The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a self-referential franchise that is far too reliant upon past works to fill in the dramatic and structural gaps of present ones. By and large, the MCU’s individual films and streaming series have become smaller pieces of a larger whole in which one big story is told that requires audiences to seek out and spend money on multiple works. What the MCU has ambitiously accomplished in the last fifteen years is impressively unprecedented and fascinating on a business level, however exhausting and expensive it is to be a member of its loyal audience.
It’s getting more and more difficult to judge MCU titles based on their own individual merits. No matter how hard most of them try to deliver a unique experience, it’s become unavoidable for many MCU characters and plot points to be fully and satisfyingly developed without the audience’s knowledge of other MCU films or series. The first two Guardians of the Galaxy films are rare exceptions to this. They feature their own unique, quirky, and heartfelt style courtesy of writer/director James Gunn, along with mostly self-contained storylines and characters that are fully rewarding without any previous MCU experience.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, however wonderful it is in numerous ways, is, unfortunately, a bit too reliant on past MCU titles (both in and outside of the Guardians series) to be fully understood. It’s not the fault of the film or its creators, it’s merely the now-cluttered and intricately interconnected nature of the cinematic universe of which it is part. Though this hurts the film slightly, it’s a testament to the extraordinary talent of everyone involved that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 still manages to work as exceedingly well as it does on its own.
The film opens with the character of Rocket (the hyper-intelligent and edgy raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper) as he wanders through Knowhere, the Guardians’ new headquarters, while singing along to an acoustic rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep.” His alienation and pain are plainly set up to be the main focus of the film from the start. We learn that Rocket is who he is due to inhumane experiments conducted by the villainous character known as The High Evolutionary (Chuckwudi Iwuji). Rocket is sought out for further testing, and comes close to being kidnapped by The High Evolutionary’s minion, Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). Rocket is badly injured during the attempt and, we soon find out, has a kill switch installed on his heart to prevent him from receiving medical help. It’s up to the rest of the Guardians to go on an adventure to find a way to neutralize the device so they can save their beloved friend.
The best and most moving scenes in the film are the flashbacks that go through Rocket’s mind while he is unconscious in present-day scenes. Through these scenes, we come to understand Rocket’s inherent loneliness and antagonism. He is removed as a kit from the rest of his litter, radically and painfully altered through technology, then thrown into a cage with other animals who have also been scientifically modified. These incarcerated animals soon become Rocket’s only friends. Chief amongst them is an otter named Lylla (voiced by Linda Cardellini) who becomes a figure of love, peace, and hope for the frightened and confused animals. The scenes with Rocket and his friends sum up the beauty and humanity of all the Guardians movies, embodying their central theme of damaged beings bonding and creating their own family in the present to combat the common tragedies of their pasts.
The rest of the Guardians and their present-day mission to save Rocket provide, at times, almost as much emotion as the flashbacks and also supply the film with an entertaining and steady flow of humor, action, and spectacle. Chris Pratt is, as usual, both heroic and bumbling as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, exhibiting his impossible-to-duplicate leading man charm mixed with impeccable and ego-less comic timing. Zoe Saldana is fierce, fiery, and focused as Gamora. The strength of the actress’s presence mostly overcomes the fact that her character’s arc, more than anyone else’s, relies on too many previous MCU entries to feel complete. Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff’s playful banter as the amusingly and innocently clueless Drax and Mantis is the film’s greatest source of humor. Karen Gillan’s portrayal of the straight-laced, tightly wound, and overly serious Nebula is also endlessly amusing. Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) manages to have as much heart and charm as anyone, despite only communicating with the same three words we all know quite well.
Along with its over-dependence on past Marvel entries to make full sense, the main villains of the film are its primary weakness. Both The High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock, despite the talent of the actors portraying them, get lost in the crowd of the film’s busy storyline. Though the pacing is tight and its two-and-a-half-hour length is impressively never felt as it is, the film could have used a little more padding to fully develop the antagonistic characters and their fascinating-but-rushed arcs. Their motivations and emotional cores aren’t quite as understandable as they could have been, especially when compared to the strength of the development of most of the main Guardians characters.
The true star of all the Guardians of the Galaxy movies is and has always been James Gunn. He executes the films with artistry, idiosyncrasy, emotion, and a personal nature that is usually reserved for adult dramas and/or arthouse titles. Though it has a few more faults than the previous two entries, the third and, for now, final Guardians film is still a highly moving and wholly entertaining effort that manages to stand tall when compared to its predecessors. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, like the other parts of the series, is a product of Gunn’s wholly unique sensibilities. It is a comic book movie that stands apart from other comic book movies due to its wonderfully timed and intelligently silly humor, its keen understanding of human nature, its in-depth character detail, and the tenderness and sincerity of its enormous heart.
GRADE: A-
