We’ve always known that our favorite cybernetically-enhanced and smart-mouthed raccoon had a serious chip on his shoulder from his upbringing.
The final chapter of Guardians of the Galaxy will shift the attention away from Peter Quill and focus on Rocket’s backstory.
James Gunn, the director and writer of this film has ensured that the emotional send-off is not only lively but also full of laughter.
Quill, played by Chris Pratt, is still grieving the death of the original Gamora. (Zoe Saldana). But his sorrow is soon forgotten when Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), who was sent to abduct Rocket at the request of Rocket’s genius creator High Evolutionary (ChukwudiIwuji), injures him gravely.
Each Guardian will have to assess his or her place in the rag-tag family and determine their future as they race against time to save Rocket from its own proprietary internal hardware.
The editing is a little chaotic, as a lot of the film is flashbacks. Rocket’s emotional and physical turmoil is evident from the first moment that a disembodied arm reaches inside a dirty cage, grabbing one unfortunate raccoon out of the terrified litter. Rocket grows in emotional maturity as his enhanced intelligence increases. This is due to his relationships with other experimented animals.
Marvel CGI is not as warm and endearing as other Disney CGI. Instead, it focuses on impressive but uninspiring landscapes and battle scenes (which Volume 3 still has plenty of). The third volume is full of them.
The renderings of dogs, otters and raccoons are delightful.
It is better to have a blend of artistic licence and realism than to create hyper-realistic Lion King recreations that are meant to trick the audience. Baby Rocket, his family and friends make do with what they’ve got until they get to the “new” world that The High Evolutionary keeps dangling in front of their faces as an excuse for his cruel scientific experiments. Rocket’s journey from innocence to jadedness is a satisfying one, even if it is missing some scenes.
Most of the Guardians are interested in how childhood trauma impacts their team dynamics, which is why we’re staying on familiar ground. Mantis’ (Pomklementieff) role is expanded to allow her to push people further and stand up for themselves. Klementieff, channeling Deanna Troi but with superior fighting skills, easily moves from being touching, funny, to a badass. She steals more than one scene.
Drax’s (Dave Bautista) straightforward nature will be the best counterpoint to her emotional outbursts. Bautista’s comic delivery is always on point and he has more quotables than Rocket. Drax gets to display a more emotional side than normal, reminding us of the role he loves outside of Destroyer.
Even though the softer side of Gamora and Nebula (Karen Gillan) is only revealed after some intense fights, it still exists. Nebula, played by Karen Gillan, and alternate Gamora have a much more difficult time than anyone else. But it’s a good thing for them. Gamora is shown to be able to see the truth behind why Quill was her love interest in her alternate incarnation, but this doesn’t fall into the easy rekindled romantic trope. It was a refreshing change to have the supporting characters lead the way in this story arc. Chris Pratt had to focus on the plot and his love, while the other characters took the initiative.
There are several things to do as we close out the teams of MCU’s most recent phase. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 takes care of a number of tasks, including setting up the future, integrating the Avengers film, and tying a bow. The third installment is handled thoughtfully. Gunn never sacrifices entertainment for sentimentality, but instead balances the two in a way that Marvel is unlikely to be able to replicate.
This final film shows the entire ensemble showcasing their dance moves.