Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Review

Spoiler Free!

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 just released this May 5th, four years since they were last seen in action during Avengers: Endgame (despite a short cameo in Thor: Love and Thunder). And they did not disappoint.

With heart-wrenching backstories, upbeat battle scenes, their famous comedic bits, and themes of loss, love, and discovery, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3 brought to the screen exactly what I was hoping for from Marvel. In this article, I will be giving my honest overall opinion of the film.

To begin with the story itself, I was pleasantly surprised by the approach taken. The journey the characters went on was a bit complicated but still relatively easy to follow. Looking back at it now, it was also shockingly dark – which is a recurring theme in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Despite being known for their humor, the movies consistently tackle sensitive topics but always tend to do so in considerate and appropriate ways. However, one criticism I have does relate to this relationship between comedy and seriousness.

There are many moments in the movie where, during a serious scene, a character cracks a joke to lighten the mood. But sometimes, it’s okay to let the mood get a bit dark. In moments where characters are reflecting on their internal conflicts, it’s better to let the audience think about it for a moment. Let them connect to what the character said. Let people be sad. The seriousness can be balanced out by comedy later on. In fact, it may even be more effective that way.

On the topic of comedy overall, the Guardians are known for their silly bits and jokes; this movie certainly satisfied that demand. There were many gags demonstrating the fun, family-like relationship of the characters and a decent amount of one-liners as well. Yet the only criticism I hold regarding the humor is the repetitiveness. After a while, I wonder if I’m laughing because the gag is actually funny or if it’s because I’m supposed to be laughing. The humor is certainly amusing, but after a while, it’s expected. A change of pace every once in a while could certainly help.

Shifting back to the film’s story itself, despite being buried beneath the humor, it tackled heavy topics regarding love (both platonically and romantically), the loss of a loved one, and ultimately discovering who you are. Each character is undergoing their own self-discovery journey, which is simultaneously aided and hindered by their close ties to their teammates.

The antagonist of the story is deeper than the villain. The villain of this story seems a bit one-dimensional, with not much backstory or attempted justification of his actions, but it works. It works because we do not need a moral conflict between the ethics of the villain and the heroes, as we are already having enough emotional conflict without the villain. The villain is present to advance the physical conflict and plot, while the actual internal conflict is more the protagonist’s internalizations of the events both of their past and those caused in the present by the villain of the film.

Moving on from the writing, the visual aspects of the film did not disappoint either. The outfits and character designs were amazing, a personal favorite of mine being Gamora’s. Worldbuilding was extensive and gorgeous, with a variety of environments in every corner of the galaxy. CGI was impressive, especially for a film with such high demand for CGI. There were some standout moments to me regarding CGI, which were not of the best quality per se, but overall it never seemed to interrupt the immersiveness of the film. And lastly, the fight scenes were outstanding. The elegantly choreographed battles are undoubtedly one of the best parts of watching this movie, and, as always, they were to the tune of some outstanding classic songs as well.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie, and it is undoubtedly one of my top Marvel movies of recent years. Not only was it fun to watch, but the struggles they addressed in the film added a next level of meaning. It showed the importance of finding yourself, not by showing the characters on the journey to do so, but by showing the characters as they realize they need to begin said journey. It shows that you are more than just the people you surround yourself with. No matter how much you love them, you still need to be your own person. Throughout the movie, we saw a range of characters, with some finally coming to terms with their identity, some halfway through their journey, and some just beginning. It truly makes the viewer wonder where they are in their own journey.

Even if you are not a fan of the typical Marvel or superhero movie, I highly encourage watching this movie, as well as the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Whether you are a fan of action, comedy, or drama, these films encapsulate a variety of genres in a well balanced and entertaining style.