Anthony's Film Review - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

The third Guardians of the Galaxy movie presents a grand adventure that ends so beautifully...

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, third time's the charm. Seriously, every time Marvel Studios produces the third film of a series, it largely ends up being better than the two predecessors. Let's take a quick look at past examples. There's Iron Man 3, which I liked more than the first two. There's Captain America: Civil War, which many fans like more than The First Avenger and The Winter Soldier (though I disagree and think The Winter Soldier is the best of those three). There's Thor: Ragnarok, which takes the Thor series in a new direction. You can even throw in Avengers: Infinity War, because that one packed a punch compared with the previous two Avengers movies. And don't forget Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which was better than the previous two Ant-Man films, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was an incredible way to end a trilogy.

On that note, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is also an unforgettable trilogy-ending movie. It has the familiar characters you've come to love, including Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (David Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and Mantis (Pom Klementieff). It has the space opera action you've come to love. It especially has the humor and comedy that are a trademark of this series. But there's also something new here: a subplot that is relatively dark and emotional, giving this Guardians of the Galaxy movie an additional serious tone that did not characterize the first two.

Let me first talk about the main present-day plot. The Guardians of the Galaxy headquarters get attacked, which ultimately leaves Rocket on the brink of death. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to save him because his heart is encased in a robust artificial container in his chest. In order to save him, his friends need to track down a special passkey that will let them bypass the security measures in Rocket's chest, providing an opportunity to perform life-saving measures. All of this sounds intriguing, I know, and it all has to do with the subplot that I will now describe.

The subplot is basically Rocket's origin story, told in flashback scenes sprinkled in between scenes of the present-day story. Rocket was originally 89P13, a raccoon in a laboratory where it is subject to experimentation just like other animals in captivity. The experiments are conducted by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), who wishes to create a perfect society with perfect beings. While being a lab animal is no doubt a miserable existence, Rocket still finds solace as he becomes friends with three other test subjects in adjacent cages. Rocket dreams of the opportunity to escape this place along with his three friends.

Obviously, these two plotlines are closely intertwined. Rocket did successfully escape from the lab, and the High Evolutionary now wants Rocket back, because this raccoon's mental abilities had developed to a genius level, such that his brain can be useful for developing the perfect being to inhabit a new utopian colony. Ultimately, Rocket is the central character of this movie. The protagonists are fighting to save him, while the antagonists are fighting to seize him. In addition, Rocket was merely a supporting character in Volumes 1 and 2 of Guardians of the Galaxy, but this time around, we get to know him up close and personal.

I love everything about this movie. The action and special effects need no mention. Same for the familiar cast of characters. What I do want to highlight, though, is the villain. Chukwudi Iwuji delivers a strong performance as the High Evolutionary, who is obsessed with power and egotistical with a god complex. He is such a ruthless character that it is hard to ignore him. The High Evolutionary reminds me of another frightening MCU villain played by an accomplished actor: Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Chukwudi Iwuji has made a memorable mark on the MCU with his great performance.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is, hands down, the best of the three GotG movies. This is a series where each subsequent movie is one step higher in quality than the last one. I rated the first Guardians of the Galaxy an 8 out of 10, before giving Vol. 2 a rating of 9 out of 10. Now, I give Vol. 3 the highest rating on my scale. That's right. Ten stars. And let's be clear that this isn't the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Based on the mid- and post-credits scenes, the series will continue, just in a different direction. And I do like where things will be headed.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my reviews of Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.