James Gunn does what he does best and it is a damn good time.
James Gunn’s time at Marvel and with the Guardians comes to an end with the final installation into, arguably, the MCU’s most beloved trilogy.
In this emotional space opera, Volume 3, has all the elements that made the first two instalments into the franchise so successful and then some!
From the heart warming connections and hilarity within the face of tragedy, to Gunn’s now iconic needle drops, which are yet again seamlessly weaved within the tapestry of the MCU’s most dysfunctional family. No more so than the opening of the film where the guardians are devastated by an attack on Nowhere*, as we are introduced to the first of 2 main antagonists the characters will have to face during this epic race against time! Adam Warlock, portrayed by Will Poulter of We Are The Millers fame, is a heavy hitter in the comics, even wielding the Infinity Gauntlet within the original Infinity Saga written by Jim Starlin.
Along the 2hr 23min runtime it's not just Adam we are introduced to, a multitude of “new” and colourful characters such as Blurp, a cute and cuddly ball of fur. Cosmo*, a talking Russian space dog with Telekinetic abilities, voiced by Maria Bakalova of Borat 2 fame. Finally we have Phyla–Vell, the latter, like Adam, plays a pivotal role in a multitude of cosmic comic crossover events, such as "Annihalation" in which Phyla-Vell, bests Annihulus and retrieves the Quantum bands, bringing in a new era of Quasar!
Unlike Volumes 1 & 2 which are relatively Peter Quill aka Star-Lord centric, littered with incredible depth and individual character moments, such as Groot & Yondu’s Sacrifices, Alongside the natural progression between the titular band of misfits. Volume 3, is a deep dive into one Guardian in particular, Rocket. As we discover more about his Origin, Pain, Love and ultimate sacrifice made during his creation at the hands of the High Evolutionary leading to a cathartic acceptance of who/what he is…A Raccoon and a freaking Guardian of the Galaxy, only I don’t mean freaking.
The most notable addition to the MCU is that of the aforementioned High Evolutionary, chilling and at times horrifyingly portrayed by the fabulous Chukwudi Iwuji, who is yet again linking up with Director James Gunn following the great success both creatives achieved for HBO Max's Peacemaker.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 ties a neat bow on the Gunn Trilogy, while also allowing for terrifying, powerful and fun checkpoints to be hit along the way. Marvel’s loss is DC’s gain* in James Gunn we trust.
*Nowhere, the community inside the head of a dead celestial, further expanded upon in the Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special. Watch it.
*Cosmo was introduced as a member of the Guardians during the aforementioned Holiday Special.
*James Gunn has now taken over as creative director at DC Studios, even writing and directing the new Superman : Legacy movie scheduled to be released in 2025.
My Poster Tribute for Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy - Vol 3
Reading Recommendations :
Now, unlike my other reading recommendations, the Guardians don’t really have any specific reading material that is a must read to help better understand or appreciate their MCU counterparts, as James Gunn, with all his comic book knowledge, has kind of done his own thing, while simultaneously weaving in specific aspects of the uncanny heroes.
The MCU trilogy alone is all you need, however, if you still have an itch that needs to be scratched, try these comic book stories on for size.
Al Ewing’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2020) – The most recent comic run featuring the Guardians as the titular characters, has the now beloved roster scattered across the stars, each dealing with different problems and fighting their own battles, as they attempt to heal old wounds. It is expertly written by Al Ewing, with multiple artists joining him along the way.
Thanos Imperative (2010) – The mini-series written by the infamous duo of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, features a multitude of characters that popped up in James Gunn’s final MCU Instalment. Alongside the Guardians, we follow heroes such as of Nova; Gladiator; Phyla-Vell; Quasar; The Silver Surfer and Beta Ray Bill, all of which are yet to make their MCU Debut. Yet, as the title suggests, the Guardians must make nice with the Mad Titan to protect all of reality from a cancerous universe where death rules.
Annihilation (2006) – One of the greatest marvel crossover events to ever take place within the cosmos, sees Richard Rider (Nova) rally together an army full of Marvel’s heaviest hitters, to face off against the universe threatening Annihilation Wave, controlled by the grotesque and psychotic Annihilus.
