The Marvel Cinematic Universe is over, some say. Indeed, on the one hand, the iconic Marvel universe has recently been in crisis, as evidenced by the deterioration of the quality of the latest productions, on the other hand, the threads of several "old generation" heroes, i.e. Black Widow, Spider-Man and Thor, have already been closed, which automatically reduces interest MCU. However, there is one more story worth knowing. Namely, the last chapter of the adventures of the Guardians of the Galaxy, a team of cosmic superheroes, composed of as much interesting and funny as eccentric personalities, which, after perturbations related to the dismissal and reinstatement of the creator of the previous parts - James Gunn - finally saw the light of day. Did the fans of this series - including me - wait for this finale to pay off?
“Once Again, With Feeling”
I will give the most obvious answer possible: definitely yes! James Gunn is definitely the right man in the right place. He is an artist who is not only able to create interesting characters, but also loves them, puts his soul and heart into them and knows perfectly well how to lead their threads so that their story is engaging and meaningful from beginning to end. And let’s be honest – the plot of the series has always revolved primarily around the title heroes, constituting its core and constantly developing before our eyes.
This film is no different, and in addition it seems to reach its apogee. Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord (played by Chris Pratt), fell into a kind of depression after losing Gamora (Zoe Saldana) in Avengers: Infinity War , which has a significant impact on his behavior and how he commands the Guardians. At the same time, he tries to deal with the fact that although Gamora somehow returned due to the events presented in Avengers: Endgame, she is no longer the one he once loved and constantly rejects him. Nebula (Karen Gillan), free from the desire for revenge after Thanos’ death, becomes much less harsh and unfeeling, and even begins to awaken in her sensitivity and concern for the rest of the crew. The relationship between Drax and Mantis (Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff), quite clearly outlined in the Christmas short Guardians of the Galaxy: Getting Closer to Christmas, continues to tighten, and Groot (Vin Diesel) has grown even more, becoming an adult with a much more mature and responsible attitude towards others. However, each of them, regardless of their beginnings, fate and traumas, seems to be looking for their true place here and find out who they really are and whether they are able to be more than just a Guardian. And all thanks to the last member of the group…
“Pete, I’m Tired of Running Away”
Yes – this member is none other than Rocket (Bradley Cooper), because it is around him that the plot of the entire film revolves. After rebuilding Knowhere and making it their headquarters, the team is attacked by Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), who somehow damages the shed in such a way that the Guardians are unable to repair it on their own. Having no choice, they go to the not-so-reputable company Orgocorp, where the mechanism responsible for his life functions comes from, hoping to save their friend. A race against time begins, and not only his life, but also the future of the team is at stake.
Rocket is worth paying special attention to because it is at the center of Volume 3 in every sense of the word. Anyway, there is an interesting twist here , because this time it’s not Peter Quill, but he is the protagonist here. This is emphasized at the beginning, when we see not only his childhood memory, but also himself in the present, listening to … Awesome Mix, which is the music that the captain of the Guardians used to play until now. This makes us empathize with this character from the first minutes, which becomes more important when we start to learn about her past. Unlike heroes such as Gamora, Nebula or Drax, Rocket’s story is not so much told as literally shown to the viewer. Step-by-step flashbacks are shown, during which we learn how he became what he is and understand what a dramatic story he has (Nebula’s statement: “And I thought I was hurt” emphasizes this clearly) .
Most importantly, however, he is presented here from a completely different side – our sarcastic, articulate and seemingly rock-hard raccoon, despite the fact that he has shown his sensitivity before, gives it a total vent in this part. Of course, he can be mischievous, but under the influence of the events that take place around him, something begins to change in him and he becomes more and more open and honest with the other Guardians, he does not hesitate to express his grief directly, or even cry tenderly, if he is really feels the need. Memories play a key role in fully understanding the character, because after getting to know them, we start to sympathize with Rocket on the one hand, and realize why his character was shaped like this on the other. Ultimately, he too, facing the demons of the past,
More precisely, it is about one demon – the so-called. The High Evolutionary ( Chukwudi Iwuji), the main antagonist of the production, with whom Rocket’s fate is inextricably linked. During flashbacks, we learn that he is to blame for everything that the raccoon went through, and in the present it turns out that he is looking for him, intending to use him for gruesome experiments. The word “demon” fits the villain in another context as well. The High Evolutionary is a monster in human skin like we’ve never seen in Marvel before. Sadistic, narcissistic and unscrupulous, he is ready to sacrifice everything (even his own people) to achieve his goal. He is not impressed by the suffering of other beings – especially animals, which he seems to passionately subject to heartless treatments and tests all the time. This suffering, in turn, affects the viewer, who feels the bestiality of his experiments with his whole being, as well as the pain that his “study objects” experience. And that’s probably the greatest strength of the Great Evolutionist as a villain – the evil he does is not only felt in the film, this evil is also felt in reality. The whole is complemented by the fact that this character does not evoke sympathy or sympathy for a moment (at least in my opinion), as it happened many times with other supervillains (e.g. with the aforementioned Thanos),
“Time to really rock it!”
