Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction
Added 2025-02-16 23:15:01 +0000 UTCAlternate title: Emotional Damage Vol. What The Fuck (2023) Sorry for the delay on this one. I did mean to get it out much sooner this week. But I hope it's worth it! 😊 I'm looking forward to your comments! [Direct link here.]
✦ KL
Comments
It's a hard film to watch at times for sure, but part of me is glad they didn't pull their punches with it while also not trying to make it seem like there was anything noble about it at all. It was horrible and portrayed as exactly that, not something to be glorified. James Gunn once said was that the whole trilogy was always about Rocket and not Quill and in many ways I can see that now the trilogy is over. I think that's part of why Vol.2 is the weakest of the three (although the moment between Yondu and Rocket was great) As for understanding Groot at the end, it's because we've become close to him we can now understand him. It was the same with Gamora at the end. I loved that fact that we got to see the guardians all looking happy at the end.
Paul Howard
2025-02-19 16:38:53 +0000 UTC-Drax got pounded just as much in volume 2, and was fine. Nothing changed. -Peter is now completely normal and human, clearly laid out in volume 2 that this was what would happen when he destroyed ego. -In the final fight, Rocket was already prepared with what was set up in the very first scenes of the film where he has gravity boots. This took the high evolutionary by surprise, and rocket shot him and damaged his power - it was just his suit, he wasn't really powerful. It was a facade, when he can use it he is reasonably powerful, but not really as himself. It's also a part of the overall character that he was just an arrogant normal person who wasn't actually "powerful", that you were supposed to take from it. -Building towards nothing with this film for the most part, its very clearly an ending not supposed to be building much of anything.
MichaelB
2025-02-18 02:28:25 +0000 UTCOverall I appreciate this movie. The pace is good, we get good character interaction and we learn more about Rocket. I don’t know that I can say I like the movie. Because James Gunn pulled no punches with the villain. The animal testing is rough. The CGI is so good, and we’ve had enough time with Rocket that total CGI scenes like Lila and Rocket hugging completely destroy us. Take the emotional torment watching the movie, add in seeing KL break along side and I’m glad I prefer Puffs+lotion. The reaction itself though, KL when a flashback scene started your reaction was akin to the darker moments between Kilgrave and Jessica in Jessica Jones season 1. I didn’t just feel for the characters and the situation I was witnessing but empathizing with you experiencing it. That was a draining watch. Maybe now I’m ready to your Dark Phoenix reaction, which I expect will contain a combination of boredom and incredulity.
Bryan Dempsey
2025-02-17 21:10:04 +0000 UTCAfter watching with your reaction I could not help getting emotional when you did. So many tearjerking moments especially with the animal scenes. I love animals and this movie is not easy to watch even though they are CGI.
Christopher simeon
2025-02-17 17:31:32 +0000 UTCI'd remained completely unspoiled when this came out, and made the mistake of watching it for a date night. We were both so emotionally DESTROYED we just had to hug it out for a few outside the theatre. Dinner afterwards was so quiet and we both looked so ragged, people must've thought we'd just come from a funeral. 🫠
Nestor Custodio
2025-02-17 11:55:42 +0000 UTCI’m sorry for the super long comment, but I hope you take the time to read it when you can. 1.) A decade ago, there were so many who didn’t know who the Guardians of the Galaxy were. Now, almost everyone knows them. The opening logo tells us that we got to join them on this crazy journey that lasted nine years over the course of three major films, two ensembles, one cameo, and a holiday special. It’s all coming to an end, but it’s ending on a high note. 2.) James Gunn knew the story he wanted to tell. Maybe we didn’t get everything we had hoped for, but we still got a lot. Rocket is his favorite Guardian, and from his point of view a talking raccoon sounded like the saddest creature in the universe. In the first movie, Rocket said he didn’t ask to get made and torn apart over and over. In Volume 2, Yondu obviously wasn’t there when it happened but he did guess correctly when he said the scientists who created him didn’t care about him. Then Rocket tells Thor that he has a lot to lose. He survived for Endgame with an eventual determination to revive his fellow Guardians. All of that culminates in this third and final adventure. 3.) The opening scene sets the tone for this movie. The other movies started out with happy music, but the song called Creep describes what Rocket has felt for so long. Adding to that, this is the final movie with the Guardians as we know them. It’s also James Gunn’s last involvement with Marvel. 4.) Adam Warlock was “introduced” in the third post-credit scene in Volume 2. He was still in a birthing pod at the time. And yes, those abelisks are just like the one that the Guardians fought in the beginning of the same film. I feel like Adam was underused in this movie because there was so much going on, but he had been hinted over seven years ago. He had to show up sooner rather than later – preferably while James was still involved. I feel like Adam will return though. He’s a very new character in the MCU, and I can only imagine the hours of makeup that Will Poulter has to endure. They gotta count for something. Given how powerful Adam is, I can tell he’s gonna be a major help in the next Avengers film should they include him. 5.) Lylla was portrayed by Linda Cardellini. She previously portrayed Hawkeye’s wife Laura. 