Finally returning to their own franchise after six years, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is stunning audiences with beautiful CGI and touching storylines.
Following the rag-tag team of mercenaries that protect the galaxy, Volume 3 primarily showcases the band’s smallest team member, Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper, a raccoon with a questionable moral outlook and keen obsession with prosthetic limbs, and his unfortunate backstory.
Volume 3 introduces new intergalactic villain named Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter, who is tasked to retrieve Rocket for a mad scientist, who is hell-bent on recapturing his most successful experiment.
The film also revives loved character Gamora, played by Zoe Saldana, who was sacrificed in 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War so that Thanos (Josh Brolin) could gather another Infinity Stone.
Filled with heart and heartache, audiences are introduced to Rocket’s childhood family, an otter with prosthetic arms named Lylla, a walrus with wheels, Teefs, and a rabbit with multiple mechanical arms called Floor, in a series of short flashbacks.
Surprisingly dark themes are counterbalanced with light-hearted bickering and touching family moments, which only pull the characters together as a family.
The actors have embodied their characters once again, with Dave Bautista, playing Drax, and Pom Klementieff’s, Mantis, chemistry a highlight throughout the film.
Also, Zoe Saldana’s ability to completely reinvent Gamora following the events of Avengers: Infinity War.
One standout scene that comes to mind is when Groot, the team’s walking tree, speaks and the group are finally able to understand what he has been saying.
Director James Gunn has proven himself an inspired director, bringing the audiences to tears at multiple stages in the film, and reaffirming the loveable nature of these interesting characters.
At two and a half hours, this is a heart wrenching conclusion to the trilogy, and the character interactions will be missed on the big screen.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (PG 13+) is currently showing at the Bowen Cinema.
