Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Chukwudi Iwuji, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, Dave Buatista, Vin Diesel, Maria Bakalova, Sean Gunn, Will Poulter, Elizabeth Debicki, Sylvester Stallone, Linda Cardellini, Asim Chaudhry, Mikaela Hoover, Judy Greer, Nathan Fillion, Benjamin Byron Davis, Molly C. Quinn.
From surprise smash hit to mainstay of the franchise, Guardians Of The Galaxy has done enough to be equal to many of the tales brought to life from the graphic novels of Marvel to the big screen, and perhaps in timely honour, it is only right that the final scenes, for now at least, have seen the mixed bag of characters endear themselves into the public perception.
Volume 3 of Guardians Of The Galaxy takes the fan of the graphic novel adaptions further in terms of social issues than perhaps any of the other of the numerous delves between what was once considered a childish preoccupation, but which has proven to be a long-lasting legacy of awareness and incredible storytelling.
Every hero requires their protagonist in which to shine a light on their endeavours, an yet thankfully we are beyond the days when such a character was purely driven by what we perceive as evil intent, there is no reason to ever bring back the days when someone as one dimensional as Ming The Merciless in the Flash Gordon television series of the mid 1930s could hold sway over an audience, like Thanos in The Avengers, there has to be a convincing argument in which their beliefs are presented; even if they are completely unsavoury, they must be fully rounded in which to strike a chord with those paying their money for the cinematic adventure.
By introducing The High Evolutionary in the third volume of the discordant, often argumentative family like structure, the narrative is focused upon the damage wrought by humanity against other creatures that share the planet with them. Whilst setting the tale of vivisection, of mutilation and evolution bought on by science and not natural selection takes place on a world that is not our own, the parallels are there for the audience to see and feel the shame of; and it a deserved shame, we are meant to feel the anguish of the sentient creatures that James Gunn has placed before us, not least the tragedy of Rocket’s back story which is both excruciating and at times unbearable to witness.
The humour of the franchise comes once again from its main players, but with the addition of Nathan Fillion, finally recognised within the MCU, (just not in the part of Simon Williams, AKA Wonder Man), the piece is given its warmth in amongst the sadness and bitterness that prevails.
Good things must end, and perhaps Guardians Of The Galaxy will return in some format down the cinematic road, but there are other tales to tell, and whilst Peter Quill’s own story is nowhere near complete, to whisper thanks and good fortune to the rest of the motley but loving crew is arguably an honour.
A film that is not afraid of pointing out humanity’s worst traits but still capturing the fun that comes with the likes of talking racoon and sentient tree-like creature as it main source of entertainment and narrative, that is the brilliance behind the adaptation of graphic novels; because no matter our appearance, no matter our stature or our looks, we can all be a hero if we face down those who wish to manipulate society.
Ian D. Hall