I think it's really important that Rocket's backstory is given to us later, because it reflects his own character. He wouldn't open up to the audience in the first movie, so it would feel wrong to give his backstory in the first movie.
I liked it too. In Vol 1, He shut himself from others then in Vol 2 , We see the wall he built around himself cracking ; culminating with his speech during the Ravager funeral.
Agreed. I don't know if you remember the discourse when the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie was coming out, but while I was excited for a space adventure with a mismatched group of characters, there was sort of the fear that Rocket and Groot would be too much for kind of the older/casual audience to handle. That didn't turn out to to be true and most people love Guardians now and put the series as the pinnacle of Marvel outside of Avengers stuff, but I do think going all in on the Rocket backstory in that first movie might have been a mistake to audiences who were like "lol this is a raccoon tho" before they got attached to the characters.
The High Evolutionary wasn't relatable, but he felt real. He gave the vibe of a parent that is threatened by their child surpassing them & not knowing how to handle it. It makes sense his perfectionist vibes too.
Also great that he wasn't basically (or literally) a god, like Kang, Gorr, and Zeus. He's a nerd with a god complex. He has some cool looking gravitational powers, but even a literal dog (Cosmo) could wipe the floor with him. He doesn't need to be all-powerful to be menacing. Even The Sovereign bow before him.
You see that scene when Ayesha is arguing with the High Evolutionary and he basically calls her a pretty face nothing else. She doesn’t back down until he’s hurting Adam. It just feels like a mom trying to protect her kid from further abuse.
That's the thing, a villain is a villain for a reason and often times it's not because of some trauma or bad childhood or whatever. Sometimes ist's just for the sake of being an irredeemable a**hole.
his high evolutionary was terrifying because it was such a believable portrayal of an irredeemable person. we all know that person that wants to impose their beliefs on others and are completely self-righteous about it. what really sold the performace was the glimpses of the insecurity and jealousy that these types of people all share. the subtle moment of him correcting rocket's accent for the word "can't" was just on point for the character. great actor and great job.
@@patricktanna4947 the scene that really sold him for me was when he came in crawling on his hands and knees drunk, furious at Rocket for changing in a way he didn’t design and plan for. Definitely an abusive and narcissistic parent who just found out their kid is their own person. Chills!
Great point on the High Evolutionary. Not as "nuanced" as someone like Thanos or Killmonger (or even Ego to an extent) but I have NEVER hated a Marvel villain this much and wanted the heroes to take him down. Sometimes it's okay to have a villain that is just a straight up monster, especially if it increases the character development of the heroes, which I think it does.
And I like how easily the guardians defeated him. He was just a mad scientist with crazy advanced tech but they made it clear from the start rocket was smarter than him. Rocket nullified the one advantage he had and the guardians just did exactly what I'm sure everyone wanted to happen. Just a bully with a God complex getting the absolute shit kicked out of him by the real badasses.
The closest I have come to just hating a villain would be Black Widow's main bad (not Task Master). That man was absolutely diabolical and just plain evil, but even he was nothing compared to the High Evolutionary.
@@zacharybartolo5111this guardians movie is exactly what I wanted Black Widow to be. Natasha and others were abused and violated by an insane scientist just like Rocket. But we barely delved into Natasha's backstory outside of the title sequence and I wish we got more. It's so important to her character and as a story to us hating the villain
most Villains have reasonable motives and still have a heart. a moral. even if they are wrong, they still believe it and feel the impact of the things they have to do, even a little bit. but the High Evolutionary... due to his mental state and single minded obsessions creates a truly evil, cold and callous. he cant feel empathy and thus cant comprehend how something created can think of something he didnt think. to know something about his own mechanisms that he didn't know. he doesn't care about the soul. the heart so he doesn't even think twice about getting rid of something once it falls short. even Thanos can understand the heart.
James Gunn just gets what many people broken can be like. People cope with their grief and mistakes with humor and while guardians is very funny trilogy there’s a giant underlying theme of misfits that have been through countless trials and tribulations who come to understand love and compassion. It’s just so layered and so thoughtful it’s incredible. The emotions run HIGH in this movie I love it.
These are also characters trying to fit *together*. There has always been friction between Rocket and Quill, but here we have Pete finally admit how much Rocket matters to him. All these characters keep each other at arm's length as a defense, and that creates further friction. SO much of that is resolved in this film. If it ends here, so be it.
this movie isn't dark or grim, it's just heavy. the subjects it deals with are serious, and while it has humour, the jokes don't undercut the sincerity of the scenes. peter especially feels like he's grown up a lot in comparison to guardians 1. he's realized his trauma and what he needs to do to deal with it, and is way less of a man-child now. also like...i genuinely think this movie is the best performance pratt has ever given.
That best fight sequence is the "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" hallway fight, right? Because that was freaking incredible. Arguably one of the best fight scenes I've seen in anything recently, not just in any Marvel Movie. Also, I absolutely loved High Evolutionary. As a villain, that is. As a person? Hate him. He's a humanoid garbage pile of a person. But Chuk Iwuji does a great job performing the erratic swings between the detached, powerful supergenius and the raging egomaniac with a god complex. It makes him a character that I absolutely loved to watch, and loved to hate.
Yes yes yes I agree on both! I was fascinated and disgusted to my core watching the High Evolutionary and got really scared because he played it so well. And the fight scene! Also my favorite ever! They filmed it in one peace I think, that's why it's so special. And oh my starlord, the song fit so well! 😝 No! Sleep! Till Brooklyn!!!
I don't even love Beastie Boys but that was some of the best action I've ever seen put on screen, all time. Great spectacle, excellent characterisation, creative cinematography, perfect clarity, perfect physicality, great choreography, excellent integration between practical and CGI and better use of Slow Mo than a Snyder movie. It's something that is straight out of Kingsman but arguably better.
Agree that Guardians is the strongest Marvel trilogy now. This movie was a proper ride, a roller coaster bottoming out at physical/emotional trauma and topping off in the vacuum of space, hitting every emotion in between. Will be an easy rewatch, loved every minute
In terms of GOTG main villains, they’re all despicable people but it manifests in different ways. We went from GOTG1 which had an imperialistic fascist in Ronan, to GOTG2 with an aloof megalomaniac in Ego, to GOTG3 with a sociopathic darwinist. They became increasingly more realistic and more scary as a result of that…
they're all kinda consistently abusive father figures too; ronan less so, as he's more like a jerk boss to everyone, but ego and HE are both abusive fathers who see their children as means to an end, extensions of their goals, and nothing else. quill had yondu as well, who was more phyisically and emotionally rough on him, but still wanted to guide peter down the right...ish, path. meanwhile, rocket didn't have anyone else, and he kinda ended up playing the role of groot's dad in volume 2/infinity war.
@@kerricaine Which isn't the say that abusive, or at least complicated, fathers are a new thing to the MCU - you could count the definitively solid/excellent fathers on maybe two hands, many other heroes have issues going far back as the Starks and the Asgardian royals, and the flawed or toxic maternal figures are much rarer and usually that side is portrayed more positively (Eleanor Bishop being the most prominent example I can think of, and she's got pretty nuanced reasons for not living up to her child's expectations...) It's not for nothing that the meme of daddy issues being the source of all ills in the MCU is still a thing. But yeah, James Gunn has his finger on the pulse of it, and it's probably down to his scathing critiques of the patriarchal, white-Evangelical-dominant world he grew up in and which he's been lambasting with increasingly-sophisticated ways since "Slither". He's talked a lot about this stuff, how while his own relationship with his parents is actually pretty good (his father actually made efforts to understand his son's interests when James was a child, and couldn't get into his dad's love of sports and traditionally manly stuff), he's seen a lot growing up that's made him aware of how broken the world is. And as someone who knows he couldn't make it in politics or whatever, he uses storytelling to connect with people and inspire them to see the flaws in society so they can strive to be better and to improve themselves, and also maybe a little of the world around them while they're at it. It's not for nothing that he's got a passionate following, nor that certain kinds of people despise him (they feel threatened that someone like him, who sees through their crap, can have such a reaching effect on the public just through his sincerity). Yeah... that got more real than I expected or intended, but you know what? I felt good talking about and praising Gunn for his work; the fact people like him can do what they do, even in the systems they have to work with, gives me hope for humanity that we might better ourselves and stop doing harm to all around us.
The GotG films are above all sincere; and, to be sincere you need to be vulnerable. No matter the outlandish setting (space), or premise (sentient planet), or how comedic it gets, the characters are always struggling with vulnerability. Gunn takes the characters and themes seriously.
Dark = bad stuff happens Grim = bad stuff is SUPPOSE to happen Grim suggest that a positive uplifting ending is foolish, evil will alway win in the end.
A good example of the difference is Se7en and The Batman. Se7en is grim. It's gonna end badly, and you know it. The Batman starts rather grimly and dark but ends up discarding that grimness for a hopeful ending.
I don’t understand the critics who didn’t like it. I can understand the criticism of like, “goes from sadness to jokes too quick” but both the sadness and jokes still work. I’ll keep it spoiler free. But you’ll have like a flashback to Rocket and it’s very sad, then you get out of the flashback and it’s say, Drax, doing something funny within 10 seconds. If you wanna say space them out a bit more, fair. But the part that makes you cry works, and the joke works. So I can’t bitch. Loved it. One of the MCU’s best.
