Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

***Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3*** (stylized in marketing as ***Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3***) is a 2023 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to *Guardians of the Galaxy* (2014) and *Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2* (2017), and the 32nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Written and directed by James Gunn, it features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Will Poulter, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Linda Cardellini, Nathan Fillion, and Sylvester Stallone. In the film, the Guardians embark on a mission to protect Rocket (Cooper) from the High Evolutionary (Iwuji).

Gunn stated in November 2014 that he had initial ideas for a third and final film in the series, and announced his return to write and direct in April 2017. Disney fired him from the film in July 2018 following the resurfacing of controversial posts on Twitter, but the studio reversed course by that October and reinstated him. Gunn's return was publicly revealed in March 2019, with production resuming after he completed work for DC on *The Suicide Squad* (2021) and the first season of its spin-off series *Peacemaker* (2022). Filming began in November 2021 at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and lasted until May 2022.

*Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3* premiered at Disneyland Paris on April 22, 2023, and was released in the United States on May 5, as part of Phase Five of the MCU. Like its predecessors, it was a critical and commercial success. The film was praised for Gunn's direction and screenplay, its soundtrack, visuals, action sequences, performances, emotional weight and humor; many deemed the film as a satisfactory conclusion to the trilogy. It grossed over $845 million worldwide, and becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2023.

## Plot

At their new headquarters on Knowhere, the Guardians of the Galaxy are attacked by Adam, a Sovereign warrior created by their high priestess Ayesha, who seeks to destroy the Guardians for stealing from her. After Adam critically wounds Rocket, he is stabbed by Nebula and flees. The Guardians cannot heal Rocket's wounds with their med-packs due to a kill switch embedded in him by Orgocorp, a company helmed by a mad scientist and Rocket's creator, the High Evolutionary. The Guardians travel to Orgocorp's headquarters to find the switch's override code and save Rocket's life.

As Rocket lies unconscious, he recalls his past. As a baby raccoon, he was experimented on by the High Evolutionary, who sought to enhance and anthropomorphize animal lifeforms to create an ideal society called Counter-Earth. Rocket befriended his fellow Batch 89 test subjects: the otter Lylla, the walrus Teefs, and the rabbit Floor. The High Evolutionary was impressed by Rocket's rapidly growing intelligence but became furious once it exceeded his own. The High Evolutionary used Rocket to perfect his Humanimal creations, then planned to harvest Rocket's brain for further research and exterminate the obsolete Batch 89. Rocket freed his friends, but the High Evolutionary killed Lylla. Enraged, Rocket mauled the High Evolutionary, but his henchmen killed Teefs and Floor during a firefight with Rocket, before the latter fled Counter-Earth in a spaceship.

In the present, the Ravagers, including an alternate version of Gamora, help the Guardians infiltrate Orgocorp. They retrieve Rocket's file but discover that the code was removed, with the likely culprit being Theel, one of the High Evolutionary's advisors. The Guardians, along with Gamora, depart for Counter-Earth to find him. They are followed by Ayesha and Adam after the High Evolutionary, their race's creator, threatened to wipe out the Sovereign if they fail to retrieve Rocket. The Guardians reach Counter-Earth and are guided to the Arête Laboratories complex. Drax and Mantis remain with Gamora and Rocket as Peter Quill, Groot, and Nebula travel to Arête. Nebula is forced to wait outside by guards as Quill and Groot enter Arête, while Drax tricks Mantis into pursuing Quill's group. Gamora saves Rocket from being captured by Adam and the High Evolutionary's guard War Pig.

Questioned by Quill, the High Evolutionary admits disillusionment with the Animen's imperfect society. He destroys Counter-Earth, killing the Humanimals and Ayesha. Arête departs as a spaceship, with Nebula, Drax and Mantis boarding to rescue Quill and Groot, who instead escape Arête with Theel, retrieving the code from his corpse before being rescued by Gamora in their ship. As Quill's group uses the code, Rocket flatlines and has a near-death experience, where he reunites with Lylla, Teefs, and Floor. Lylla tells him that his time has not yet come as Quill uses the code to disable the kill switch and restart Rocket's heart.

