Happy to be Held at Gunnpoint
The Guardians are at it again, doing what they do best: guarding the galaxy from powerful, yet misguided and vainglorious evil beings. The third film of my favourite Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise is here and dare I say, it has exceeded all my expectations. Why, you ask? Well, firstly because James Gunn, the real captain of the Guardians’ ship, is jumping ship soon (read: moving from Marvel to DC) and secondly, because, well, MCU hasn’t exactly been MCU-ing like it used to MCU till the end of Phase 3 with Avengers: Endgame.
There is a very fine line of balance that makes or break an enjoyable Marvel superhero film. The balance is between the veneration of the powers and abilities of the superheroes being featured, and the shortcomings, mistakes, frolic & frivolity that make those superheroes ultimately feel human. An overdose in either of the two might make for a film that doesn’t feel convincing, entertaining or both. Taika Waititi OD’d on the latter in Thor: Love and Thunder, which resulted in a truly forgettable film. However, James Gunn — with his masterful concoction of hilarious dialogues & scenes intertwined with genuine tearjerker moments — has treaded that fine line with utmost precision, something that has made Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (GOTG-3) an exceptional chemistry-building effort between the Guardians and the fans. It is, therefore, a fitting swansong to an outgoing MCU legend — one that Gunn has almost gifted not only to us, but also to himself.
At the risk of giving out mild spoilers to those who live under a rock, GOTG-3 is a lot about Rocket’s past life, how he has become who he is and why strong friendship is the ultimate act of superhero-ism. A figure who is revealed to be the programmer of Rocket’s genius, comes back to claim what he thinks is rightfully his. New characters are introduced into the mix, the stakes are high and the stage is set for an epic adventure. Floodgates are opened for a series of thoroughly entertaining action set-pieces fuelled by rousing music. The fun-filled character moments in between feel less like interruptions and more like relaxing pitstops. Star-Lord’s perseverance for his best friend is tested as he knowingly walks into a trap, thus making it a face-off — all the while trying to manage his expectations from a Gamora who isn’t exactly the one who he was in love with.
In a film about a bunch of misfits, you won’t think folklore, mythology or classical art would have any relevance, right? Wrong. These find a humorous pride of place in Gunn’s universe — where Adam Warlock makes for a Creation of Adam moment with Star-Lord, while the Guardians rescue thousands of animals from captivity in a rousing nod to Noah’s Ark. Additionally, music also assumes a character in itself, much like the previous GOTG films. In GOTG-3, the songs Gunn uses are super eclectic too. It’s a way to make the audience more comfortable and groovy with the oddball environments like strange planets and weird intergalactic runways. The film begins with Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ and automatically tells you the broad zone the film is going to venture in. For sure, all of them are weirdos and none of them ‘belong here’. The franchise has covered a broad spectrum with its choice of music — from Redbone’s ‘Come and Get Your Love’ being Star-Lord’s intro song in the first film to song like Florence + The Machine’s ‘Dog Days are Over’ in this film.
So, GOTG is no longer only about a bonkers adventure story involving a disparate group which ends up saving the galaxy from doom every time. It is about a group with very well-defined, emotional and layered characters, who are much more than just being a set of crazy and frazzled guys pulled into preventing galactic life from spiraling into chaos.
Needless to say, Star-Lord will be back. But, how will a post-Gunn GOTG look like? Only time will tell, and depends wholly on what the Kevin Feige-led team at Marvel has in mind for the Guardians’ future. As fans, we can only hope to keep entering Knowhere to enjoy the ridiculous and bittersweet travails of the best misfits in the galaxy.