That’s also a incredibly subjective thing because ultimately it’s on the humor to work and the humor might just not have worked for the critics. Of the MCU projects Gunn seems to really nail the balance more than somebody like Taika who basically turned cancer into a joke
@@johnnymizanin4835 Thor 4 had the depth of a coloring book. People didn't misunderstand the movie, it was simply mediocre. I loved Ragnarok, and love Waititi's other work, but it was clear that he just didn't take the assignment seriously.
I'm biased as I absolutely love these characters, but the third film is a masterpiece, same with 1 and 2. It takes a lot to get me to tear up watching a film, and this one managed to hit me multiple times. So happy I got to see all 3 films as they were coming out.
If you love the characters, you aren’t biased. This is just a great sequel and a masterful conclusion to, in my opinion, one of the greatest and most memorable movie trilogies of all time, ESPECIALLY for superhero movies.
Vol. 2 is my favorite MCU movie. I didn’t like this one as much as that one but I thought it was still a great movie. The second one was also initially a bit mixed in terms of reception as well but I think people have largely come around on it (not that it was ever hated to an extreme extent but some did view it as a slight decline from the first). I think people will like this one more as time goes on and the initial shock kinda wears off. Especially with all the bad Marvel products coming down the pipeline.
I distinctly remember Vol. 2 getting a decent amount of mediocre reviews among the praise at first, but time showed that it’s one of the best MCU movies. Everything I have read about Vol. 3’s reviews also reflect that, and the movie seems like it’s a real banger from all the positive reviews I have read.
I'll never understand that. Half the reason we like the guardians is the character work 2 did. Everyone is going through something and it's why we like them
Vol 2 is my favorite guardians project to date and if people who claim they dislike that movie actually liked Vol 3 then I'll probably in for a hell of a ride
Vol 2 is awesome i never understood the hate. Some people say it have too much shitty jokes but ragnarok also have crap jokes but these hypocrites like it
It wasnt until I watched Peacemaker that I realized why James Gunn was able to write for Rocket Racoon, as well as Peacemaker. I really do believe he see himself in these characters, characters that are assholes but from a place of pain and self loathing. With the near-cancellation Gunn experienced some odd years ago over then 10 year old tweets, it seems like Gunn has been examining himself between then and now and it shows in his work.
A big part of why these versions of Guardians worked in the first place is because they're all pieces of him - his flaws, fears, etc... Even with all the chaos and Sci-fi shenanigans these movies felt the most personal in the MCU because of it
I mean, he's talked about why he is the way he is before and it ain't got anything to do with being cancelled online. But yeah, he does put a bit of himself into every character.
I don't think the tweets had anything to do with it. Disney knew about them before hand. Gunn had worked for Lloyd Kauffman who encourages that sort of humor. He's been around long enough that I think he knows himself and didn't need some keyboard warriors holding a mirror up to him over his politics (which is what it really was about).
Paraphrasing Nando’s statement that “Vol. 3 will not be a lot of people’s things, and I totally get it. But, at the same time, it’ll be many people’s favorite Marvel movie” is a perfect description of both Vol. 3 AND Vol. 2 in my opinion. Pretty much everyone likes the first film, but 2 and 3 take bigger and bigger swings, which is something Gunn can always be counted on to do. He does not play it safe, and he will make his stories bolder and bolder. That will inevitably alienate a lot of audiences, but at the same time, the fans who DO vibe with it feel more passionately about it than they will about most other superhero projects. I’d rather watch a movie that takes huge swings and risks hitting home runs or missing completely, than watch something that plays things perfectly safe.
Personally, the final action scene in the corridor is better than even Endgame, how the music syncs, how each of them uses their ability fully, how the guardians mixes their moves with the each other, and how Gamora wasn't quite as synced with the rest.
It was a nice change after having the recent villains be more sympathetic. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a sympathetic villain alot but sometimes you need someone who is just evil for the sake of evil.
I agree. It has the best begin to end story. It's very clear how all of the characters develop and how the group dynamic evolves is very clear. Loved it.
@@greghawkins59 first avenger is hardly a “meh” movie, maybe I’m biased bc I love WW2 period films. But that movie did an excellent job setting up Steve’s arc, solidifying him as the character we all know and love, and has arguably the saddest ending of Phase 1. Plus the themes of that movie are consistent through the trilogy, even if it’s arguably the “weakest” compared to Winter Solider and Civil War, it’s still a great movie and definitely worth the watch.
@@Luke_SkywaIker it wasn't meh but it didn't really have style, at least not a style consistent with the films that follow. It seemed more like old marvel, a bit cartoonier, a bit less tense. Still good, but winter soldier and civil war were incredible tonally. Whereas gaurdians never missed a beat I think, each one was a fresh move from beginning to end especially in context of the mcu, with 1 breaking new ground on the comedic and musical style that would inhabit every mcu film after, 2 being a more isolated yet tonally consistent film, and 3 being a badass wrap on that same tone. That's the difference for me.
Před rokem+26
You nailed it with your prediction at the end. Probably recency bias, but it's my favorite marvel movie so far. Once I stop thinking about it and go back to my normal life, I'm sure it will remain in my top 5 at least.
I left the theater with puffy eyes. 🥺 I was driving home after watching the movie still crying because of Rocket's scream lived rent free in my head! 😭💔 I'm so sad that this story ended. I wanna see more of the new GOTG! Especially Rocket!
James Gunn did an excellent job balancing the humor and the dark moments. Each of the Guardians got their moments to shine and their story arcs were wrapped up nicely. The action scenes and set pieces were well realized. And the villain was an interesting foil for the heroes to deal with. All in all, a pretty solid film that stuck the landing.
As controversial of an opinion as this might be, I think Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) is not only better than the first, but’s also my second favorite MCU film after Iron Man (2008). I think it improves upon the original in (almost) every way, and yes there is a lot of comedy, but there is so much more genuine emotion and a willingness to go deeper than most any other superhero film property out right now. I didn’t even feel this way right away, but it grew on me more and more and more every time I rewatched it. I am so genuinely excited for Vol. 3, more than any other confirmed upcoming superhero flick, MCU or otherwise (rivaled pretty much only by Spider-Verse).
100% agree with gotg2 I too thought it was just okay in first watching but second time watching it made me have way more emotions than the first with just as if not more heart. Vol2 is a top 5 marvel movie for sure
Vol. 2 is definitely my favorite of all of them. Plus it has an absolutely stacked soundtrack, just hit after nostalgic hit with perfectly timed needle drops. I like it more than Iron Man because on some level I still associate the first Iron Man with all the cultural and political baggage of the war on terror, which to my mind was one of the most deeply and enduringly damaging turning points in American history.
The reason Heath Ledger's Joker is so universally beloved is because he got much to his character without being a villain who opens the door for you to be able to sympathize with. I agree with Nando about making sure that your full on evil villain has some personality to them so they can still stand above mediocrity while still embracing true villainy, that's what Nolan nailed with Heath's Joker. While I don't expect High to be on par with Joker, I'm glad at least Gunn is trying to pull off another mean SOB villain again after Ego and White Dragon in Peacemaker. A villain can just be villains, that's literally why they're called that, and you can still make a memorable villain without giving them any sympathetic trait.
Heath's Joker was successful because he was a well written character. Thanos (MCUs best villain) was sympathetic in a way his ends were noble just not his means. The difference is good vs bad writing, not just that unsympathetic villain = good while sympathetic villain = bad.
Ego is actually one of my favorite villains in the MCU because he's just so...alien. He's cruel and spiteful yet he seemed to genuinely love Peter's mom. And instead of that inspiring any change in him, his response was to KILL HER TO KEEP HIM FROM GIVING UP ON HIS PLAN. "It broke my heart when I put that tumor in her head" has had one of the most visceral reactions in any theater I've seen for a reason
@@johnfelix503 that's exactly another recent example that came to mind but I just didn't put him in bcs I was focusing on examples from comicbook movies lol
Sometimes I think it’s missing the forest for the trees. Something bad happens and they think it’s all bad. The whole point of this movie (and others) is that they grow past that trauma and live fulfilling lives. It has a happy ending.
Something this movie did really well is that it had really sad moments, and lots of jokes. But it never joked /about/ the sad things. Those dramatic moments were given respect within the movie so the audience could feel respected as well.
Anyone who's seen James Gunn's 2010 movie "Super" knows he is a master at depicting that actually being a super hero is a deeply disturbing calling to heed. That's why a lot of his characters feel so human and well-worn.
Personally I found the switch between humor and emotional serious moments could have been handled better at moments. But it’s better than how most other Marvel films handle it in my opinion. Like take the scene at the end with Adam Warlock joining in on the big team hug. They could have made it an awkward joke but it’s actually fairly sweet. Like sure how he joined was awkward but this is his first day he’s been offered compassion. Of course he’s going to be confused by it
The thing about the high evolutionary is that he is very realistic. You saw it with gene therapy and power lust. Additionally, on paper, his plan is altruistic and this is why his followers are so loyal. Really enjoyed the villain and the actor did a great job
Great video. A lot of those critics are really just cynical and miss the whole point of a critical review. They should make a new category of movie reviews for those people called cynic reviews.
The best word I can think of to describe the High Evolutionary is horrific and I love his character for it. He is an absolute monster, trying to create a perfect society without really understanding his creations and the beauty in their flaws but he’s also physically horrific. His face is covered in a gross, stretched flesh mask that covers the disgusting and raw skeletal face beneath. In a world where so many villains have sympathetic backstories I love that he’s just a pure monster that the audience really comes to hate over the course of the movie.
