Guardians 3 is without a doubt a beautiful, emotional blockbuster that delivers a fantastic backstory for Rocket Raccoon and the most hatable (in a good way) villain in the MCU. But with the darker tone comes a cost, and that cost is the playfulness that made the first two movies such a joy to watch. If you're in the mood for a darker story this will obviously be welcome, but if you're just here for a colorful space adventure with a cast of zany characters you might end up underwhelmed. I still would give it a wholehearted recommendation, but I do feel it important to admit that I personally prefer the first two. It's definitely a high tier MCU film though, and a grand last hurrah for James Gunn's time with Marvel. Here's hoping his creativity will serve DC well and give their new universe a chance to stand up as worthy competition to Marvel.
Film Beautiful, but Not as Fun as the First Two
Guardians 3 is without a doubt a beautiful, emotional blockbuster that delivers a fantastic backstory for Rocket Raccoon and the most hatable (in a good way) villain in the MCU. But with the darker tone comes a cost, and that cost is the playfulness that made the first two movies such a joy to watch. If you're in the mood for a darker story this will obviously be welcome, but if you're just here for a colorful space adventure with a cast of zany characters you might end up underwhelmed. I still would give it a wholehearted recommendation, but I do feel it important to admit that I personally prefer the first two. It's definitely a high tier MCU film though, and a grand last hurrah for James Gunn's time with Marvel. Here's hoping his creativity will serve DC well and give their new universe a chance to stand up as worthy competition to Marvel.