‘Guardians Vol. 3’ hilarious and emotional adventure

In 2014, we were introduced to the cosmic group known as the Guardians of the Galaxy. Their MCU introduction became a big hit in their theatrical run and became some of the most beloved characters in the ever-growing cinematic universe.

After their 2017 sequel, this group also showed up to help the Avengers in ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ and made a small appearance in last year’s lackluster ‘Thor: Love & Thunder.’ Now, it’s time to face the music and see this cosmic group together one last time in this hilarious, and surprisingly emotional, final installment of the ‘Guardians’ trilogy.

In ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own.

A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

‘Vol. 3’ is definitely one of the MCU’s better films in this ever-growing franchise, which has been very hit and miss lately. In fact, I think this MCU release is just as good as ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and the ‘Black Panther’ sequel. From beginning to end, the third ‘Guardians’ entry keeps you extremely entertained and also can be quite dark at times.

Like the previous films, the humor that you hear throughout can be very hilarious and, of course, the Drax character still has some hysterical quips to make you laugh. There are quite a few moments in the film that will really have you laughing and in one scene, a character says a word that you wouldn’t think would ever make it into an MCU movie. The characters are still extremely likable and the on-screen chemistry between the actors is still on point.

The action and the visual effects that are featured in this installment are really incredible

and probably features some of the best visual effects sequences recently seen in a Marvel release. There is one scene towards the conclusion that features a one-shot action scene featuring all the titular heroes and is amazingly shot. The sequel also introduces us to the Adam Warlock character (who was briefly teased during one of the 2017 movie’s post credit scenes) and thoroughly enjoy this film iteration of the popular comic book character.

The spotlight of this film definitely goes to Rocket and his emotionally dark backstory that has only slightly been hinted at in the previous ‘Guardians’ films. I’m not going to spoil anything about his story, but all I’ll say is that it’s highly emotional and really heart-breaking. The film’s villain ties into Rocket’s storyline and the villain is really someone you’ll love to hate.

I highly recommend any MCU fan to check out ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3.’ There’s plenty of laughs, visually-stunning action, awesome music and a few moments that might have you tear up a little. The final moments of the sequel are also a great way to wrap up the story of the beloved group of characters.

The cast: Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord; Zoe Saldana as Gamora; Dave Bautista as Drax; Karen Gillan as Nebula; Pom Klementieff as Mantis; Vin Diesel as Grott (voice); Bradley Cooper as Rocket (voice); Sean Gunn as Kraglin; Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary; Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha; Maria Bakalova as Cosmo (voice); Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord; Linda Cardellini as Lylla (voice) and Will Poulter as Adam Warlock.

The third ‘Guardians’ adventure is written and directed by James Gunn, who also brought us the first two ‘Guardians’ adventures and 2021s ‘The Suicide Squad.’

‘Vol. 3.’ is rated PG -13 for intense sequences of violence and action, strong language, suggestive/drug references and thematic elements and has a running time of two and a half hours.

Let me know on my Wyoming County Press Examiner reviews Facebook page what your favorite MCU movie is to date and your thoughts on this last entry of the ‘Guardians’ trilogy. Also, keep checking the page for any upcoming reviews I am planning on working on, including ‘Book Club: The Next Chapter,’ ‘Fast X’ and ‘The Little Mermaid.’

https://youtu.be/JqcncLPi9zw