a brutal and heartbreaking farewell tour for marvel’s troublemakers

If you’re feeling lost in the teeming Marvel Universe, they might be the best customers to help you hang up the wagons. The Guardians of the Galaxy, the most punk and crazy heroes of the franchise, have been cultivating a garden of their own since the release of their first film in 2014, a clever mix of humor and boosted action. Their return therefore seems to come at the right time to breathe new life into an MCU lost in its own cosmos since the epic Avengers: Endgame five years ago.

After the disappearance of Thanos, Peter Quill counts his merry troop almost complete. Only Gamora is no longer the same person he loved so much, but an “alternate” version that has no memories in common with the group. But beyond this romantic disappointment, the leader of the Guardians will have to face the aggression of his friend Rocket by a mysterious enemy, working for the Master of Evolution. The latter turns out to be the creator of the famous raccoon who talks and seeks to unlock the secrets of the superior intelligence of the animal in order to create a perfect people. Star Lord, Drax, Mantis, Nebula and Groot will therefore embark on a high-risk operation to save the life of their partner.

Accomplices and complementary

As in the two previous parts, the great strength of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 lies above all in the chemistry between its main heroes. The “clan of seven” (and even a little more if you include secondary characters) has lost nothing of its comic power, its sense of repartee and its scathing quotes that hit home. We like to see them bickering, bedrooming, helping each other and also complimenting each other, in their own way. Chris Pratt resumes with infectious pleasure this role that he seems to particularly like: that of a captain sometimes simple, sometimes inspired, ready to sacrifice everything to protect his people. Special mention for Nebula (Karen Gillan) who hides under her very first degree reactions an increasingly touching personality. It is also impossible to remain insensitive to the fate of Rocket, whose exploration of the past serves as a common thread. Alongside other mutilated and mechanically “enhanced” creatures, the best-armed raccoon in the galaxy will reveal its origins but also all its sensitivity. A daring narrative axis treated in a particularly dense way by the American director James Gunn – already at the helm of the two previous films – to raise the debate on the animal condition and the experiments of genetic manipulation.

Permanent offset

But what surprises the most in this ultimate epic are these scenes of violence that have never been seen before in the trilogy and are ultimately quite rare at Marvel, at least in these proportions. In the first minutes, the extremely rough attack of the powerful enemy leaves perplexed for a film whose poster promises a perfectly family entertainment. This brutality sprinkled here and there in the 2.5 hours of viewing was described by the filmmaker as a way for him “to accentuate the authenticity of its characters: the assumed choice of a wide gap between the savagery of the battles and the lightness of the dialogues so characteristic of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Despite this marked duality, this “volume 3” does not miss the farewell rendezvous of its heroes. The final scene stretches in length to take care to offer each character a conclusion that resembles him. We then have the feeling of saying goodbye to a group of friends that we have no desire to leave, because we know that we will not laugh as much with the next ones. And it is precisely because he knew how to preserve this family spirit until the end that Guardians of the Galaxy 3 manages to stand out from the lot of the latest very average Marvel productions. To the point of wondering if it is not wise, finally, to keep a hope of seeing them again.

Video: our interview with Chris Pratt on the occasion of the film’s release

The sheet

Gender : action, fantasy, science fiction
Director: james gunn
Actors: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff and the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel
Country : UNITED STATES
Duration : 2h30
Exit : May 3 2023
Production company : marvel studios
Distribution company: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Summary: Our favorite band of misfits has changed a bit. Peter Quill, still mourning the loss of Gamora, must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of his own. If unsuccessful, this mission could well mark the end of Guardians as we know them.