Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, directed by James Gunn, shares the backstory of the character Rocket while also wrapping up the trilogy. James Gunn’s previous work can be seen in the previous two Guardians movies, as well as in Suicide Squad (2021). The movie is emotional while still having the quick sense of humor that the audience expects from Marvel movies. Add on an amazing soundtrack, and the production of this movie is well up to standards with what fans expect and want. The film neatly wraps up the well-loved trilogy, which is all that fans could really ask for.
Chris Pratt plays Star Lord, the half-human main character, and can also be found in Jurassic World Domination, The Tomorrow War, and of course, previous Marvel movies, including the first two Guardians. Zoe Saldana, who plays Gamora, also has roles in Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean. Karen Gillan, who plays Nebula in the trilogy, can also be seen in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Dual.
In the movie, Rocket, the talking racoon, has been stabbed and is unable to be healed. To save him, the Guardians must track down the people who created Rocket. In doing so, they learn of Rocket’s tragic backstory. They must travel across the galaxy in order to find cooperation, where they learn of the leader’s evil plan that they must stop.
Considering this movie was the third in the series, there wasn’t a ton of time properly introducing the characters. (If someone went and watched a movie with Volume 3 in the title and was mad that they didn’t know the backstory, that is their own fault.) That being said, the pacing was good for those that were familiar with the franchise. Since there wasn’t much introduction to do, it pretty much jumped right into the action, but that wasn’t really a bad thing. It’s what a lot of Marvel fans have grown to expect.
This movie had a similar plot to the previous two movies: some big, bad evil tries to take over the universe and the Guardians must stop them. What made this movie different was that it focused mainly on a character that wasn’t Peter Quill, but instead Rocket, one of his companions who also happens to be a racoon. The movie balanced out showing Rocket’s backstory with the other characters trying to stop the evil that created him well, and the story was easy to follow.
(Spoiler Alert) I knew going into the movie that it was a bit more focused on Rocket than the others, but I wasn’t aware of the extent. I also wasn’t expecting his backstory to be so tragic and was shocked when they showed his friends being killed. Once the movie was resolved, we see the characters go their separate ways for the first time in the franchise. It was a very emotional ending, set to Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over,” and wrapped up their story well. Fans knew going into this movie that it would be the last in the series, and the writers did a great job of a satisfying, albeit sad, ending.
All the main actors in the movie have been working together a long time, making their chemistry on-screen feel very natural, and you could tell that they were all very comfortable together. The audience was able to feel the same emotions that the characters were portraying, whether that be scared, sad, or happy.
Since these actors have been playing these characters for so long and know the character so well, it’s easy to forget that the character isn’t a real person. For example, you could really feel Peter Quill’s pain when he realizes throughout the movie that the Gamora that he has now is not the same as the Gamora that he loved before. The dialogue had the same serious-with-jokes-thrown-in tone that the audience expects. All of the actors and actresses have become pretty well-known for their roles as these characters over the years, and their experience gave them all equally great performances and portrayals of the characters.
Anyone who is a fan of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise knows that the movies are notorious for having a great soundtrack. Iconic songs from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s are played throughout the movies. The third movie of the series was no exception. From Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” to the movie ending with Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over,” fans were able to recognize and appreciate the quality of the soundtrack. Expectations are always high for the soundtrack of the Guardians movies, and every time they deliver.
Overall, fans of the franchise should definitely see this conclusion to the series. Between the iconic soundtrack, witty humor and characters that the audience has grown to love, along with the action and exciting yet emotional plot, the movie neatly wraps up the series. Anyone who enjoyed the previous two movies will find it worth it to see the final one. Fans will leave the theater feeling emotional that it is over, while also satisfied with the ending.
