Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 movie review: James Gunn brings MCU back in form with its most emotional-yet-fun film yet

Director: James Gunn

Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Chukwudi Iwuji, and Will Poulter

Where to watch: Theatres

Rating: 3.5 stars

It’s no state secret that Marvel has been slipping since the end of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The grand culmination that was Avengers: Endgame, followed by Spider-Man: No Way Home, has been hard to live up to. The web series have done their part but most films, barring a few, have missed the mark. Obituaries of the MCU were being typed out. But as he has done before, James Gunn has arrived to save the day. Much like the heroes in his films, Gunn does that with nonchalance, putting MCU back on track and reminding fans why they fell in love with this franchise in the first place. With Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, the director does not give us a perfect film by any means. But he gives us what the fans have been wanting for quite some time now.

It’s been nearly six years since the last Guardians film. It seems like a century ago because of all that has passed since then. James Gunn is now big boss man at the rival company and the optimism MCUsaw during phases 3 and 4 seem like ancient history. The film takes off from where we leftthe Guardians after Endgame. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is moping about having lost Gamora (Zoe Saldana) while Nebula (Kare Gillan), Drax (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Groot (Vin Diesel) try and pick the pieces. But when an unknown superhuman, later revealed to be Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), attacks and injures Rocket (Bradley Cooper), the Guardians swing into action. They need to save their friend and also discover his past, which puts them in the crosshoairs of the all-powerful High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji).

At 2 hours and 30 minutes, most Americans would feel GOTG 3 is long. But for Indian audiences, that is pretty much a digest film. The length is also of no concern when the continues to move forward, without stalling or slowing down, as it does here. What works for the film is how it manages to pull us back into the world of the Guardians almost immediately, reconnecting us with the characters that most fans have loved for years.

Perhaps GOTG 3’s biggest win is in getting the balance right. It is, hands down, one of the most emotionally gut-wrenching Marvel films of late, rivalling Infinity War and WandaVision in terms of emotional stakes at times. But it never forgets to have fun. It may not be as light or as peppy as the previous Guardians films but it does get the Marvel balance right. Nowhere does it feel too heavy and never does it seem flippant. The jokes blend in well with the high-octane action and the emotional backstory.

This film belongs to Rocket. It is his story just like Volume 2 was Peter’s story. We meet a young Rocket and see how he became who he is, much against his wishes. It’s a beautifully set sequence that forms the emotional core of the story. But that does not mean other characters are sidelined. James Gunn finds a way to make every principal character have their own moment in the film, one applause/whistle-worthy moment that allows them to take centre stage. From Groot to Drax and Mantis to Gamora, all get their 30 seconds. Even the new kid Adam gets his moment under the sun.

The visual effects and action set pieces are phenomenal, something that has become par for the course for Marvel films (barring the last few titles). That is why, this feels like a throwback to Marvel’s glory days when good stories were complemented by good VFX and CGI. GOTG 3 does its job ably in that department. And like always, the soundtrack does the remaining job. The song selection, their placement in the film, and their overall quirkiness is spot on.

The acting, however, is nothing home to write about. Several actors feel jaded by now. Chris Pratt, who has usually been charming as Star Lord aka Quill, feels more tired than ever before now. Bradley Cooper does bring a new element to Rocket but does not shine. The others, all have their fair share of moments, but nothing stands out performance-wise save for a few moments from Karen Gillan and Sean Gunn. MCU has been known for its strong villains, which drive the story forward, but here too, GOTG 3 falters. We never see why the High Evolutionary is so powerful. We never buy into his power, his God-like stature. For someone so powerful, he comes across as too whiny and too out-of-control all the time. And Chukwudi Iwuji’s high-pitched performance does not help the character’s cause either.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is not a perfect film. It is not even one of the best from the Marvel stable. But it is one of their best in the recent times. It is entertaining, visually-stunning, and even touching in parts. At its best, it reminds you of the zenith of Marvel and fills you with some hope for the future of the franchise.