6.) At least Peter admitted to screwing up in Infinity War, but “nearly destroyed” is a dangerous understatement. He made half of the intergalactic population vanish including himself and some of his fellow Guardians for five years. Then again, it was supposed to happen as part of the one victory Doctor Strange foresaw. By the way, James confirmed that Star-Lord was in a rush to save Rocket that he forgot about grabbing his signature mask on the way out. 7.) However, I did like the new uniform that most of the Guardians – both the 1st and 2nd iterations – got to wear. If I’m not mistaken, that outfit originated from the Guardians’ 2008-2014 comic run. 8.) My favorite funny moment Mantis using her powers on those three guards in Orgocorp. 9.) Chukwudi Iwuji (spelled as choo-koo-dee e-woo-gee) or just Chuck if you prefer has said in several interviews that he doesn’t want us to empathize with the High Evolutionary. He genuinely wants us to hate him. I certainly do. It’s interesting because this is the first villain in a long time that we don’t have to empathize with. In the recent years, that has become the norm throughout most superhero media. He also admitted it was difficult for him to watch his own portrayal because in real life he’s a huge animal lover. He hates his own character as much as we do. 10.) It’s a bit hard to notice the first time, but Drax was carrying the High Evolutionary while he and his fellow Guardians were running with the pack of animals as the remnants of the Arete exploded. Then in an unfinished deleted scene, the High Evolutionary puts his face mask back on while Rocket locks him up in a cell on Knowhere. Following the release of this movie in theaters, James Gunn confirmed that the High Evolutionary is still alive. That means there’s some potential for this big bad boss to return in the future. 11.) My favorite fight scenes were Star-Lord and Groot gunslinging and then of course the Guardians fighting together one last time with No Sleep Till Brooklyn playing in the background. 12.) Gamora understandably wasn’t at her best in this film. I liked her the most in Volume 2 because she developed a motherly instinct towards Groot and reconciled with Nebula. At least Peter got to properly say goodbye to Gamora and gain some sense of closure. Throughout the movie he had held on hope that she was the same Gamora he knew, but by the end he accepted her all the same. In a similar sense, Gamora wanted Peter to get in his head that she’s not who he desired but she also began to understand why this whole group including her were so special to him. 13.) For me, Nebula and Groot were the highlights of this film. I never thought Nebula would have so much emotion, but I feel like in part it’s because she hung out a lot with Rocket during the blip since he was the only other active Guardian to survive. She even called him a friend right before entering the Orgoscope. As for Groot, he’s become much more reliable. He really surprised me with the ammo and the wings. It’s so cool that he could fly now, or at least glide. He also almost made me cry when he saw Peter freezing to death. The dude really is the heart of the squad. 14.) Drax found a new sense of fatherhood. My favorite moment with him was when he translated for Groot to Adam. 15.) And finally, Come And Get Your Love by Redbone helps bring the Guardians’ journey full circle. 16.) The good news is that the entire team survived. For months leading up to the theater date, many of us had been theorizing that it was gonna follow the formula that Endgame and No Way Home used where they kill off a major character in a film that closes an extensive arc. There were definitely a number of close calls, but for once everyone in the core team lived. 17.) Regarding the future of the Guardians, the sad news is that this movie is still the last time we’ll see some of them. Dave Bautista said that he would like to move on to do some more dramatic roles. I also understand that having to sit still during makeup can be a hassle. Zoe Saldaña has also said this would be her last time portraying Gamora but would like to see her portrayed by someone else in the future. However, I recently heard that she would like to see Gamora and Peter rekindle in the long run. So perhaps not all hope is lost yet. Personally I don’t see anyone else fit for the role. If we’re fortunate, maybe we’ll see her for the imminent fight against the Council of Kangs. Either way, Zoe is grateful for all the positive feedback on her portrayal especially from the female fan base. Karen Gillan did express interest in portraying Nebula again. I would personally hope so, because we’ve seen an immense amount of character development from her – especially with Volume 2, Endgame, and this film. And with that, James is now running DC studios with Peter Safran. If you’re interested, you should check out his take on the Suicide Squad. That movie serves as the kickstarter to his DC universe followed by two successful spin-off shows (one live-action and one animated) and Blue Beetle 2023.