And that makes him a perfect threat to face the Guardians; a team entirely composed of weirdos, outcasts, and freaks (all said lovingly). His twisted drive for perfection and dispassion towards life make him the antithesis of everything the Guardians of the Galaxy stand for. They all wear their flaws on their sleeves, but together they make something beautiful; and that's something that the High Evolutionary will never be able to understand.
I absolutely loved this movie. I thought it was full of heart and hope, even against the darker places the movie goes to. I left the theater feeling great! I'm still hyped from having literally just watched the movie, but this is easily on par with the previous films for me, if not my favorite in the trilogy.
The only thing I would’ve changed about the High Evolutionary is that he was born on Earth and was taken similar to Quill. Instead of just a fascination of human Arts, it would’ve been thematically richer if his actions were motivated by his longing for home and inability to accept the flaws of his humanity.
I can't wait to see it, but I already know I'm going to cry my eyes out because the Guardians are my favorite MCU characters. Just knowing this is the final chapter for this team is going to cut deep. 😭
I was kind of hoping the whole Lyla thing (pretty sure Rocket mentioned he had a friend Lyla in one of the other Guardians/Avengers movies) wasn't gonna culminate to her being a love interest, but we really got a blockbuster movie to give us furry love, and that was my ONLY issue with it. I feel like Rocket is much more relatable thanks to GotG 3, and his character desperately needed that if we were ever gonna care for him beyond comedic relief. I believe that GotG 1&2 will be heightened experiences as well, thanks to this movie Edit: beautiful point on the High Evolutionary btw, it was nice to see a plain-old asshole being a plain-old asshole. No "trauma" from the past, no decent points to be made, just someone to clearly root against. And it FEELS GOOD to root against him. That's what a good villain is. Someone you wanna see lose.
I’m really appreciative that THIS was the first opinion I was exposed to on this movie. Nando really goes out of his way to be the most fair, impartial, honest, well-informed opinions I’ve seen on comic book properties and he words everything so eloquently.
I'm not really into the super hero comics and movies, I just watched it because I went to see it with my friends who wanted to see it. But I personally think this movie was top-notch. Good humor, action and heartwarming. I'm a cynical peron but even I teared up at this and enjoyed it throughout. I wasn't bored or enjoyed it from start to finish. When a movie is enjoyable from start to finish it's a great movie imo. It was a bit grim and dark, but i LIKE that stuff - because my main criticism of super hero movies is that they are usually too childish with too much forced "feel-good" stuff. But it came across as genuine for me. I usually don't watch reviews, and if I do it's only after I've seen the movie not before. It's not a movie I think I would have enjoyed but I did.
I think the discussion about good stories needing nuanced and feared villains is doing more harm than good at this point of the superhero movies era. The High Evolutionary comes off as realistic because he has a lot of power but is ultimately obsessive and foolish in his own ego which mirrors many of the real life powers of society in kinda grim ways. Surprised to only hear so little praise for Nebula though :( She and Bucky are my top MCU characters.
In my opinion, in the entire MCU, Nebula's character arc is only second to Tony's in term of complexity and sheer payoff. She's grown so much over the course of these movies, and I'm happy to see where her story landed in the end.
Even if Rocket wasn't an animal, if he was originally a young boy, people woukd still sympathize greatly with him and his lab friends. It's just amplified because they're cute little animals. We've had glimpses of what Rocket's been through in the first two volumes, and we can get an idea of why he's usually distant. With this, the picture is vibrantly painted bleak with a small glimpse of hope by the end of the flashbacks.
Loved the movie, but as someone very emotional to animals being misstreated it really upsetted me and I had to look away a lot :( maybe its good they adressed it tho, because it might get more people to double think about animal experience and product testing.
Same, it was so hard to watch for me, I cried a lot and in the end I was more sad than happy when I left the theater… I think I can’t even rewatch this movie :(
Bless your heart! ❤ It was the same with me, I immediately was reminded of animal testing for medicine and fur farms in real life and it shook me to the core. This was something I couldn't shake off because it's real in our world.
This movie is absolutely incredible and yeah I agree definitely the strongest, most cohesive, most impactful trilogy the MCU has done, which is wild considering one of its main characters was murdered and replaced with a variant outside of the trilogy.
It hits harder for some of us as opposed to others. Especially if you love animals with a passion. To us, its worse than grim. Not the whole movie, but it sure leaves a lasting feeling for sure
Just watched this last saturday, first superhero movie to genuinely make me cry. Spiderverse is amazing, but this movie is my new favorite superhero movie, even in spite of its flaws.
I love seeing how these characters have grown. Arguably more than most characters in the MCU. Quill for example started out as a little arrogant, a bit egotistical, and sort of a man child (still a lovable one). Then come to Gotg 3 and he’s much more level headed, mature, and hurt
FYI, out of ther gate (0:10). When a Rotten Tomatoes critics score is 80% It does not mean that 20% of the critics thought the movie was unfavorable. It means, on average, 100% of the critics give it the movie a solid "B". I'm not defending the movie--just defending how we interpret statistics. Although the Audience score for GOTG3 happens to be 96%. Which, again, doesn't mean 4% didn't like it--it means the ENTIRE audience, on average gives the movie an A+.
Nope. The percentage is based on what number of critics would recommend or give it a fresh rating compared to those who would not or give it a rotten score.
@@doug176 Thanks! I appreciate the correction. I had made the wrong assumption. No wonder the metric doesn’t seem consistent with other rating systems.
Nando, I have really grown to appreciate how articulate you are in discussing these themes and insights into film and I would really really love it if you started interviewing people like James Gunn... Maybe that's too big to start or maybe this is already a thing and I'm an idiot, but I really think that your interviews could not only be potentially very insightful and funny and entertaining, but I think people like James would appreciate you the way celebrities seem to appreciate Sean Evans or Narduwar... That maybe sounds hyperbolic but your perspective really is rare. Just throwing that out there. I would happily pay the fee to watch that on your site. I have no idea what kind of reach you have but you can definitely figure it out 😂
Just watched GOTG3 now that it’s on Disney Plus. I have nothing to add, as I agree with you, but one thing: James Gunn is so good at the random worldbuilding. I wanted to see Batch 19 get their own series. I wanted to see the Counter-Earth series. I’d even watch the Knowhere 2.0 series. The settings were all so rich. Also, this version of The High Evolutionary is a straight up Star Trek villain and I was HERE FOR IT.
I don't know much about The High Evolutionary in the comics but I like that we don't get much backstory here. He's irredeemably evil and no motivation or human backstory is going to change that. Peter even says as much to him when they meet.
It really depends on what's next. I think they've already filmed things back when they hadn't taken the feedback into account so I think it'll really be the next avengers movies and onwards when marvel will be back.
loved the movie! i cried my eyeballs out in so many moments! but I loved the movie. one of the best marvel movies and for sure the best trilogy in the mcu
i totally agree with how you described the difference between dark and grim. this movie was dark af, but i wouldn't say it was grim because it didn't "hint" that something bad could be done to some of the characters down the line. Rocket's back story wouldn't make sense to put right out of the gate in the first Guardians movie. it would have felt forced and unfinished, instead of a build up to the final movie that is essentially all about Rocket and his past. overall, the movie was outstanding. it was a perfect way to end an iconic mcu trilogy. edtit: High Evolutionary is probably one of the cruelest mcu vilains out there. loved him as a villain. James Gunn did a fantastic job wrapping up the Guardians trilogy.
No. They wanted serious. That doesn’t mean dark. Just not jokes every other breath. But I, personally, am fine with dark. When facing evil, things tend to get dark.. it’s to be expected stories about Heroes in my opinion.
Different groups want different things. Hardcore longterm fans probably want serious and dark. Casual moviegoers just want lighthearted jokes and a fun time etc.
I just got to watch Guardians Vol. 3 and all I can say is WOW. James Gunn made the perfect send off for the Guardians. I have never hated a fictional character as much as I hated the High Evolutionary. There was nothing redeeming in him. I've never been so excited to see a character taken down. Rocket's backstory killed me emotionally. I knew the story. I knew roughly what to expect and it still tore me apart. I haven't gotten that emotional about a movie since Marley and Me. I'm sure I'm not in the minority, but this has become my favorite MCU flick. As much as I loved some of the others, this is the one that made me really care. This is the one that really made me feel. I LOVED IT!
I thought it was significantly better in Volume 2. The jokes landed way more consistently and it was so tense. Also, I understand why people would think it’s odd but it’s so stylistically cool
I think what really makes the High Evolutionary work in this movie is that now that we are intimately familiar with Rocket we can see where he learnt to be an asshole. All his insecurities and self-loathing are a reflection of the High Evolutionary and escaping that shadow feels so much more cathartic now that it is all symbolized by a single character.
Liked this much more than Vol 2. All the GotG had an arc and the tone was more consistent and appropriate. Sure, the Rocket stuff is pretty dark and I totally understand it turning off some viewers, but as you say it was set up previously. HE was a solid villain. The one real complaint I have was that Warlock felt shoehorned in. I know he's a big player in the MU, but here he feels like a joke side character. I hope they find more projects to develop him further.
