A marvellous exit for director James Gunn

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (English/Theatres)

Director: James Gunn

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Chukwudi Iwuji

Rating: 4.5/5

Director James Gunn’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ trails the titular misfits post the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame’. The beginning depicts a depressed Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) grieving the fate of his lover Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Matters are made worse when Quill and a Gamora from an alternate time are unable to see eye to eye. The friction between these two is a recurrent theme.

At the core of the movie is the beloved Rocket Racoon (Bradley Cooper). Unfortunately, Rocket himself stays unconscious for the majority of the film, but his heartwarming tear-jerker of a story more than makes up for this. The witty humour the series is known for is bound to make you chuckle.

The sheer variety of music in the movie will have you grooving. You may find yourself tapping your feet to the beat during some of the film’s many action sequences. The soundtrack that plays from Peter Quill’s newly acquired Zune, consists of not only radio pop from the ’70s like past entries but songs spanning several decades. The action sequences are brilliantly choreographed and belong up there with some of the best scenes produced by Marvel.

The movie also showcases some jaw-dropping visuals, evident especially in the many planets the band visits. The bustling space cities are teeming with alien life and sets that put sci-fi movies to shame. It also boasts some stellar performances by the cast, particularly the High Evolutionary played by Chukwudi Iwuji who aptly portrayed the new antagonist’s god complex.

The film is a tentative conclusion to the series, wrapping up the characters’ narratives built over time, although the possibility of a sequel is left open. It is a solid send-off to the Marvel series before Gunn moves on with his role in rival company DC.