It’s hard to believe that only a few years ago, Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Groot, and Drax weren’t the household names they are now. James Gunn took this list of D-level heroes and created not only incredible films but also made us care for and fall in love with a gang of misfits who were absolute nobodies. While some may argue the merits of Guardians 2, it’s not hyperbole to say that their presence (and mistakes) have left an indelible mark on the MCU that will always be felt. With Guardians 3 being Gunn’s last movie with Marvel before devoting his time fully to DC, it’s obvious he went all out to give us a fitting and heartfelt goodbye not just for our heroes but also to the legacy he spent nearly the last decade building.
Since this is going to be a spoiler-free review, I’m taking a different approach with the synopsis by not even discussing what was in the trailers since some people want to go in completely blind. I do have homework for you though! Stepping into this movie without at least having seen the first two films as well as Infinity War and Endgame is going to make people miss out on a ton of loose ends and emotional payoffs, so check them out beforehand. The Holiday Special helps but isn’t required viewing.
Simply put, this is the best movie Marvel has put out since Endgame. While the TV series have generally been excellent, the cinematic outings just haven’t carried the same flair and impact since wrapping up the Infinity Saga. I’m not sure if it’s that the bar has been set so high, or that Marvel lost its way recently, but they don’t feel the same. This isn’t to say they’re bad (except for The Eternals), they’re just not great. Which is why it was so much fun to walk out of this one feeling like I had watched something magical.
And all of that has to do with James Gunn. It’s not that the actors don’t deserve credit; they do, and their performances easily carry the humorous and emotional weight of the film, but it’s Gunn’s love of them and the story that makes this stand out. While he does rely on some moments from the comics and also the highly overlooked GotG TellTale game, this is his universe, and he weaves through it in ways that no one else could. He expertly moves from a bombastic fight scene to a completely strange and almost absurd world, to moments that are so gut-wrenchingly traumatic they leave you breathless. That’s not an easy task, but one he makes look effortless.
There are a few small blemishes that should be addressed, but even they don’t detract from the experience as a whole. First off, two and a half hours is too long. I get that this was his swan song, so the execs probably gave him extra leeway to wrap things up as he saw fit, but it could have used a few edits here and there. It also continues to have the same Marvel villain problem, and it feels like they didn’t quite know what to do with a few characters who get relegated to the background but should have been more important.
It’s also the most violent and bloody MCU film to date and probably would have gotten an R rating if the guts weren’t made out of aliens. There is also a scene that Cap wouldn’t have approved of so that’s just something to keep in mind if you’re planning on bringing little ones with you.
Quibbling aside, this is a nearly perfect end for the trilogy and these characters who have attached themselves to our hearts. Everyone gets their moment to shine, and it wraps exactly how it needed to. Gunn’s goodbye gave the Guardians and us a finale even better than we could have expected, and he will be sorely missed in the MCU but welcomed by DC who needs someone like him to take the reigns. It’s truly the end of an era, and we can only hope that what Marvel has coming next can even be half as good.