Ryan Shoots First: Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
It’s really hard to put into words what Marvel has been able to do with their characters. Sitting there watching the final film in the Guardians saga it really hits you just how much you have gone through with this group. From that first dance-off with Peter through Ego, and the snap and Endgame, to here. Their unique blend of humor, action, soundtrack and incredible visual style has really helped establish a larger voice for the MCU. I briefly touched on this when we counted down the top wrestlers turned action stars recently but Guardians came at a pivotal part of the MCU. At the time we had largely seen established names in both the actors and the roles they were playing. Guardians would be a gamble, would people come to see Chris Pratt and could Marvel make us believe in a Racoon and talking tree. If they could pull this off they can do anything. And they did just that. Following the success of Guardians 1 nothing was off limits, almost every subsequent film involved cosmic forces and a sense of humor that Guardians laid the ground work for. Many still hold up that first installment to be the best MCU film.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is more than just a love letter and a fitting send-off to this group of heroes we’ve shared so much with. It’s a story of trauma, acceptance and dealing with the things we’ve buried deep. Almost every member has something they have been running from, something that led them to this lovable family of rag-tag, three-time galaxy savors. The stakes in this film aren’t as large as Guardians 1 or 2 or Endgame but the weight each member carries internally more than has us invested. Each member gets time to shine but also a chance to face the internal demons they have been hiding from for years. Constantly we’re bouncing from heavy emotional beat breaking us down, to the slapstick humor we’ve come to expect. Some jokes hit more than others but that’s the essence of comedy. What had me audibly bust out laughing in the theatre got a dry groan from the MCU fan who begrudgingly goes to every film next to me.
But what is the one area Marvel movies seem to draw the most criticism from? The villains, and again while this villain isn’t trying to destroy the galaxy or even conquer it his ambitions and cruel God complex lead him to be a formidable foe but also deeply emotionally tied to the fates of many of our heroes. Chukwudi Iwuji does a fantastic job as The High Evolutionary he plays as an excellent heel that we all can’t wait to see get his.
As the MCU goes what brings people to the theatre almost as much as the story is to see what’s coming next or a hint at where the larger story is going. Well Volume 3 largely serves as a contained send-off to the team with very little going on to push what’s next in the larger MCU, other than Adam Warlock that we all knew was coming there really isn’t much in the way of cameos or big reveals from Phase 5 and that’s perfect. This is the Guardians story and they are center stage for the entire film.
Once again Marvel brings us into the summer blockbuster season but this time it’s with a thoughtful, tribute to one of its more beloved and eclectic teams. So dig out that old Zune and load up some tunes cause we’re going to go for one last ride with our gang of galactic misfits.
