Guardians’ Farewell – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Review

After a string of forgettable entries, Marvel returns to what it’s best at with a goofy and colorful story about its beloved space misfits. This time, you’ll have to wipe away your tears while laughing.

The final chapter in the story of the Guardians of the Galaxy is just as imperfect as its characters, and that’s precisely why it is a fitting finale that nobody could have pulled off the way James Gunn did. In 2014, when the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie was released, I was in awe. There was no way a superhero movie could be this entertaining, yet there it was. Gunn’s first try in the MCU had witty dialogues, an all-round well written story (that also tied into the bigger picture), filled with lovable and original characters, who after this film rose to fame as A-list superheroes in both movies and comic books.

In the focus of Vol. 3 is Rocket (Bradley Cooper), whose mysterious past is finally unveiled, and frankly, I didn’t think Disney would go through with this. It has so many uncanny, at times gory elements, while also reflecting on animal testing that will surely surprise most.

While its fetch quest story about saving Rocket often feels like switching between TV channels because of its messy pacing, once again it’s Gunn’s skill in handling emotions and the gang’s dynamics is what makes “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” a worthwhile journey, one that is a real treasure in the current state of the MCU.

Needless to say, the third entry didn’t lose its humor: when it’s funny, it really is, but at times it isn’t, and it can throw you off. Fortunately, that’s rarely the case, and even then, Drax (Dave Bautista) jumps in to truly unleash his full potential this time. Once again, Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) prepared a ton of new music for us that is less upbeat than in the previous installments, but that’s perfectly fine for an ending like this one.

Unfortunately, the two key issues of the film are easily identified. While the film’s villain, The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) has a dark history with Rocket, he fails to create memorable moments in the present. As I’m not familiar with the comics, I can’t say for sure, but it felt like bad casting for me (rather than a problem with Iwuji’s acting skills). The other problematic element was the presence of Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), whose existence is closely tied to The High Evolutionary, but not the Guardians’ story. Although the film hints at his potential return in future installments, he feels forced into this already overpacked story.

While having my doubts in the first half, I really enjoyed “Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3”. It’s a heart-wrenching conclusion to the MCU’s best trilogy, that gave us some the funniest and the sincerest moments of the superhero genre so far. Even if I must continuously endure the upcoming disappointing Marvel flicks, I’ll always think fondly of the Guardians.