I have not seen a movie that has ever left me so emotional in a long time. I took a while to come down. It was beautiful. Rocket is my fave MCU character and has been ever since I seen the first Guardians movie. Getting drip fed his development was such a payoff I have no words to express how it made me feel. This was worth the wait. My last MCU film went out with a bang. I will not revisit these characters unless Gunn comes back to do it, and since he's busy with other things, this is likely the last GoTG film for me. I'm happy to leave it on this bitter sweet vibe. I'll miss my twisted little found family of misfits.
I was initially a little put off of critics saying that Guardians vol 3 is "the best Marvel film since Endgame" given the cathartic experience we all had in No Way Home; but damn. I might have to jump ship after the hallway No Sleep till Brooklyn scene, that alone just checked all the boxes. And all the gore and that this is the first MCU film where someone can finally say "fuck" just puts my heart at ease knowing Deadpool 3 is going to be all right. James Gunn said he watched numerous film trilogies and went in to this one trying to make the third one the best to truly thank the audience and he did *not* disappoint.
I think with the MCU being so big, and so successful, for a VERY long time, we've gotten used to critics being maybe a little generous with their reviews for some of the weaker movies in the series. That's definitely shifted lately, attitutes towards the MCU, and towards Disney in general, have soured, and it's becoming more cool to hate on these movies than it is to like them. I think we're going to see a lot of critics who maybe leaned positive on these movies start to lean more negative. Quantumania is a good example, it's got the lowest RT score out of all the movies, but it's not really any worse than Thor 2 or Captin Marvel, but the tolerance for Marvel's weaker moments just isn't there anymore.
That feels weird to me, because I don't remember critics being very kind to Thor 2 or even to Captain Marvel (mainly seeing "it's fine, kind of fun" for that one, which is about where I'd put it, a bit above Thor 2's "not that good, but fine, I guess"). Stuff like Eternals or Multiverse of Madness seem to get more polarized responses not because some magical MCU reverence is gone but because they're experiments in style and tone compared to the more cookie cutter MCU style (which was designed to generally appeal to everyone) so they are more polarizing (I frankly thought Eternals does not hold up for several reasons and MoM stumbles on trying to be 2 or 3 different types of movies while kind of dumping aspects of WandaVision) - MoM and Quantumania are also buried in expectation, which is a horrible thing in these days of polarized response to anything (it must be "the best ever" or it's "the worst ever").
Nah bro. Quantumania is like a bad hangover. I can watch Captain marvel, I can even watch Thor 2 but it’s hard to sit through a movie that looks like actual toilet water
@@zltpsm Thor 2 has, for example, an absolutely banging outfit. Thor’s party outfit, that deep blue cloak thing, totally fucks. To this day I have to think about it for a minute or two to even remember who the villain of Thor 2 was, because I only remember it as the one that gave me bisexual panic with that one Thor outfit.
Hell yeah! I've been enjoying the recent stuff, but Marvel definitely needs a solid W with general audiences right now. Public perception has been rough lately
Thank you for the honest review. Looking forward to seeing this film, but keeping my expectations tempered because it's unfair to build it up too much - just let the movie sink or swim on its own merits. Will probably rewatch/listen to this after seeing GotG3 to see how our feelings compare.
I think what I wanted to see most from this movie was Rocket facing his trauma. He shouldn't have been an unconscious macguffin for the first half of the movie he should have been an active participant
The only really valid criticism that I've heard is that the movie was marketed like almost any other marvel movie and alot of parents thought they were going to see a thor love and thunder but instead they got something way more different and they are upset that their kids experienced that. that's not a fault of the movie, but it is still something that parents can validly be upset about
The high evolutionary wants to make a perfect society but doesn’t want to be outdone by his creations. A walking paradox. That is an interesting character dynamic, he makes himself the god because he saw it as an open role, and deemed the universe in need of one. therefore he puts himself above his creations to the point of destroying them with no second thought, but one of those discardable creations is smarter then him then what? To discard that raccoon would mean he would have to discard himself. It’s not the hand that creates but the hand that guides the hand is a great example of it’s not about what one makes or who gifted you life. It’s those who treat us like family those who held out their hand not smited us with it that matter. the missing piece to the high evolutionary’s utopia is that a world of perfection doesn’t need to be created in the first place. people find purpose and self among those who walk with them not above them. It is within these flaws that we self and we find community with others. The high evolutionary created amazing things but didn’t take the responsibility of the fact that they are no longer just creations, they are beings that need home, that need love and a hand to lift them and yet all he really does is destroy. No beauty can prosper in a world that never gave it a chance. This Trilogy does a great job of portraying the loss of the mother, the rejection of the father (the creators) and the finding of one’s self, among a group of those who have also lost. (The guiding hands.)
This movie is awesome, people just used to critic late bland MCU movies but this one is not the case, this is not a one more MCU movie, this is James Gunn movie, and I love it.
Imagine giving a negative review of a film for being “grim” when the film in question literally ends with a dance party where all the main characters get a satisfying ending. 🙄 I haven’t been this emotionally moved by a film in quite a while. I left the theater with that feeling of quiet euphoria that I got as a kid after watching a film that would stick with me for years. Gunn and crew absolutely nailed it with this one.
This was possibly my favourite guardians movie. Everyone shines, leaves off somewhere satisfying. Jokes weren't as forced as vol. 2. Action ruled, evolutionary was great. We got the peak of most of the cast. Rocket, drax, nebula, mantis, Groot. All matched or reached their peak in this movie. Wasn't a fan of warlock. Havent enjoyed a marvel project this much since end game (Spiderman was fun but fan servicey). NO SLEEP TIL BROOKLYN
Regarding how some people may not like the high evolutionary, the way I see it is that the entire guardians of the galaxy trilogy is (in a very boiled down way) about embracing and learning to accept and find value in imperfection. And since the high evolutionary is the absolute antithesis of that, somebody who hates and vilifies imperfection not just in nature as a whole but also within himself, both in a literal sense as well as a more figurative sense with his constant need to validate his ego and unwillingness to accept the fact that he created something more intelligent than him, he is genuinely the perfect villain for the guardians of the galaxy at this point in their existence, and the perfect villain to help tie the perfect bow on this amazing trilogy. Villains are meant to reflect their respective heroes in ways that are rooted much below the surface, and this movie does that perfectly.
I think it's really important that Rocket's backstory is given to us later, because it reflects his own character. He wouldn't open up to the audience in the first movie, so it would feel wrong to give his backstory in the first movie.
I disagree
I liked it too. In Vol 1, He shut himself from others then in Vol 2 , We see the wall he built around himself cracking ; culminating with his speech during the Ravager funeral.
I agree. Would have been any other backstory that I don't care if it's revealed in 1st movie
Agreed. I don't know if you remember the discourse when the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie was coming out, but while I was excited for a space adventure with a mismatched group of characters, there was sort of the fear that Rocket and Groot would be too much for kind of the older/casual audience to handle. That didn't turn out to to be true and most people love Guardians now and put the series as the pinnacle of Marvel outside of Avengers stuff, but I do think going all in on the Rocket backstory in that first movie might have been a mistake to audiences who were like "lol this is a raccoon tho" before they got attached to the characters.
@@lilmilontiktokyou look like an anime fan
The High Evolutionary wasn't relatable, but he felt real. He gave the vibe of a parent that is threatened by their child surpassing them & not knowing how to handle it. It makes sense his perfectionist vibes too.
A narcissist.
Also great that he wasn't basically (or literally) a god, like Kang, Gorr, and Zeus. He's a nerd with a god complex. He has some cool looking gravitational powers, but even a literal dog (Cosmo) could wipe the floor with him. He doesn't need to be all-powerful to be menacing. Even The Sovereign bow before him.
You see that scene when Ayesha is arguing with the High Evolutionary and he basically calls her a pretty face nothing else. She doesn’t back down until he’s hurting Adam. It just feels like a mom trying to protect her kid from further abuse.
Not all villians need to be sympathized with
A lot of them shouldn't be or have to be.
Facts
That was exactly what I was thinking during The Evolutionaries scenes lol. He's a madman.
That's the thing, a villain is a villain for a reason and often times it's not because of some trauma or bad childhood or whatever.
Sometimes ist's just for the sake of being an irredeemable a**hole.
OH MY GOD EXACTLY. He was a good villain BECAUSE he was literally insane and I could NEVER sympathize with a genocidal maniac.
I always appreciate when a performer gives 1000% effort, and Chukwudi Iwuji went all out as the High Evolutionary. He was perfect for this role.
his high evolutionary was terrifying because it was such a believable portrayal of an irredeemable person. we all know that person that wants to impose their beliefs on others and are completely self-righteous about it. what really sold the performace was the glimpses of the insecurity and jealousy that these types of people all share. the subtle moment of him correcting rocket's accent for the word "can't" was just on point for the character. great actor and great job.
@@patricktanna4947 the scene that really sold him for me was when he came in crawling on his hands and knees drunk, furious at Rocket for changing in a way he didn’t design and plan for. Definitely an abusive and narcissistic parent who just found out their kid is their own person. Chills!
Great point on the High Evolutionary. Not as "nuanced" as someone like Thanos or Killmonger (or even Ego to an extent) but I have NEVER hated a Marvel villain this much and wanted the heroes to take him down. Sometimes it's okay to have a villain that is just a straight up monster, especially if it increases the character development of the heroes, which I think it does.
