If you’ve seen the previous Guardians of the Galaxy, you’ll need to see this one too. You know going in that GotG Vol. 3 is the final part of the trilogy, and Marvel’s beloved band of intergalactic superhero oddballs is going to tie up a lot of story lines and loose ends. With that said, this review is spoiler free.
Over the years we’ve gotten to know the Guardians – how they got to be who and what they are. Gamora, Nebula, Drax, Mantis, Groot and of course Peter “Star-Lord” Quill, have all told their stories. In this film, we at last get to hear the origin story of one of my personal favorite characters – Rocket, the wise-cracking brains of the troupe. It’s probably the most powerful back story Marvel has ever told in its long history of comic-to-film characters.
Over the years we’ve grown very fond of the Guardians. They fight the baddest bad guys in the universe, they fight with each other, and they ALWAYS have each other’s backs. What’s not to love? The storyline made me realize just how much I like them… and how much I’ll miss them.
Marvel went all out on this one. The film checks every box for a superhero blockbuster: the special effects are truly outstanding, the sets and costumes are eye-popping visual treats. The action sequences are fantastic. It has a great storyline, humor, and character development that adds a lot of depth to the wrap-up of this trilogy. For a Guardians of the Galaxy fan, this is must-see. If you can see it in IMAX, so much the better.
But it also has its flaws. Gamora’s back from the dead – that’s not a spoiler, she’s on the promotional posters – but exactly how that came to be isn’t explained well and is a plot device that leaves a hole you can pilot a starship through. I suggest that you just suspend belief for a bit. If you can accept a sentient tree with a seriously limited vocabulary as someone you’d love to hang out with, that shouldn’t be too hard. The music by John Murphy and the sound effects are wall-to-wall, sometimes to the point of overwhelming the dialog. Still, that’s what you would expect from the finale of a superhero franchise, all the characters are back together, old nemeses are there as well, and it’s as big and bold as it can be.
In addition to the good guys, some familiar bad guys, and a cadre of lesser stars in the Marvel pantheon, there’s a new super villain, one that is worse than any they’ve thrown at the Guardians before. He makes the Universe-snapping Thanos look compassionate by comparison. The High Evolutionary is an excruciatingly evil villain, and it’s his actions that create some of the most emotionally painful and heart-wrenching parts of the movie. While those dark elements added a seriousness to the mission of the Guardians and bring them closer together than ever, they felt like a punch to the gut, and created moments that are not for younger or more sensitive movie-goers.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a well-crafted, thoughtful end to a fun intergalactic romp. Throughout the entire film you truly feel that the Guardians have grown into a wonderfully weird, loving and loyal family that puts the “fun” in dysfunctional. Knowing this is the end of the franchise makes it a bit sad to say goodbye to them, but Marvel created a story that has gripping drama, dazzling special effects, and is also emotionally satisfying. Throughout the film we learn more about each of the characters, and at its conclusion we know they’ve learned a lot about themselves, too. It’s like saying goodbye to an old friend. The good news is, you can see them again and again, and you don’t have to leave the planet.