Hear Me Out: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3’ is the best post-‘Endgame’ Marvel movie
It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been in a downward spiral since the culminating event of the ‘Infinity Saga’ with Avengers: Endgame, and it’s not just a matter of expectations.
The films released since have not had a coherent throughline or reason to believe that there are actual stakes, with the most financially successful Marvel films of recent years, including Spider-Man: No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine, coasting on nostalgia for familiar characters, and not legitimate progression.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 was a project that seemed cursed to begin with, as it was only shortly after James Gunn was fired as the original director that he scored a deal to make The Suicide Squad for Warner Bros, which eventually led him to become the steward for the new DC Films division. The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy has always been loosely connected with the other MCU films, and the third entry in the franchise is perhaps the most standalone of them all.
What’s missing from contemporary Marvel films and superhero stories in general is the implementation of consequences. When any character can seemingly be resurrected or return in a different segment of the multiverse, there’s little reason to be invested in anything going on.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is the most thoughtful of the Marvel films released since Avengers: Endgame because it reflects upon the passing of time, bypassing yet another existential threat to reality to instead centre on saving Rocket Raccoon, who has himself dealt with traumatic memories.
Thus, while Guardians of the Galaxy films have always had fun with their comic touch and amazing soundtracks, the third film pushes the characters to grow more mature, with Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill accepting the responsibilities of protecting his friends, even though he realises that Zoe Saldaña’s Gamora in his universe isn’t the same person that he fell in love with. Even Dave Bautista’s Drax, a character often depicted as a brutal warrior with a heart of gold, is put in a position where he must look at what life after revenge actually looks like.
Gunn’s ability to direct coherent action scenes is leaps and bounds over the CGI-ridden sequences in recent Marvel bombs like The Marvels and Captain America: Brave New World, as the third instalment in the Guardians‘ universe is creative in staging interesting set pieces, including a fun sequence in which the characters are trapped in a creepy neighbourhood that vaguely resembles Earth. It’s also not afraid to get dark, as the flashbacks detailing Rocket’s tragic upbringing and creation are about as graphic as PG-13 films can get.
While it’s not lacking in spectacle, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 exists as a means to bid farewell to one iteration of the characters, who don’t seem to be actively involved in the next stage of the franchise. Instead of trying to set up different spin-offs and sequels, the final montage in it sets each of the characters on a new journey in which they might find fulfilment and even happiness.
It’s a love letter from Gunn that feels like his calling card for Marvel Studios, and the franchise will sorely miss his presence as it attempts to recapture its prior magic.