And I like how easily the guardians defeated him. He was just a mad scientist with crazy advanced tech but they made it clear from the start rocket was smarter than him. Rocket nullified the one advantage he had and the guardians just did exactly what I'm sure everyone wanted to happen. Just a bully with a God complex getting the absolute shit kicked out of him by the real badasses.
The closest I have come to just hating a villain would be Black Widow's main bad (not Task Master). That man was absolutely diabolical and just plain evil, but even he was nothing compared to the High Evolutionary.
@@zacharybartolo5111this guardians movie is exactly what I wanted Black Widow to be. Natasha and others were abused and violated by an insane scientist just like Rocket. But we barely delved into Natasha's backstory outside of the title sequence and I wish we got more. It's so important to her character and as a story to us hating the villain
most Villains have reasonable motives and still have a heart. a moral. even if they are wrong, they still believe it and feel the impact of the things they have to do, even a little bit.
but the High Evolutionary... due to his mental state and single minded obsessions creates a truly evil, cold and callous. he cant feel empathy and thus cant comprehend how something created can think of something he didnt think. to know something about his own mechanisms that he didn't know. he doesn't care about the soul. the heart so he doesn't even think twice about getting rid of something once it falls short.
even Thanos can understand the heart.
I've been thinking, isn't High Evolutionary just Thanos but more sadistic?
James Gunn just gets what many people broken can be like. People cope with their grief and mistakes with humor and while guardians is very funny trilogy there’s a giant underlying theme of misfits that have been through countless trials and tribulations who come to understand love and compassion. It’s just so layered and so thoughtful it’s incredible. The emotions run HIGH in this movie I love it.
These are also characters trying to fit *together*. There has always been friction between Rocket and Quill, but here we have Pete finally admit how much Rocket matters to him. All these characters keep each other at arm's length as a defense, and that creates further friction. SO much of that is resolved in this film. If it ends here, so be it.
A true space opera
this movie isn't dark or grim, it's just heavy. the subjects it deals with are serious, and while it has humour, the jokes don't undercut the sincerity of the scenes. peter especially feels like he's grown up a lot in comparison to guardians 1. he's realized his trauma and what he needs to do to deal with it, and is way less of a man-child now. also like...i genuinely think this movie is the best performance pratt has ever given.
That best fight sequence is the "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" hallway fight, right? Because that was freaking incredible. Arguably one of the best fight scenes I've seen in anything recently, not just in any Marvel Movie.
Also, I absolutely loved High Evolutionary. As a villain, that is. As a person? Hate him. He's a humanoid garbage pile of a person. But Chuk Iwuji does a great job performing the erratic swings between the detached, powerful supergenius and the raging egomaniac with a god complex. It makes him a character that I absolutely loved to watch, and loved to hate.
Yes yes yes I agree on both! I was fascinated and disgusted to my core watching the High Evolutionary and got really scared because he played it so well.
And the fight scene! Also my favorite ever! They filmed it in one peace I think, that's why it's so special. And oh my starlord, the song fit so well! 😝 No! Sleep! Till Brooklyn!!!
I don't even love Beastie Boys but that was some of the best action I've ever seen put on screen, all time. Great spectacle, excellent characterisation, creative cinematography, perfect clarity, perfect physicality, great choreography, excellent integration between practical and CGI and better use of Slow Mo than a Snyder movie. It's something that is straight out of Kingsman but arguably better.
Agree that Guardians is the strongest Marvel trilogy now.
This movie was a proper ride, a roller coaster bottoming out at physical/emotional trauma and topping off in the vacuum of space, hitting every emotion in between. Will be an easy rewatch, loved every minute
In terms of GOTG main villains, they’re all despicable people but it manifests in different ways. We went from GOTG1 which had an imperialistic fascist in Ronan, to GOTG2 with an aloof megalomaniac in Ego, to GOTG3 with a sociopathic darwinist. They became increasingly more realistic and more scary as a result of that…
they're all kinda consistently abusive father figures too; ronan less so, as he's more like a jerk boss to everyone, but ego and HE are both abusive fathers who see their children as means to an end, extensions of their goals, and nothing else. quill had yondu as well, who was more phyisically and emotionally rough on him, but still wanted to guide peter down the right...ish, path. meanwhile, rocket didn't have anyone else, and he kinda ended up playing the role of groot's dad in volume 2/infinity war.
@@kerricaine Which isn't the say that abusive, or at least complicated, fathers are a new thing to the MCU - you could count the definitively solid/excellent fathers on maybe two hands, many other heroes have issues going far back as the Starks and the Asgardian royals, and the flawed or toxic maternal figures are much rarer and usually that side is portrayed more positively (Eleanor Bishop being the most prominent example I can think of, and she's got pretty nuanced reasons for not living up to her child's expectations...) It's not for nothing that the meme of daddy issues being the source of all ills in the MCU is still a thing.
But yeah, James Gunn has his finger on the pulse of it, and it's probably down to his scathing critiques of the patriarchal, white-Evangelical-dominant world he grew up in and which he's been lambasting with increasingly-sophisticated ways since "Slither". He's talked a lot about this stuff, how while his own relationship with his parents is actually pretty good (his father actually made efforts to understand his son's interests when James was a child, and couldn't get into his dad's love of sports and traditionally manly stuff), he's seen a lot growing up that's made him aware of how broken the world is. And as someone who knows he couldn't make it in politics or whatever, he uses storytelling to connect with people and inspire them to see the flaws in society so they can strive to be better and to improve themselves, and also maybe a little of the world around them while they're at it. It's not for nothing that he's got a passionate following, nor that certain kinds of people despise him (they feel threatened that someone like him, who sees through their crap, can have such a reaching effect on the public just through his sincerity).
Yeah... that got more real than I expected or intended, but you know what? I felt good talking about and praising Gunn for his work; the fact people like him can do what they do, even in the systems they have to work with, gives me hope for humanity that we might better ourselves and stop doing harm to all around us.
The GotG films are above all sincere; and, to be sincere you need to be vulnerable.
No matter the outlandish setting (space), or premise (sentient planet), or how comedic it gets, the characters are always struggling with vulnerability. Gunn takes the characters and themes seriously.
Honestly, Peter is the most level-headed and mature person of the bunch in this movie. He plans stuff and gets the job done.
"There is no god, that's where I stepped in." That's such a hard ass line ong
Dark = bad stuff happens
Grim = bad stuff is SUPPOSE to happen
Grim suggest that a positive uplifting ending is foolish, evil will alway win in the end.
Gotta keep the grim part part of grim-dark in mind
there's also grimdark which is when everything in a story is so bleak it's almost comical
Grim is the Chainsaw massacre: The beginning. Dark is a vampire movie where the vampire loses.
@@RaymondJonesrejlive how the fuck did you came with that
A good example of the difference is Se7en and The Batman. Se7en is grim. It's gonna end badly, and you know it. The Batman starts rather grimly and dark but ends up discarding that grimness for a hopeful ending.
I don’t understand the critics who didn’t like it. I can understand the criticism of like, “goes from sadness to jokes too quick” but both the sadness and jokes still work.
I’ll keep it spoiler free. But you’ll have like a flashback to Rocket and it’s very sad, then you get out of the flashback and it’s say, Drax, doing something funny within 10 seconds. If you wanna say space them out a bit more, fair. But the part that makes you cry works, and the joke works. So I can’t bitch.
Loved it. One of the MCU’s best.
That’s also a incredibly subjective thing because ultimately it’s on the humor to work and the humor might just not have worked for the critics.
Of the MCU projects Gunn seems to really nail the balance more than somebody like Taika who basically turned cancer into a joke
@@creed8712 nobody who understands those scenes actually thinks he was making light of cancer.
what is past gamora like in this film
@@Ncholasbloom she’s with Stallone’s Ravengers and gets paired with the GOTG on a job Nebula hires them to help with.
@@johnnymizanin4835 Thor 4 had the depth of a coloring book. People didn't misunderstand the movie, it was simply mediocre. I loved Ragnarok, and love Waititi's other work, but it was clear that he just didn't take the assignment seriously.
I'm biased as I absolutely love these characters, but the third film is a masterpiece, same with 1 and 2. It takes a lot to get me to tear up watching a film, and this one managed to hit me multiple times. So happy I got to see all 3 films as they were coming out.
If you love the characters, you aren’t biased. This is just a great sequel and a masterful conclusion to, in my opinion, one of the greatest and most memorable movie trilogies of all time, ESPECIALLY for superhero movies.
i've seen the movie twice now, and even knowing what was coming, i still cried.
Vol. 2 is my favorite MCU movie. I didn’t like this one as much as that one but I thought it was still a great movie. The second one was also initially a bit mixed in terms of reception as well but I think people have largely come around on it (not that it was ever hated to an extreme extent but some did view it as a slight decline from the first). I think people will like this one more as time goes on and the initial shock kinda wears off. Especially with all the bad Marvel products coming down the pipeline.
I straight up was holding back sobs when they woke up Rocket. One of the best moments in a movie I've ever seen.
Nebula became my favorite character in this movie. I loved seeing how much she cares for Rocket.
I distinctly remember Vol. 2 getting a decent amount of mediocre reviews among the praise at first, but time showed that it’s one of the best MCU movies. Everything I have read about Vol. 3’s reviews also reflect that, and the movie seems like it’s a real banger from all the positive reviews I have read.
