Written By: Cyrus Chiang
Ratings
Plot: 8/10
Directing: 8.5/10
Stunt Choreography: 6.5/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Visual Effects: 8/10
Sound Design: 7/10
Soundtrack: 9/10
Editing: 7.5/10
Costume: 8.5/10
Overall: 8/10
Marvel’s Redemption
I wasn’t expecting much when I first watched Guardians of the Galaxy, as recent Marvel movies had been lackluster at best. However, I think it’s safe to say I was pleasantly surprised by how this movie turned out. The biggest reason why The Guardians of the Galaxy works is due to the screenwriters giving us a reason to care about the characters. Each member of the Guardians of the Galaxy is far from perfect, exhibiting several unlikeable traits, yet possessing one redeeming quality which builds on the theme of a dissonant family of adventurers putting their differences aside to achieve a greater goal. The director James Gunn, understanding this, was then able to craft a beautiful finale to a trilogy of playful shenanigans.
A Darker Undertone
The exploration of body horror and animal cruelty was an unforeseen direction, and the shock factor allowed Gunn to use the motley crew of unlikely individuals as a device to delve into sensitive topics which Marvel had previously danced around, pulling at the audience’s heartstrings as each character tackles their own personal traumas and emotional baggage which had once been masked by cheerful music, bright colors and childish antics. By focusing more on each character’s growth and struggles as they overcome their traumas, the audience grows more respect and allows them to connect more to the characters on-screen, which enhances the shock factor of body horror and animal cruelty.
A Double-Edged Sword
Despite the movie’s shockingly dark and mature themes such as grief and animal cruelty, it still maintains a fun-loving atmosphere, which acted as a double-edged sword. On one hand, the juxtaposition between comedy and horror allows the audience to feel more shocked and horrified, but on the other hand reduces the potential of some characters. A prominent example in this movie is Adam Warlock, who ended up being nothing more than a cheap threat and comedic relief, yet had the potential to be so much more. I have a rule in which if a character is removed from the plot and very little changes in the overarching plot, then this character is considered obsolete and poorly written into the story. If you were to remove Adam Warlock from the story, very little would have changed, and he went from a formidable opponent to nothing more than comedic relief in less than an hour, completely cheapening the character and he ends up being a throwaway character.
Conclusion
Nonetheless, this movie is my favorite Marvel movie to come out recently, and it ties up the entire story of the Guardians of the Galaxy with a nice bow, leaving the audience satisfied and grateful for all the memories they shared watching the Guardians’ childish antics. All in all, I highly recommend watching Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but you should probably watch the previous two movies as well as Avengers: Endgame to understand the plot.
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