When the first Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 social media reactions began finding their way online following screenings in both Paris and Hollywood, we saw quite a few people throw around variations of, "This is the best MCU movie since Avengers: Endgame." Outside of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home and, to a lesser extent, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, that feels like faint praise because Phase 4 was nothing if not hit-and-miss. The fact is, this threequel isn’t the best MCU movie since Endgame; it’s one of the best Marvel Studios movies, period.
There are some gut-wrenching scenes in James Gunn’s Marvel return that inevitably mean this movie won't be for everyone. Pulling back the curtain on Rocket’s origin story takes us to some uncomfortable and upsetting moments in his past that are going to be a struggle for any animal lover to watch. They’re not gratuitous or overly gory, but Gunn has crafted such a powerful emotional connection between these characters and fans, you’d need a heart of stone not to tear up on at least one occasion (this reviewer cried three - yes, three - times while watching the movie). With flashbacks scattered throughout, we’re taken on a ride that, while challenging on occasion, reaches an emotional crescendo that makes a mockery of those who continue to say this genre lacks depth and maturity.
There’s plenty of fun to be had here too, of course, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 boasts more than its fair share of laugh-out-loud moments, with Gunn’s penchant for physical humour and witty dialogue making this a joy to watch a lot of the time as well. The relationships between these characters remain at the forefront of the story being told, and every Guardian is given the chance to shine both in terms of how their respective personalities continue to develop and in action scenes that are glorious to watch unfold. This is a profound, intelligent movie that builds to a thrilling climax which obliterates every other CG-heavy MCU final act that currency comes to mind. Near the end of the film, the team is even showcased in a staggering one-shot sequence which has all the makings of one of this shared world’s most iconic scenes.
With a two-and-a-half-hour runtime, there are a handful of scenes which perhaps drag a little, while it’s hard not to mourn for the heavily 70s and 80s-inspired soundtrack which was so important to the first two movies. Gunn still chooses some terrific songs (all of which enhance what we see on screen), but there was something special about that vibe which can’t be as easily replicated with a wider range of music. These are such minor niggles, however, they barely feel worth mentioning.
The entire cast gives their all in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with Pom Klementieff’s Mantis as much of a scene-stealer here as she was in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Sean Gunn and Bradley Cooper’s shared performances as Rocket are worth highlighting given how crucial that character’s arc is to this movie, but Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Vin Diesel also get to repeatedly remind us why they’re so damn perfect as the MCU’s Guardians.
Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji, meanwhile, is beyond hateful as The High Evolutionary and now joins a still quite small club of Marvel Studios villains who rank among the genre’s greatest baddies. We don’t get a tonne of backstory for the maniacal antagonist, but this is a performance from Iwuji that should, deservedly, put him on the map. A little more of Maria Bakalova’s Cosmo would have been no bad thing, while Will Poulter and Elizabeth Debicki do, unfortunately, feel a little shoehorned in as Adam Warlock and the returning Ayesha. Still, as an introduction for the former, Vol. 3 serves its purpose and leaves us wanting more (never a bad thing for a franchise that lives and dies on episodic-style storytelling).
There's a real sense of closure with this movie, though, especially as Gunn now bids farewell to the MCU to focus on launching DC Studios’ DCU, an unenviable task for even the most talented filmmaker given that property’s troubled past. If anyone can do it, though, it’s him and Superman: Legacy can’t get here fast enough. Gunn’s journey as a writer and director from 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy to now has seen him evolve in a myriad of ways, and his style here feels wholly unique and boasts a confidence which makes it clear he really was the only person who could have told, and ended, the story of these A-Holes. Vol. 3 is honestly his finest work yet and while it won’t happen for a while, we’re keeping everything crossed that Gunn eventually returns to these characters for at least one more volume because we’re nowhere near ready to say goodbye.
As heart-wrenching as it is hilarious, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is James Gunn’s masterstroke and a showcase for both his filmmaking talent and a cast that makes everything about this movie simply awesome. An absolute triumph. [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐]