Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Sean Gunn (mo-cap)/Bradley Cooper (voice) as Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
‘The Guardians of the Galaxy’ are Marvel’s most consistent output, and Vol. 3 cements it. When the first Guardians film landed on the scene, it was a game changer for what the MCU could be in terms of balancing both action and emotion. Since then, it’s been hit and miss, but the third and final entry into James Gunn’s outlandish and unusual tale of a troupe of misfits is a gentle reminder of what an earnest blockbuster looks like.
They could’ve called this one the ‘Rocket Raccoon Movie’, because it really does feel like his. After Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) maims Rocket (Bradley Cooper) into a critical state, the Guardians must band together in order to save his life. The key to his survival, though, lies with his creator: an egotistical, genocidal, cybernetic eugenicist known as ‘The High Evolutionary’ (Chukwudi Iwuji).
For the first time, this feels more akin to a Gunn film than Marvel would previously allow him. As a collaborator of Troma Entertainment, JG has always been lending a brand of genuine cruelty (or ‘gruelty’ as I call it) to his flicks, and we saw the most ‘studio’ version of it with The Suicide Squad. Perhaps James has earnt enough directorial clout to indulge a little, because Vol. 3 is the most twisted MCU picture in… maybe ever? Animal cruelty, faces being ripped off, f-bombs, and steampunk creature hybrids from hell is just some of what you can expect. Iwuji is also formidable as ‘The High Evolutionary’, a truly terrifying villain.
Albeit, this isn’t a splatter fest, and part of what makes these films so accessible is their humanist, kind approach to things. Having the final one centre on Rocket’s health is an assured tearjerker. It is also, absolutely, unequivocally effective. The added notes of personal pain that these characters carry has always been tangible, yet Vol. 3 expands on Rocket’s past in such a heart-breaking way that I would call it a crime not to get just a tiny bit welled up. If you “didn’t”, come on…admit it, you did!
Newcomer Will Poulter does a fine job as ‘mommy issues’ extraordinaire Adam Warlock, but his inclusion does feel a tad unnecessary. This one is certainly the most overstuffed Guardians film, and sometimes in trying to do *too* much it becomes an exhaustive sit through, especially in the middle 50 minutes or so. Two and a half hours is a lot for Vol. 3, and it certainly didn’t need to be.
It’s edited to hell and the second act is mightily clunky, but if Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 does one thing well, then it’s tying up this trilogy in a wacky, sincere bow. Come for the kindness, stay for the messed uped-ness.
