This review contains some spoilers.

“Guardians of the Galaxy,” directed by James Gunn, is one of Marvel’s best movie trilogies, consisting of amazing soundtracks, comedy and adventures. Vol. 3, which was released in theaters on May 5, does not disappoint. The third and last movie in this trilogy shines bright with the original Guardians as well as the addition of some new and exciting characters. 

There were scenes that made me laugh, and some that brought tears to my eyes. Gunn successfully balanced the right amount of comedy and seriousness that the Guardians franchise has been known for since the release of Vol. 1. 

The movie dives into the past of Rocket Racoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and his horrific but engaging backstory. As a cub, Rocket was experimented on by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji),a man trying to play god, with only one goal in mind: to create a perfect society by any means necessary. While trying to engineer the perfect organism, the High Evolutionary realizes that none of them have any intelligence of their own; only Rocket developed the ability to think, even surpassing the High Evolutionary himself. 

Rocket manages to escape the High Evolutionary yet his past catches up with him as the High Evolutionary hunts him down for his unique brain. As teased in Vol. 2, Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) immediately steals the show with his strength and comical personality. As a weapon for the Sovereign, Adam Warlock was created for the sole purpose of defeating the Guardians. Tasked with capturing Rocket, he faces off against the Guardians. Together, the Guardians embark on a mission to stop the High Evolutionary from taking Rocket. 

Vol. 3 stands out due to some stellar performances from new characters. Chukwudi Iwuji, who plays the High Evolutionary, brought his persona to life by exhibiting a range of extreme emotions and combined with some amazing writing, Iwuji cements his spot as one of Marvel’s best villains. Gunn’s decision to add more screen time to his villains is one of the reasons why the Guardians franchise is so successful. Previous Marvel films like “Thor: Love and Thunder” failed to utilize their villain dynamically, which led to a mediocre conflict. By allowing the audience to truly feel the evilness of his villains, Gunn creates a larger conflict in this movie and allows the Iwuji to put on a stellar performance. 

Gunn continues a theme from the past two movies with an amazing soundtrack filled with hit songs that perfectly fit the movie’s mood. Songs like “Creep” by Radiohead, “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine, and “Do You Realize??” by The Flaming Lips helped enhance the movie experience by contributing to a vibrant soundtrack that makes audiences fall in love with this movie.

Yet Vol. 3 further sets itself apart from the other movies. There’s more focus on characters like Mantis and Drax, who had been previously overlooked. The action scenes stood out as Gunn utilized slo-mos and special effects to show the individual powers of the Guardians. 

Even though Vol. 3 felt like a conclusion, Gunn still hinted at the future of Marvel. Adam Warlock will especially be crucial to the future of the MCU. Since he’s at about the same power level as Captain Marvel, his character is cause for excitement. 

The third installment of this famed franchise is said to be the last Guardians movie made with the original actors. Gunn perfectly concludes his trilogy and establishes himself as one of the best superhero film directors. Vol. 3 is rated PG-13 and is two hours and 29 minutes long, with two post-credit scenes. 

In James Gunn’s final Marvel movie, he creates a wonderful story filled with action, comedy and heartbreak while exploring the many different Guardians heroes and compelling villains. With its excellent soundtrack, engaging special effects and layered characters, Vol. 3 is definitely worth a visit to the movie theater.