They are back! Finally! Our JP gives us his two cents on the final chapter of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan and Pom Klementieff.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(Walt Disney Pictures)
- Directed by James Gunn
- Written by James Gunn
- Based on Marvel Comics
- Produced by Kevin Feige
- Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Will Poulter, Elizabeth Debicki, Maria Bakalova, Sylvester Stallone, Nathan Fillion
Studio Synopsis:
In Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are settling into life on Knowhere. But it isn’t long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket’s turbulent past. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket’s life—a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
JP’s Take:
The misfit family calling themselves Guardians of the Galaxy has taken us on wild adventures through space and time, unlike any other Marvel entity. In 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Peter Jason Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, was swept away by an intergalactic criminal group called The Ravagers, where he learns of his true heritage. In 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Peter discovers his father is a megalomaniacal alien whose name happens to be Ego, while the Guardians struggle to keep their ragtag family together. Alas, we’ve come to their journey’s end with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” as we finally gain knowledge of Rocket Raccoon’s mysterious past.
“Guardians 3” draws us deeper into the messy, yet intriguing lives of this intergalactic police force, where their mission, this time, is to save one of their own from death. While Rocket was just a baby, he became the test subject of an exceptionally brilliant geneticist, calling himself the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). During his experiments to transform lower life forms into sentient anthropomorphic beings, he becomes astonished by Rocket’s extraordinary intelligence at such a young age. The High Evolutionary holds Rocket prisoner while continuing experimentation on other creatures, while his ambition is to create Counter-Earth, a world in which his creation can thrive. This guy certainly has a God-like complex.
Rocket makes friends with other anthropomorphized creatures, who were also experimented on and considered throwaways. An otter named Lylla (voiced by Linda Cardellini), a walrus named Teefs (voiced by Asim Chaudhry), and a rabbit named Floor (voiced by Mikaela Hoover) become Rocket’s family, where they have dreams of one day escaping the High Evolutionary’s clutches. The High Evolutionary has other plans for Rocket and decides to exterminate the others, including Lylla, Floor, and Teefs. Enraged by this action, Rocket attacks the High Evolutionary and escapes. Flash forward to the present day, where the Guardians have established their new home in the newly rebuilt Knowhere.
The night the citizens of Knowhere and the Guardians settle in, Rocket is attacked by a mysterious being named Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). Rocket’s kill switch is activated during the fight between Adam and the Guardians, leaving Rocket incapacitated. The Guardians are now in a race against time to save Rocket’s life while also thwarting the efforts of his capture.
The “Guardians of the Galaxy” now become the Guardians of the Heart as writer / director James Gunn pulls on the heartstrings in this dark hour of family time. Instead of focusing on interplanetary battles and saving worlds, they come to the rescue of one of their beloved family members. Fans have become enthralled by Rocket’s hidden past, as was hinted at in “Vol 2” and “Vol 3,” and brings the disturbing details into focus. The cruelty Rocket faced smacks of a PSA put on by PETA.
We peer into the dark, dreary, grimy conditions of these experimental creatures, which look like something out of a Tim Burton movie. These poor creatures are fitted with mechanical parts and prosthetics and the like.
We become entangled with yet another antagonist, who is hell-bent on destroying, controlling, or creating a new world in his image. Nonetheless, our valiant galactic warriors are up for the task of concocting lame brained schemes to bring him down, which at times work and other times done for tomfoolery. Whenever the Guardians are on a mission, you can expect a great deal of chaos to ensue. Much of the action, once again, takes place in ethereal worlds. One intriguing example is the mechanically created organic space laboratory Orgocorp, headquarters of the High Evolutionary.
Underneath it all, Gunn paints the picture of a dysfunctional family who cares deeply for one another. Rocket has become the beloved character throughout the series and is the connective tissue of the bunch. The new narrative here is there is nothing we won’t do for family, and Rocket’s near-death experience gives the rest of the Guardians something close to home to fight for. This places them in an all-or-nothing battle against the High Evolutionary, who believes himself to be a God. You’ll have a good laugh as usual, especially at the name-calling rant Star-Lord launches against the High Evolutionary.
All actors involved know their roles and play them with full force. Will Poulter makes a campy and meme-worthy addition to the cast, while Sylvester Stallone reprises his role as Stakar Ogord. Chukwudi Iwuji explodes with diabolism as the obsessive creator, the High Evolutionary. Maria Bakalova joins the cast voicing the Soviet space dog Cosmo, who has psionic abilities. Last but certainly not least Nathan Fillion makes his presence known as Master Karja.
The “GOTG” plays out like a semi-musical, with another classic soundtrack accenting key moments with tracks from Alice Cooper, Beastie Boys, The Flaming Lips, Heart, Earth, Wind & Fire, Faith No More, and countless others. Once again, you’re treated to a space opera that is as ear-pleasing as it is visually encapsulating.
As loud and grinding a crescendo as the final act is, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” does leave you with a bit of a tear-jerking finale: one that signifies this exhilarating and seemingly inexhaustible journey has now come to an end. Yet, I enjoyed the wild adventures and the crazy antics of this group throughout the entire series. What’s also exhausting is me telling you to stay in your seat near the end … I’m sure by now you know why.
Official Site: Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel)