I'll never understand that. Half the reason we like the guardians is the character work 2 did. Everyone is going through something and it's why we like them
@@blurryperson2685 well explained
Vol 2 is my favorite guardians project to date and if people who claim they dislike that movie actually liked Vol 3 then I'll probably in for a hell of a ride
I trust this review
Vol 2 is awesome i never understood the hate. Some people say it have too much shitty jokes but ragnarok also have crap jokes but these hypocrites like it
It wasnt until I watched Peacemaker that I realized why James Gunn was able to write for Rocket Racoon, as well as Peacemaker. I really do believe he see himself in these characters, characters that are assholes but from a place of pain and self loathing. With the near-cancellation Gunn experienced some odd years ago over then 10 year old tweets, it seems like Gunn has been examining himself between then and now and it shows in his work.
A big part of why these versions of Guardians worked in the first place is because they're all pieces of him - his flaws, fears, etc... Even with all the chaos and Sci-fi shenanigans these movies felt the most personal in the MCU because of it
@@rickygforce4217that’s also a good way to work with an ensemble cast as being parts of a whole unit but distinctive parts
@@creed8712 indeed
I mean, he's talked about why he is the way he is before and it ain't got anything to do with being cancelled online.
But yeah, he does put a bit of himself into every character.
I don't think the tweets had anything to do with it. Disney knew about them before hand. Gunn had worked for Lloyd Kauffman who encourages that sort of humor. He's been around long enough that I think he knows himself and didn't need some keyboard warriors holding a mirror up to him over his politics (which is what it really was about).
Paraphrasing Nando’s statement that “Vol. 3 will not be a lot of people’s things, and I totally get it. But, at the same time, it’ll be many people’s favorite Marvel movie” is a perfect description of both Vol. 3 AND Vol. 2 in my opinion. Pretty much everyone likes the first film, but 2 and 3 take bigger and bigger swings, which is something Gunn can always be counted on to do. He does not play it safe, and he will make his stories bolder and bolder. That will inevitably alienate a lot of audiences, but at the same time, the fans who DO vibe with it feel more passionately about it than they will about most other superhero projects. I’d rather watch a movie that takes huge swings and risks hitting home runs or missing completely, than watch something that plays things perfectly safe.
I loved it... I need to watch it again... THE RABBIT MADE ME CRYYYY.
FLOORRR!!! NOOO!!!
i love floor so much
Just... that team. I'm tearing up just thinking about them... 🥺
His animal friends were all adorable in their own way. So sad when they got killed.
@@hunterprice3320 bro spoilers
My group of friends left the theater speechless. We agreed it may just be the best MCU movie.
Personally, the final action scene in the corridor is better than even Endgame, how the music syncs, how each of them uses their ability fully, how the guardians mixes their moves with the each other, and how Gamora wasn't quite as synced with the rest.
The High Evolutionary was fantastic. One of my favorite Marvel villains ever. He was just an evil fuck and I love it
It was a nice change after having the recent villains be more sympathetic. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a sympathetic villain alot but sometimes you need someone who is just evil for the sake of evil.
The scenes with Floor are too hard for me. Holding my bunnies for a whole week after this😭
Gunn's gift as a director is knowing how to weave multiple main plot arcs together.
It's not perfect but it's an absolutely incredible film. Easily the best trilogy in the mcu
Cap trilogy might be superior, but it’s definitely close.
I agree. It has the best begin to end story. It's very clear how all of the characters develop and how the group dynamic evolves is very clear. Loved it.
@@Luke_SkywaIker cap trilogy starts off with a meh movie, guardians has no meh movies
@@greghawkins59 first avenger is hardly a “meh” movie, maybe I’m biased bc I love WW2 period films. But that movie did an excellent job setting up Steve’s arc, solidifying him as the character we all know and love, and has arguably the saddest ending of Phase 1.
Plus the themes of that movie are consistent through the trilogy, even if it’s arguably the “weakest” compared to Winter Solider and Civil War, it’s still a great movie and definitely worth the watch.
@@Luke_SkywaIker it wasn't meh but it didn't really have style, at least not a style consistent with the films that follow. It seemed more like old marvel, a bit cartoonier, a bit less tense. Still good, but winter soldier and civil war were incredible tonally. Whereas gaurdians never missed a beat I think, each one was a fresh move from beginning to end especially in context of the mcu, with 1 breaking new ground on the comedic and musical style that would inhabit every mcu film after, 2 being a more isolated yet tonally consistent film, and 3 being a badass wrap on that same tone. That's the difference for me.
You nailed it with your prediction at the end. Probably recency bias, but it's my favorite marvel movie so far. Once I stop thinking about it and go back to my normal life, I'm sure it will remain in my top 5 at least.
I left the theater with puffy eyes. 🥺 I was driving home after watching the movie still crying because of Rocket's scream lived rent free in my head! 😭💔 I'm so sad that this story ended. I wanna see more of the new GOTG! Especially Rocket!
James Gunn did an excellent job balancing the humor and the dark moments. Each of the Guardians got their moments to shine and their story arcs were wrapped up nicely. The action scenes and set pieces were well realized. And the villain was an interesting foil for the heroes to deal with. All in all, a pretty solid film that stuck the landing.
As controversial of an opinion as this might be, I think Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) is not only better than the first, but’s also my second favorite MCU film after Iron Man (2008). I think it improves upon the original in (almost) every way, and yes there is a lot of comedy, but there is so much more genuine emotion and a willingness to go deeper than most any other superhero film property out right now. I didn’t even feel this way right away, but it grew on me more and more and more every time I rewatched it. I am so genuinely excited for Vol. 3, more than any other confirmed upcoming superhero flick, MCU or otherwise (rivaled pretty much only by Spider-Verse).
100% agree with gotg2 I too thought it was just okay in first watching but second time watching it made me have way more emotions than the first with just as if not more heart. Vol2 is a top 5 marvel movie for sure
Exactly! Vol 2 is my most rewatched MCU movie!
Vol. 2 is definitely my favorite of all of them. Plus it has an absolutely stacked soundtrack, just hit after nostalgic hit with perfectly timed needle drops.
I like it more than Iron Man because on some level I still associate the first Iron Man with all the cultural and political baggage of the war on terror, which to my mind was one of the most deeply and enduringly damaging turning points in American history.
i love vol 2 so much it’s only a tiny bit better then the first one for me
GOTG2 isn't as funny as the first one, but it feels more impactful/meaningful, at least in my opinion.
The reason Heath Ledger's Joker is so universally beloved is because he got much to his character without being a villain who opens the door for you to be able to sympathize with.
I agree with Nando about making sure that your full on evil villain has some personality to them so they can still stand above mediocrity while still embracing true villainy, that's what Nolan nailed with Heath's Joker. While I don't expect High to be on par with Joker, I'm glad at least Gunn is trying to pull off another mean SOB villain again after Ego and White Dragon in Peacemaker. A villain can just be villains, that's literally why they're called that, and you can still make a memorable villain without giving them any sympathetic trait.
Heath's Joker was successful because he was a well written character. Thanos (MCUs best villain) was sympathetic in a way his ends were noble just not his means. The difference is good vs bad writing, not just that unsympathetic villain = good while sympathetic villain = bad.
Ego is actually one of my favorite villains in the MCU because he's just so...alien. He's cruel and spiteful yet he seemed to genuinely love Peter's mom. And instead of that inspiring any change in him, his response was to KILL HER TO KEEP HIM FROM GIVING UP ON HIS PLAN.
"It broke my heart when I put that tumor in her head" has had one of the most visceral reactions in any theater I've seen for a reason
Like Jack Horner lol
Are you saying quill doesn’t cradle High Evolutionaries dead body while telling the Nova Corp to “do better”
Is this even a marvel movie?
@@johnfelix503 that's exactly another recent example that came to mind but I just didn't put him in bcs I was focusing on examples from comicbook movies lol
Sometimes I think it’s missing the forest for the trees. Something bad happens and they think it’s all bad. The whole point of this movie (and others) is that they grow past that trauma and live fulfilling lives. It has a happy ending.
Something this movie did really well is that it had really sad moments, and lots of jokes. But it never joked /about/ the sad things. Those dramatic moments were given respect within the movie so the audience could feel respected as well.
Wow absolutely!
Anyone who's seen James Gunn's 2010 movie "Super" knows he is a master at depicting that actually being a super hero is a deeply disturbing calling to heed. That's why a lot of his characters feel so human and well-worn.
Personally I found the switch between humor and emotional serious moments could have been handled better at moments. But it’s better than how most other Marvel films handle it in my opinion.
Like take the scene at the end with Adam Warlock joining in on the big team hug. They could have made it an awkward joke but it’s actually fairly sweet. Like sure how he joined was awkward but this is his first day he’s been offered compassion. Of course he’s going to be confused by it
The thing about the high evolutionary is that he is very realistic. You saw it with gene therapy and power lust. Additionally, on paper, his plan is altruistic and this is why his followers are so loyal.
Really enjoyed the villain and the actor did a great job
Great video. A lot of those critics are really just cynical and miss the whole point of a critical review. They should make a new category of movie reviews for those people called cynic reviews.
I just assume that every movie review is a cynical one unless proven otherwise.
The best word I can think of to describe the High Evolutionary is horrific and I love his character for it. He is an absolute monster, trying to create a perfect society without really understanding his creations and the beauty in their flaws but he’s also physically horrific. His face is covered in a gross, stretched flesh mask that covers the disgusting and raw skeletal face beneath. In a world where so many villains have sympathetic backstories I love that he’s just a pure monster that the audience really comes to hate over the course of the movie.