As has already been said, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the final installment in the series and James Gunn has been letting us know that every step of the way. The first thing that catches the eye in this matter is the atmosphere, definitely more serious and darker than in previous installments (especially in the second one, which was mostly just a comedy). Already during the intro with the Marvel Studios logo, dedicated to the Guardians, we hear a rather ominous note, turning into the piece Radiohead Creep , which immediately builds a disturbing atmosphere.
And that’s probably the beginning that determines how the rest of the film is perceived. Namely, throughout the show you have the impression that any of the characters can die at any moment. Of course, I will not go into the details of the theme of death in this production, but I can reassure you that the corpse is not as dense as it seems. In truth, however, death itself, when it does occur, is quite unexpected and truly heartbreaking. Anyway, there are many moments here that impress the viewer, thanks to the emotions emanating from the characters – both good and bad – which, thanks to the phenomenal acting, are sincere as never before. There’s no denying that the picture is also arguably more violent than any other in the MCU. At times it is, surprisingly for something created under the auspices of Disney, macabre, In addition, there are scenes here that animal rights defenders will not necessarily like (although it is worth noting that we are talking only about computer-generated creatures), which undoubtedly stands out from what we could see before. In addition, there is much less humor here – although Gunn, of course, does not completely remove it – which only adds to the impression of a much more serious story, during which the future of our heroes is irrevocably hanging in the balance.
Gunn’s work also solves all the plot threads of the series, including those initiated in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 , and it is done in a way that does not let the viewer feel satisfaction. The very ending of the team’s story is also very well thought out, although, as might be expected, it is bittersweet, leaving, along with this satisfaction, a kind of regret and emptiness in the heart. The director also winks at the faithful viewers many times, throwing a lot of references and tidbits, as well as offering them a lot of guest appearances (there was even a place for … Yondu Udonta, neatly intertwined, despite the fact that he sacrificed himself in the aforementioned second part). Of course, Awesome Mix Vol. 3 couldn’t be missed, which is a kind of compilation of Peter Quill’s favorite songs from the 70s and 80s, in this case also extended with songs from the years. 90. Surprisingly, this time (at least in my personal opinion) they are not as catchy as the pieces from previous scenes, but they create a perfect background for the presented scenes, often aptly emphasizing what the character is currently experiencing. Finally, the visual effects and fight sequences (especially one closer to the finale between the Guardians and the helpers of the Great Evolutionary) are of a satisfyingly high level and it is clear that the creator has made every effort to make them memorable long after leaving the cinema hall.
Of course, Volume 3 is not without its flaws. In addition to the aforementioned not very catchy songs, there are at least two scenes that either force the viewer to be moved, even though nothing comes of it, or are simply a cheap trick that solves the action “quickly”. But does it interfere with the overall reception of the third part of Guardians of the Galaxy? Absolutely not! This film is a true tribute to the legacy of these space heroes and everything about them. Intricately thought out, with a great visual setting and music, the spectacle is not only a perfect example of entertainment cinema, but also a story full of emotions, which James Gunn skillfully juggles, keeping the viewer in suspense until the last minutes, allowing him to breathe in the meantime, in order to serve him a touching finale at the end. The movie is the most satisfying conclusion to the Guardians trilogy, and without a doubt the best we could get. At the same time, I have the impression that an era has come to an end – after all the recent productions about individual Avengers and Spider-Man, only Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3seem to truly end the Infinity Saga and mark a certain breakthrough after which the Marvel Cinematic Universe will not be the same. However, I hope that in the future there will be something else in this universe that will be able to delight fans of superhero cinema and kidnap them like the Guardians of the Galaxy kidnapped me.
We would like to thank the Cinema City cinema chain for the opportunity to watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 !
