Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 concludes a trilogy of a ragtag bunch of heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is writer/director James Gunn’s poignant end to an adventure that has this team assembled one last time.
Peter (Chris Pratt) still mourns the loss of his Gamora (Zoe Saldana) as the Guardians have built a community in Knowhere which comes under attack leaving Rocket Raccoon mortally wounded. Desperate to save him, the Guardians (including an alternate Gamora, Mantis, Drax, Nebula, and lovable Groot) must find a mysterious adversary, the High Evolutionary, (a villain whose horrible, genocidal experiments give the film a dark, grim tone), who holds the key to Rocket’s past and his survival. It also means the Guardians must band together and risk everything to save their friend.
The Guardians, a group of misfits, have become a family who squabbles and loves one another, but this is Rocket’s story which serves as the film’s core as it reveals his traumatic past. The film, which stands apart from recent Marvel titles without the constraints of a multiverse plot, encompasses several story arcs as each major character evolves significantly and has an opportunity to shine; (we would follow these beloved Guardians anywhere.) Defying expectations, new characters are introduced and beloved ones depart.
The
film has moments of bravery, sacrifice, and loss, and benefits from
imaginative, otherworldly visuals and creature designs right out of a Tim
Burton nightmare. There are better Marvel films but few that touch the soul like this
one, and no one taps into sentiment like Gunn who balances action (especially
a stunning, continuous shot of a hallway battle accompanied by one of many pop
tunes), drama, and humor and sets up his audience for several memorable, emotional
payoffs. (There are two end credit scenes.)
****
of **** stars (for Guardians fans)
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