And that makes him a perfect threat to face the Guardians; a team entirely composed of weirdos, outcasts, and freaks (all said lovingly). His twisted drive for perfection and dispassion towards life make him the antithesis of everything the Guardians of the Galaxy stand for. They all wear their flaws on their sleeves, but together they make something beautiful; and that's something that the High Evolutionary will never be able to understand.
I absolutely loved this movie. I thought it was full of heart and hope, even against the darker places the movie goes to. I left the theater feeling great! I'm still hyped from having literally just watched the movie, but this is easily on par with the previous films for me, if not my favorite in the trilogy.
James Gunn doing “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” WOULD be a wild ride! That is tailor made for him
The only thing I would’ve changed about the High Evolutionary is that he was born on Earth and was taken similar to Quill.
Instead of just a fascination of human Arts, it would’ve been thematically richer if his actions were motivated by his longing for home and inability to accept the flaws of his humanity.
That would've been really interesting. I like this take.
Hes thousands of years old though
That's his comic origin, more or less. He's a protégé of Mr. Sinister.
Not gonna lie, the High Evolutionary top 3 villians. Didn't like him in Peacemaker but he did his thing on this one
I can't wait to see it, but I already know I'm going to cry my eyes out because the Guardians are my favorite MCU characters. Just knowing this is the final chapter for this team is going to cut deep. 😭
Oh boye, you'll get nuked
I was kind of hoping the whole Lyla thing (pretty sure Rocket mentioned he had a friend Lyla in one of the other Guardians/Avengers movies) wasn't gonna culminate to her being a love interest, but we really got a blockbuster movie to give us furry love, and that was my ONLY issue with it. I feel like Rocket is much more relatable thanks to GotG 3, and his character desperately needed that if we were ever gonna care for him beyond comedic relief.
I believe that GotG 1&2 will be heightened experiences as well, thanks to this movie
Edit: beautiful point on the High Evolutionary btw, it was nice to see a plain-old asshole being a plain-old asshole. No "trauma" from the past, no decent points to be made, just someone to clearly root against. And it FEELS GOOD to root against him. That's what a good villain is. Someone you wanna see lose.
I’m really appreciative that THIS was the first opinion I was exposed to on this movie. Nando really goes out of his way to be the most fair, impartial, honest, well-informed opinions I’ve seen on comic book properties and he words everything so eloquently.
GOG 1 and 2 are my favorite Marvel flicks going in. I saw 3 twice today. I love it so much. I haven't cried that much since Wandavision.
I'm not really into the super hero comics and movies, I just watched it because I went to see it with my friends who wanted to see it. But I personally think this movie was top-notch. Good humor, action and heartwarming. I'm a cynical peron but even I teared up at this and enjoyed it throughout. I wasn't bored or enjoyed it from start to finish. When a movie is enjoyable from start to finish it's a great movie imo. It was a bit grim and dark, but i LIKE that stuff - because my main criticism of super hero movies is that they are usually too childish with too much forced "feel-good" stuff. But it came across as genuine for me. I usually don't watch reviews, and if I do it's only after I've seen the movie not before. It's not a movie I think I would have enjoyed but I did.
I think the discussion about good stories needing nuanced and feared villains is doing more harm than good at this point of the superhero movies era. The High Evolutionary comes off as realistic because he has a lot of power but is ultimately obsessive and foolish in his own ego which mirrors many of the real life powers of society in kinda grim ways. Surprised to only hear so little praise for Nebula though :( She and Bucky are my top MCU characters.
In my opinion, in the entire MCU, Nebula's character arc is only second to Tony's in term of complexity and sheer payoff. She's grown so much over the course of these movies, and I'm happy to see where her story landed in the end.
Even if Rocket wasn't an animal, if he was originally a young boy, people woukd still sympathize greatly with him and his lab friends. It's just amplified because they're cute little animals. We've had glimpses of what Rocket's been through in the first two volumes, and we can get an idea of why he's usually distant. With this, the picture is vibrantly painted bleak with a small glimpse of hope by the end of the flashbacks.
Holy his take on High Evolutionary is so much character growth from that one scene change for Thanos LMFAO. My guy gets it
Loved the movie, but as someone very emotional to animals being misstreated it really upsetted me and I had to look away a lot :( maybe its good they adressed it tho, because it might get more people to double think about animal experience and product testing.
Same, it was so hard to watch for me, I cried a lot and in the end I was more sad than happy when I left the theater… I think I can’t even rewatch this movie :(
Bless your heart! ❤ It was the same with me, I immediately was reminded of animal testing for medicine and fur farms in real life and it shook me to the core. This was something I couldn't shake off because it's real in our world.
This movie is absolutely incredible and yeah I agree definitely the strongest, most cohesive, most impactful trilogy the MCU has done, which is wild considering one of its main characters was murdered and replaced with a variant outside of the trilogy.
It hits harder for some of us as opposed to others. Especially if you love animals with a passion. To us, its worse than grim. Not the whole movie, but it sure leaves a lasting feeling for sure
Bless your heart! ❤
Glad to hear you enjoyed it - so pumped for the early showing at my local theater!!
I agree with you about the High Evolutionary. Excellent villain & your breakdown of him is on point!
Just watched this last saturday, first superhero movie to genuinely make me cry. Spiderverse is amazing, but this movie is my new favorite superhero movie, even in spite of its flaws.
Nobody can hit a needle drop like James Gunn in guardians. That’s what I’ll miss the most
I love seeing how these characters have grown. Arguably more than most characters in the MCU. Quill for example started out as a little arrogant, a bit egotistical, and sort of a man child (still a lovable one). Then come to Gotg 3 and he’s much more level headed, mature, and hurt
FYI, out of ther gate (0:10). When a Rotten Tomatoes critics score is 80% It does not mean that 20% of the critics thought the movie was unfavorable. It means, on average, 100% of the critics give it the movie a solid "B". I'm not defending the movie--just defending how we interpret statistics. Although the Audience score for GOTG3 happens to be 96%. Which, again, doesn't mean 4% didn't like it--it means the ENTIRE audience, on average gives the movie an A+.
Nope. The percentage is based on what number of critics would recommend or give it a fresh rating compared to those who would not or give it a rotten score.
@@doug176 Thanks! I appreciate the correction. I had made the wrong assumption. No wonder the metric doesn’t seem consistent with other rating systems.
I loved it so much. I'm very sensitive to a fair amount of the traumatic content of this film, but as you said, the emotional pay off is there.
Man up
@@Yourubeei I'm morbidly curious what made you think that was a warranted response.
@@Yourubeei you give off “no job” vibes
Nando, I have really grown to appreciate how articulate you are in discussing these themes and insights into film and I would really really love it if you started interviewing people like James Gunn... Maybe that's too big to start or maybe this is already a thing and I'm an idiot, but I really think that your interviews could not only be potentially very insightful and funny and entertaining, but I think people like James would appreciate you the way celebrities seem to appreciate Sean Evans or Narduwar... That maybe sounds hyperbolic but your perspective really is rare. Just throwing that out there. I would happily pay the fee to watch that on your site. I have no idea what kind of reach you have but you can definitely figure it out 😂
Just watched GOTG3 now that it’s on Disney Plus. I have nothing to add, as I agree with you, but one thing:
James Gunn is so good at the random worldbuilding. I wanted to see Batch 19 get their own series. I wanted to see the Counter-Earth series. I’d even watch the Knowhere 2.0 series. The settings were all so rich.
Also, this version of The High Evolutionary is a straight up Star Trek villain and I was HERE FOR IT.
I don't know much about The High Evolutionary in the comics but I like that we don't get much backstory here. He's irredeemably evil and no motivation or human backstory is going to change that. Peter even says as much to him when they meet.
I wanna see this movie SO damn bad!
Its good but make sure to bring a box of tissues
Mcu comeback is on
More James Gunn, less MCU...
If anything, I'd argue GOTG Vol. 3 will be more beneficial to the DCU's reputation rather than the MCU.
@@ryanprice2699 secret invasion and the marvels will probably both be good as well
@@ryanprice2699 Well most movie goers don't know about Gunn going to DC so it'll still benefit the MCU.
@@ryanprice2699 why
It really depends on what's next. I think they've already filmed things back when they hadn't taken the feedback into account so I think it'll really be the next avengers movies and onwards when marvel will be back.
loved the movie! i cried my eyeballs out in so many moments! but I loved the movie. one of the best marvel movies and for sure the best trilogy in the mcu
i totally agree with how you described the difference between dark and grim. this movie was dark af, but i wouldn't say it was grim because it didn't "hint" that something bad could be done to some of the characters down the line. Rocket's back story wouldn't make sense to put right out of the gate in the first Guardians movie. it would have felt forced and unfinished, instead of a build up to the final movie that is essentially all about Rocket and his past. overall, the movie was outstanding. it was a perfect way to end an iconic mcu trilogy.
edtit: High Evolutionary is probably one of the cruelest mcu vilains out there. loved him as a villain. James Gunn did a fantastic job wrapping up the Guardians trilogy.
“Chris Pratt… For all his… things… uh… the internet …and stuff…and… whatever…” 😂
What things?
