembers dressing as Groucho Marx one Halloween, and cherishes the moment Julianne Moore liked his tweet.
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