Review: Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3

Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 boasts a vastly different tone from its prior instalments, and the whole MCU, and establishes the series as the most consistent within the MCU. It’s incredibly fun, humorous, and gut-wrenching, you will cry tears of laughter and tears of heartbreak at insufferably small raccoons.

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been distinctly lacking since most characters were brought back after ‘the snap’ (spoilers). It feels as if the desolation in the wake of Thanos has never truly left the studio, and instead cast a hulking shadow, a shadow which this instalment utilises in its initial sense of despondence and sadness.

Its 12A age rating is a genuine surprise as the film delves into very dark themes of animal testing and vivisection

When the audience is reintroduced to the Guardians, who have firmly established their base in ‘Knowhere’, the head of an ‘ancient god’, the characters are united in their lack of direction. This fitting sense of loss and purposelessness is reminiscent of this wider Marvel problem, with the key to moving forward potentially being found by looking into the past. The film’s subplot bravely focuses on Rocket’s origin story. The character has always been a fan-favourite and before now has been largely unexplored, despite various hints of a traumatic past.

Exploring this history has enabled the film to be the darkest and most viscerally violent the studio has ever been. Its 12A age rating is a genuine surprise as the film delves into very dark themes of animal testing and vivisection. With its astoundingly good CGI, it also wastes no time in depicting this, with infant animals mutilated and grotesquely mechanical, making the subplot horrifically sad and undeniably endearing.

While the animals have their fleshed removed, others are fleshed out. Groot is refreshingly no longer a grumpy adolescent sapling and is now far more like the likeable tree he was in the first film. Alongside this, Drax is elevated from his status of the idiot muscle and is allowed to properly demonstrate a kinder, more intuitive side. Like the decades of the soundtrack, all of the characters have distinctly progressed, facing old and new foes, alongside their own demons.

New additions to the cast, notably Will Poulter, of Toy Story fame, and Chukwudi Iwuji. Poulter’s gilded character is tragically underused, with the actor having great comedic timing that should more than facilitate his involvement in future projects within the MCU. Furthermore, Chukwudi Iwuji boasts a powerful performance as the ‘High Evolutionary’, who seeks to become a God in the creation of the perfect species. But, as Rocket attests, ‘he doesn’t want to make the world a better place, he just doesn’t like it how it is’.

The cinematography and use of colour are extremely satisfying throughout the film

Each instalment within the Guardians franchise, regardless of the second film’s popularity, feels distinctly thought out, with this iteration being no different. The cinematography and use of colour are extremely satisfying throughout the film. From the one-shot sequences of the guardians working together to fight a room full of enemies, to the almost Wes Anderson esq pastel retro-spacesuits, to the space station made of organic matter; which is as original as it is disgusting to think about, the film is distinctly visually interesting. However, despite the silliness in some concepts and visual humour, the more serious tone, like Groot, has roots that run throughout the film. With Chris Pratt having cemented his reputation as a leading man, his performance in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 establishes him as an underrated dramatic actor, who has come a long way since his days as lovable idiot Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation.

Verdict:

In a world where each MCU release is no longer a coveted event, but instead another addition to the forgettable sea of projects that claw to keep the universe relevant, this film provides hope. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 supposedly depicts the last iteration of this specific crew of guardians, especially with James Gunn at the helm. The characters will undoubtedly be reshuffled and stretched across future MCU projects as a means of justifying their existence. With Gunn jumping ship and going to DC, he potentially represented the franchise’s only hope. But, like the band playing as the Titanic went down, this sinking ship had an awesome soundtrack.