Drax, Nebula, and Mantis encounter hundreds of genetically modified humanoid children on Arête before being captured. The other Guardians stage a rescue mission, leading to a battle against the High Evolutionary's forces. Kraglin fires on Arête with Knowhere, dooming Arête, then helps to save Knowhere's citizens from a counter-attack by the High Evolutionary's Hellspawn. Intent on retreat, the High Evolutionary's crew mutiny only for the High Evolutionary to kill them. Drax, Nebula, and Mantis face and befriend three monstrous Abilisks to escape and reunite with Quill's group. The Guardians delay leaving Arête, choosing to rescue the Star Children, who escape to Knowhere via Cosmo's telekinetic tunnel connecting Knowhere to Arête. Rocket discovers imprisoned animals on the ship before being attacked by the High Evolutionary, but the other Guardians help subdue him, and Rocket spares him. The Guardians help the animals escape to Knowhere. Quill nearly dies trying to cross over, but is saved by Adam, who had a change of heart after being saved by Groot from Arête.

In the aftermath, Quill decides to leave the Guardians, naming Rocket as captain, and travels to Earth to reunite with his grandfather Jason. Mantis embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the Abilisks, Gamora reunites with the Ravagers, and Nebula and Drax remain on Knowhere to raise the rescued children.

In a mid-credits scene, the new Guardians, consisting of Rocket, Groot, Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam, Phyla (one of the rescued Star Children), and Adam's pet Blurp, take on a new mission.

## Why It Rocks

1. It is the perfect conclusion to the must beloved trilogies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy which was once again directed by the acclaimed James Gunn. Gunn was fired over offensive social media posts resurfaced online but Dave Bautista threaten to quit the franchise if James Gunn wasn't rehired thankfully he finally completed the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
2. The emotional weight of this film is handled perfectly, especially in the final act when the guardians go their separate ways.
3. Instead of focusing on Star Lord, Rocket's character arc and backstory was amazing and heartbreaking. Bradley Cooper puts out his best performance as Rocket Racoon when he watched all his friends die including Lylla and beating up the High Evolutionary, when he reunites with Lylla in the afterlife but he also comes back, and let's not forget the extremely beautiful moment when he saves all the baby raccoons and realises he's a raccoon.
4. The Characters are still awesome and likable including Star Lord, Drax, Nebula, Mathis, Rocket, Kraglin, and Groot.
5. The High Evolutionary is a savage, heartless, and evil villian who not only has a personal vendetta against Rocket but the Guardians and the entire universe.
6. Awesome lines such as:
	1. **"I'm not trying to conquer the universe. I'm perfecting it."**
	2. **"There is no god! That's why I stepped in!"**
	3. **"You didn't want to make things perfect; you just hated things the way they were."**
	4. **"The name's "Rocket". Rocket *Raccoon*."**
	5. **"I love you guys."**
7. Great and Heartfelt moments such as Peter Quill returning to earth and reuniting with his Granddad and Adam Warlock saving Peter Quill in the final battle. Rocket leading the new team of the Guardians of the Galaxy with Groot, Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam, Phyla, and Blurp.
8. Groot has one of the most memorable and surprisingly moments in the final act when he says “I love you guys” instead of saying I am Groot and the audiences can finally understand the character of Groot.
9. Unforgettable action sequences, score, and visual effects are amazingly done.
10. Amazing performances by Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Chukwudi Iwuji, Will Poulter, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillian, and Linda Cardellini.

## Bad Qualities

1. **Excessive animal cruelty:** *Guardians 3* received criticism for the High Evolutionary's cruelty towards animals, mutating them, torturing them and turning them into things they aren't, something Nebula considered to be worse than Thanos' actions.
2. 2014 Gamora is very unlikable (in a bad way), not only does she toy with Quill's feelings with the infamous quote **"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR GAMORA"** she physically insults Nebula and the rest of the guardians (for no good reason). So if she doesn't give a damn about them then why did she save Nebula and fight alongside the Avengers in the battle against Thanos in Avengers Endgame?!
3. Adam Warlock isn't written well as a character despite Will Poulter doing a great job, he doesn't seem to have a proper motivation or purpose like the Guardians or the High Evolutionary.
4. The unfunny Poop joke.