Aldo Gonzales
2025-02-17 05:13:20 +0000 UTCWell this is my 2nd full watch an I guess its a little better than I first thought but still has phase 5 issues imo. The good seeing Rockets backstory and adding Adam Warlock to MCU. Things I got too question Adam Warlock comes in wrecks all of the guardians till he finally got hurt, then the rest of the movie he becomes a useless punching bag, yes I know he is still young but that made no sense. I know Nebula was upgraded by Rocket and she can reform but she went from one shotting herself in End game with a pistol to indestructible ? Drax I know is durable gets face pounded, blasted multiple times.... ooh he's fine Peter is part celestial I know but he froze and got bloated in space.... sure lets let him live I know they are the heros but yet again no heros die to what they themselves said was a powerful villain that you dont want to mess with. The high evolution evolutionary handled Adam warlock like a puppet, could move things with ease, took out a whole room of people with ease yet the final fight, each guardian rolls in hits him once and fight ends.... I don't know just like ant man no consequences at all, other than the team changing no one died nothing happened. Only point of movie was a back story and change of the team. My question is what are we building towards ?
Chris Elkins
2025-02-17 04:17:22 +0000 UTCI'm excited to rewatch the first two now!
kaiielle
2025-02-17 03:08:26 +0000 UTCExactly how I feel! 😭
kaiielle
2025-02-17 03:01:02 +0000 UTCDamn you movie. Animals will always get my eyes going. Humans not as much but animals every time. Then they give them voices and names…😭😭😭
RichieRich
2025-02-17 02:57:57 +0000 UTCIt was awesome in IMAX and the background with Rocket in this one really amplifies the rewatch of the first two. This one had everyone balling. You are not alone.
Ray H
2025-02-17 02:39:03 +0000 UTCI wanted to comment this before watching your reaction. Overall this movie was a good film to end this version of the guardians team. I always felt like infinity war was also part Guardians film and fighting Thanos and losing Gamora was the peak of the guardians story. This movie is the endgame for the guardians. They all at the end go their separate ways and it feels right. Even if we never saw these characters again I feel satisfied with this conclusion.
Christopher simeon
2025-02-17 01:27:46 +0000 UTCI'm curious if you liked this one...it's easily my favorite of the Guardians movies. Rocket's my favorite Guardians character from both the comics and the MCU, so the Rocket-centric storyline was right up my alley. And the High Evolutionary is a fantastic villain here. His corporate, capitalist view of the world is--in my opinion--an indictment on the whole of movie-making, including that of Marvel: his inability to make sense of why something should or could work beyond its efficiency is just like any movie studio coming in and rearranging and rewriting and reshooting something to give it broader, dumber appeal, as opposed to someone with an actual appreciation of art, human emotion, and storytelling. He's evil in that all he sees is commodity instead of humanity. Going to miss James Gunn in the MCU; but, looking forward to him over at DC.
Steve Mercier
2025-02-17 00:36:25 +0000 UTCNo Sleep Til Brooklyn Hallway fight is my favorite thing James Gunn has ever filmed. Rocket's backstory is so, so tragic like no wonder he hated being called a raccoon. He didn't know what his own species was because of the High Evolutionary's experiments and something as simple as being called "raccoon" sent him into a rage, not because of the word but because of the memories and trauma and shoved-down rage he'd carried for so long. PTSD is such an asshole
Nathan Jasper, the Artist Formerly Known as Primary
2025-02-17 00:08:56 +0000 UTC🙌🏼
boss435
2025-02-16 23:49:13 +0000 UTCAppropriate alternate title. VERY appropriate.
William
2025-02-16 23:43:10 +0000 UTCThat alternate title is perfect. This movie broke my heart.
BratPfanneTV
2025-02-16 23:29:10 +0000 UTCAfter Vol. 2 became my most-hated MCU film, this being fine was a significant improvement. MVP: Cosmo.
Tyler Foster
2025-02-16 23:23:05 +0000 UTC