Why are people complaining about it being dark, isn’t that they asked for? , darker projects
The fans wanted darker stories, the critics complaining about it being dark are not part of that group necessarily
No. They wanted serious. That doesn’t mean dark. Just not jokes every other breath. But I, personally, am fine with dark. When facing evil, things tend to get dark.. it’s to be expected stories about Heroes in my opinion.
Different groups want different things. Hardcore longterm fans probably want serious and dark. Casual moviegoers just want lighthearted jokes and a fun time etc.
I just got to watch Guardians Vol. 3 and all I can say is WOW. James Gunn made the perfect send off for the Guardians.
I have never hated a fictional character as much as I hated the High Evolutionary. There was nothing redeeming in him. I've never been so excited to see a character taken down.
Rocket's backstory killed me emotionally. I knew the story. I knew roughly what to expect and it still tore me apart. I haven't gotten that emotional about a movie since Marley and Me.
I'm sure I'm not in the minority, but this has become my favorite MCU flick. As much as I loved some of the others, this is the one that made me really care. This is the one that really made me feel.
I LOVED IT!
This is a GREAT, thorough, and completely spoiler free review! Thanks!
I thought it was significantly better in Volume 2. The jokes landed way more consistently and it was so tense. Also, I understand why people would think it’s odd but it’s so stylistically cool
I think what really makes the High Evolutionary work in this movie is that now that we are intimately familiar with Rocket we can see where he learnt to be an asshole. All his insecurities and self-loathing are a reflection of the High Evolutionary and escaping that shadow feels so much more cathartic now that it is all symbolized by a single character.
It was so good! I think this might finally dethrone Winter Soldier as my favourite Marvel movie. I'll have to watch it a few more times first.
Been waiting for this!!
Liked this much more than Vol 2. All the GotG had an arc and the tone was more consistent and appropriate. Sure, the Rocket stuff is pretty dark and I totally understand it turning off some viewers, but as you say it was set up previously. HE was a solid villain. The one real complaint I have was that Warlock felt shoehorned in. I know he's a big player in the MU, but here he feels like a joke side character. I hope they find more projects to develop him further.
What I told my wife James can weaves body horror and pulls all your emotional strings at the same time
I have not seen a movie that has ever left me so emotional in a long time. I took a while to come down. It was beautiful. Rocket is my fave MCU character and has been ever since I seen the first Guardians movie. Getting drip fed his development was such a payoff I have no words to express how it made me feel.
This was worth the wait. My last MCU film went out with a bang. I will not revisit these characters unless Gunn comes back to do it, and since he's busy with other things, this is likely the last GoTG film for me. I'm happy to leave it on this bitter sweet vibe. I'll miss my twisted little found family of misfits.
it was so good, it came out early in the uk and i loved it, also idk why ppl are saying adam warlock is a disappointment
I was initially a little put off of critics saying that Guardians vol 3 is "the best Marvel film since Endgame" given the cathartic experience we all had in No Way Home; but damn. I might have to jump ship after the hallway No Sleep till Brooklyn scene, that alone just checked all the boxes. And all the gore and that this is the first MCU film where someone can finally say "fuck" just puts my heart at ease knowing Deadpool 3 is going to be all right. James Gunn said he watched numerous film trilogies and went in to this one trying to make the third one the best to truly thank the audience and he did *not* disappoint.
Side note, I love how the first f-bomb was just Peter Quill getting exasperated that Nebula couldn't open a door. That's...just really funny.
Me and my best friend cried for like 5 mins straight during the flashback scene
Not every villain needs to be redeemable. Some viallins should just be that, viallins you wanna see be defeated.
A great villain needs to be understood
That doesn't mean you have to relate to them
I think with the MCU being so big, and so successful, for a VERY long time, we've gotten used to critics being maybe a little generous with their reviews for some of the weaker movies in the series. That's definitely shifted lately, attitutes towards the MCU, and towards Disney in general, have soured, and it's becoming more cool to hate on these movies than it is to like them. I think we're going to see a lot of critics who maybe leaned positive on these movies start to lean more negative.
Quantumania is a good example, it's got the lowest RT score out of all the movies, but it's not really any worse than Thor 2 or Captin Marvel, but the tolerance for Marvel's weaker moments just isn't there anymore.
That feels weird to me, because I don't remember critics being very kind to Thor 2 or even to Captain Marvel (mainly seeing "it's fine, kind of fun" for that one, which is about where I'd put it, a bit above Thor 2's "not that good, but fine, I guess"). Stuff like Eternals or Multiverse of Madness seem to get more polarized responses not because some magical MCU reverence is gone but because they're experiments in style and tone compared to the more cookie cutter MCU style (which was designed to generally appeal to everyone) so they are more polarizing (I frankly thought Eternals does not hold up for several reasons and MoM stumbles on trying to be 2 or 3 different types of movies while kind of dumping aspects of WandaVision) - MoM and Quantumania are also buried in expectation, which is a horrible thing in these days of polarized response to anything (it must be "the best ever" or it's "the worst ever").
I'm probably Captain Marvel's biggest hater and even I say Quantumania is worse. Objectively.
Nah bro. Quantumania is like a bad hangover.
I can watch Captain marvel, I can even watch Thor 2 but it’s hard to sit through a movie that looks like actual toilet water
@@zltpsm Thor 2 has, for example, an absolutely banging outfit. Thor’s party outfit, that deep blue cloak thing, totally fucks. To this day I have to think about it for a minute or two to even remember who the villain of Thor 2 was, because I only remember it as the one that gave me bisexual panic with that one Thor outfit.
Hell yeah! I've been enjoying the recent stuff, but Marvel definitely needs a solid W with general audiences right now. Public perception has been rough lately
Thank you for the honest review. Looking forward to seeing this film, but keeping my expectations tempered because it's unfair to build it up too much - just let the movie sink or swim on its own merits. Will probably rewatch/listen to this after seeing GotG3 to see how our feelings compare.
I think what I wanted to see most from this movie was Rocket facing his trauma. He shouldn't have been an unconscious macguffin for the first half of the movie he should have been an active participant
Great film, watching them all the collection at once was amazing. Would watch it again on the big screen.
I can tell you watch it 2 hours before this video cause you’re eyes are still teary
Best marvel movie in a long while but also maybe the best period.
Can’t wait to watch it
The only really valid criticism that I've heard is that the movie was marketed like almost any other marvel movie and alot of parents thought they were going to see a thor love and thunder but instead they got something way more different and they are upset that their kids experienced that. that's not a fault of the movie, but it is still something that parents can validly be upset about
The high evolutionary wants to make a perfect society but doesn’t want to be outdone by his creations. A walking paradox. That is an interesting character dynamic, he makes himself the god because he saw it as an open role, and deemed the universe in need of one. therefore he puts himself above his creations to the point of destroying them with no second thought, but one of those discardable creations is smarter then him then what? To discard that raccoon would mean he would have to discard himself. It’s not the hand that creates but the hand that guides the hand is a great example of it’s not about what one makes or who gifted you life. It’s those who treat us like family those who held out their hand not smited us with it that matter. the missing piece to the high evolutionary’s utopia is that a world of perfection doesn’t need to be created in the first place. people find purpose and self among those who walk with them not above them. It is within these flaws that we self and we find community with others. The high evolutionary created amazing things but didn’t take the responsibility of the fact that they are no longer just creations, they are beings that need home, that need love and a hand to lift them and yet all he really does is destroy. No beauty can prosper in a world that never gave it a chance. This Trilogy does a great job of portraying the loss of the mother, the rejection of the father (the creators) and the finding of one’s self, among a group of those who have also lost. (The guiding hands.)
This movie is awesome, people just used to critic late bland MCU movies but this one is not the case, this is not a one more MCU movie, this is James Gunn movie, and I love it.
you know what I realized. How come nobody’s talking about all the horror film nods? That movie was packed with easter eggs
Imagine giving a negative review of a film for being “grim” when the film in question literally ends with a dance party where all the main characters get a satisfying ending. 🙄
I haven’t been this emotionally moved by a film in quite a while. I left the theater with that feeling of quiet euphoria that I got as a kid after watching a film that would stick with me for years. Gunn and crew absolutely nailed it with this one.
"The dogs good.. it's very very good."
Yes! It is. It's a *good* dog!
This was possibly my favourite guardians movie. Everyone shines, leaves off somewhere satisfying. Jokes weren't as forced as vol. 2. Action ruled, evolutionary was great. We got the peak of most of the cast. Rocket, drax, nebula, mantis, Groot. All matched or reached their peak in this movie. Wasn't a fan of warlock. Havent enjoyed a marvel project this much since end game (Spiderman was fun but fan servicey). NO SLEEP TIL BROOKLYN
Hell yeah! NO! SLEEP! TILL BROOKLYN!!!!
Regarding how some people may not like the high evolutionary, the way I see it is that the entire guardians of the galaxy trilogy is (in a very boiled down way) about embracing and learning to accept and find value in imperfection. And since the high evolutionary is the absolute antithesis of that, somebody who hates and vilifies imperfection not just in nature as a whole but also within himself, both in a literal sense as well as a more figurative sense with his constant need to validate his ego and unwillingness to accept the fact that he created something more intelligent than him, he is genuinely the perfect villain for the guardians of the galaxy at this point in their existence, and the perfect villain to help tie the perfect bow on this amazing trilogy. Villains are meant to reflect their respective heroes in ways that are rooted much below the surface, and this movie does that perfectly.
Spider Punk is actually a good figure, lots of detail, don't feel bad for buying it early...