Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is full of surprises and will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. This last film in James Gunn’s trilogy combines deep emotion, the director’s special brand of humor, cinematic artistry, and action-packed moments—all leading to an outcome that no one will expect…#bringyourtissues.

The Good about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3:

Say what you want about James Gunn, but he stuck the landing with this Guardians of the Galaxy. The strong character development for each of the characters really makes this movie stand out. Not only does Rocket get his time in the spotlight, but so do the other Guardians. Peter Quill and Gamora’s reunion is explosive. Drax has a great arc in this film that, while not filled with the murderous Thanos hate-filled rage that we know that character for, is deeply satisfying in its own way. Mantis and Nebula try to get in on the development too, and while their arcs aren’t as pronounced, they are growing much more than what we’ve seen before and what I expected.

The characters feel like they deserve their growth, and it’s satisfying to watch and hear. The music in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, while not perfect, supported a lot of the emotional moments well. I was nervous about the runtime, but the combination of funky but fun camera work and oftentimes good music makes for a fun experience on the big screen. You’ll tap your feet, nod your head, and you might even see some overexcited people break into dance. The movie was pretty immersive, and that rocks!

Speaking of rocking, the movie has some really good special effects. We’ve been trained to lower our expectations in that department, so it was really refreshing to see effects done so well. Groot, Rocket, and the High Evolutionary’s creations are really cool to see because they look so good. The explosions rocked the theater, and space looked awesome and cold. Overall, this movie delivers some of the best effects we’ve seen in quite some time.

The Bad about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3:

Adam Warlock. Every time I saw this character on screen, I cringed a little. Now, I know I’m not supposed to compare to the comics, but when you completely change a character this strongly, it feels insincere. He’s nothing like his source material, and he’s not interesting in his adaptation to the MCU. Not only was this character a disappointment in characterization, but he also feels completely unnecessary. One of my least favorite character types are ones that can be removed from the story and have no inherent impact on the story. It feels like that character isn’t needed at all.

The High Evolutionary isn’t a remarkable villain. Granted, this franchise is less about the villains and more about the Guardians themselves, but this character seems derivative and doesn’t stand out as a villain on his own. He’s a little bit of Kang, a lot of Doctor Doom, but not at all unique. I like the performer, even when he’s a little hammy, but I don’t think he’s at all distinctive.

Overall:

I really like this movie. Like, a lot. This is a great return to form for the Guardians and comic book films. It’s full of heart, action, and some great emotionally charged character development. I laughed, I cheered, and my eyes got watery, which is the kind of experience I love in a movie.