Rating: 9.5/10 | Verdict: Worth a Watch!

NOTE: This movie is on the intense end of PG-13, and may not be suitable for children. It contains some disturbing scenes depicting animal cruelty and occasional strong violence. In addition to other language, there is one “f” bomb dropped.

Many friends who I’ve talked to about movies lately have expressed a phenomenon called “superhero fatigue.” Basically, this is a condition in which a person becomes tired of the superhero(es) + super-evil villain + “epic” battle + trying to be funny formula that has characterized so many movies from both Marvel and DC over the years. It’s a condition that manifested earlier than Avengers: Endgame for some people, or more recently for others.

Going into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, I was in the throes of “superhero fatigue” myself. I was still willing to watch a superhero movie or TV show, but did not expect to enjoy it very much. So, you know I mean it when I say that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the best superhero movie I’ve seen in years. The movie is rich with meaningful messages to ponder, genuinely funny humor, lovable characters both new and old, an intriguing villain, and a well-crafted story.

This final installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy centers on Rocket (Bradley Cooper), whose serious injury during a battle early in the film leads to the discovery that the Guardians can’t use their technology to heal him due to the presence of a surgically-installed “kill switch”. If they operate on Rocket, the “kill switch” will stop his heart. As they pursue the people responsible for experimenting on Rocket and installing the switch, they discover his past is far more horrific than any of them thought. They learn that the man ultimately responsible for Rocket’s creation and cruel treatment–the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji)–is actually the creator of whole civilizations in his pursuit of perfection. The Guardians must go up against the High Evolutionary if they want to save Rocket as well as the thousands of creatures the High Evolutionary created and hasn’t destroyed–yet.

Vol. 3 accomplishes a feat most superhero movies do not manage these days, which is maintaining a sense of pathos and looming darkness while also containing some very funny and light moments. As a result, elements of the film that have become tired and clichéd in other movies come across as genuine and effective. The level of violence, which has often felt overly gratuitous to me in prior Guardians movies, seems to find a balance here. The humor is just as zany and quirky as it’s always been and adds to the movie perfectly. The final scene of the movie is satisfying and truly joyful, where a similar concluding scene would come across as cheesy in most other movies.

Character development is another strength of Vol. 3. We see Starlord (Chris Pratt) reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana) in both heartbreaking and hilarious ways. Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) mostly serve as comic relief, but the hard moments in the movie bring even their lightheartedness crashing down. We also see Nebula’s (Karen Gillan) rock-hard demeanor start to crack as the story progresses. Chukuwdi Iwuji is amazing as the High Evolutionary, effortlessly switching from imposing serenity in one breath to unhinged madness in the next. Of course, the most prominent character arc is Rocket’s, as we finally learn the realities of his origin that he has been running from for years and must now face head-on.

Vol. 3 is also a thought-provoking movie for a variety of reasons. First, there’s the fact that it centers on animal cruelty and experimentation. The movie clearly condemns the practice, and has implications for the use of animals in scientific experimentation in particular. As a graduate student in biology, this is a question that has plagued me ever since college. The terrifying thing is that the situation presented in the movie is not unbelievable if the technologies at the High Evolutionary’s disposal actually existed. When asking if the ends justify animal cruelty (the means), what end could be more desirable and altruistic than the perfect society without suffering or sadness that the High Evolutionary is trying to create? Of course, one can argue that it’s unlikely–if not impossible–that animal experimentation would lead to the creation of creatures with sentience and souls in real life. But even so, how far is too far? How much cruelty is actually justifiable? Vol. 3 reminds us that animal life has genuine value, as God also teaches in the Bible (see Leviticus 24:21, Proverbs 12:10).

During the movie, we also come to learn that the High Evolutionary’s motivation for the cruelty and evil he perpetrates is largely because he has put himself in the place of God. Sacred choral music plays during scenes that involve him, he creates and destroys the creatures he alters in his lab at will with apparently no hesitation, and he lashes out at his assistant’s use of the phrase “for God’s sake” with the insistence that “there is no God!” In the end, it is clear that the High Evolutionary is at his core just another arrogant man who saw himself as knowing better than everyone and everything around him. What is important to ask ourselves is: how easily do we fall into the same trap? How often do we try to play God, believing we know better than him about how the world should be? The High Evolutionary could not overcome his own imperfection to achieve perfection, and neither can we. The good news is that God has promised the world will return to perfection someday (Revelation 21:1-8), but we must trust in Him for the timing and form of that perfection.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is everything you could hope for in a superhero movie and more. It will entertain and challenge you while delighting you with an excellent soundtrack at least as good as the other Guardians installments. If you’re experiencing some “superhero fatigue” yourself, give this one a watch and you’ll find yourself cured!

At the moment, you can watch Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 only in theatres. The film is expected to start streaming on Disney+ sometime in August.