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Posted in: Kaitlyn Booth, Marvel Studios, Movies | Tagged: guardians of the galaxy vol. 3, james gunn, marvel, Marvel Studios, Review
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Review: A Rare Sense Of Closure
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 isn't perfect, but it works more than it doesn't, and it hits the emotional beats. It also provides the rare sense of closure that is so rarely gifted to this genre.
THIS REVIEW OF GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 WILL BE SPOILER-FREE.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 isn't perfect, but it works more than it doesn't, and it hits the emotional beats. What it is given is the rare sense of closure that is so rarely gifted to this genre.
Director: James Gunn
Summary: Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own – a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if not successful.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Is Granted Closure
From the beginning, director James Gunn has been very upfront about the fact that this version of the Guardians is coming to an end in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Endings, however, are something that isn't often or ever afforded to people who make superhero movies. There is always something else waiting in the wings, another sequel that will happen, and only a few characters within just the Marvel Cinematic Universe have gotten their own endings with any sense of closure. Those two would be Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, but neither of them had an entire movie to help come to terms with that closure as this film does, and it makes a real difference.
Unlike Tony and Steve, who had to get their endings in Avengers: Endgame while sharing the screen with literally all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the emotional beats of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hit even harder because we have time to linger on them. There are moments to slow down and appreciate what is happening in front of us, and while there are plenty of funny moments in this film, it's also extremely somber and will punch you right in the gut without hesitating. As a final goodbye to these characters, the film works very well, and everyone gets to walk away with complete story arcs.
However, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 falls into the same trap as nearly all of the modern Marvel movies, and that is trying to do so much that it makes the movie a bit of a mess. The main contributing factor to this, and to most of the other Marvel movies also getting messy, is the shift in focus. In the beginning, what made the MCU work was that the worldbuilding and plans for more existed, but they were mostly kept to the margins. They weren't a distraction, and they didn't bog down an already massive movie by pointing out what is to come later down the line. This film gets that in the form of Adam Warlock.
In many ways, Adam feels like he doesn't need to be here at all. His place in the narrative could have been written around very easily, and his presence as a foil to the Guardians throughout the film is distracting. At the same time, we also aren't given enough time with him to care about him or the journey he is beginning. So while Will Poulter does a good job with what he is given, he's emblematic of a more significant problem that the MCU is facing, and that is dragging down their movies with too much setup for the future. It's all front and center now, and it's distracting from the primary story we are here to enjoy.
All of the cast does an excellent job in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but this is Rocket's movie at the end of the day. He is the heart, and this movie spends a long time showing us, in detail, what broke Rocket's heart. The detail might be too much for some, if we're being honest. There is a lot of animal cruelty and animal experimentation in this film, and if that is going to bother you, then you should be aware of it. Rocket's story is dark, and Gunn doesn't shy away from it at all.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 works more than it doesn't, and any of the issues really come down to Marvel forcing worldbuilding into spaces where it doesn't need to go. We don't have to introduce new elements that will turn up later, we can just enjoy watching this really good trilogy come to an end. While they didn't quite stick the landing, they certain did well enough to earn a medal and used tissues from your tears.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
8/10
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 isn't perfect, but it works more than it doesn't, and it hits the emotional beats. What it is given is the rare sense of closure that is so rarely gifted to this genre.
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