When Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania released, it was meant to herald the start of Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and people didn’t seem to like it. So whatever the next movie was, it would have an uphill battle and thankfully Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 has conquered that hill and then some.

For obvious reasons I won’t detail the story as it is best something you discover while you watch it. But I will say that the main thread has the Guardians confront the being known as the High Evolutionary, someone who seeks to create perfect life. While that is the main story thread, there are actually dozens of smaller ones that weave in-between it, meaning there is a lot going on. If you have not seen the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special yet, you need to do that as not only is it good, it helps explains some motivations here. Star Lord is mourning the death and not death of Gamora, Drax is still trying to find a purpose, Mantis is trying to help out everyone and Rocket is trying to keep everyone together. While the Guardians to most are just those few folks, the cast now includes Nebula, Kraglin and Cosmo, with each of those folks having stories on their own in the mix.

While the movie could have easily been a hot mess, juggling so many stories, it never feels bogged down, even when they spend too much time on one single story beat. The movies pace is perhaps its most amazing aspect, as they are literally given a ticking clock to work against and because of it, everything just keeps moving. This helps ensure that we never have to spend too much time in a single story, but more than that, it means that when a character gets a moment to actually take a breath, it feels rewarding. James Gunn may have traded to DC, but if this is the last project he does for Marvel, it is one heck of a final offering.

That brings me to the cast, there are a lot of characters here, the original crew and the ones that have joined over the years and a new cabal of villains to deal with. While the Marvel-factor for bad guys does play an effect at times, there are enough scenes with the High Evolutionary that his motivations are clear by the end. The scenes with him and Rocket are especially powerful, Chukwudi Iwuji brings a masterful performance as a man who is mad about science and a mad scientist. The other major new player in the movie is Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter and while I won’t reveal much about this version of the character, there is enough here that fans will enjoy it. The original cast have all been given some great moments, Groot finally grows up and that is not a tree pun, Gamora finds her place after being displaced in time. Zoe Saldana could have left the MCU after Avengers Endgame and while it would have been sad, it would have been good. Her take on a Gamora that hasn’t had the years of adventures with the Guardians is just not refreshing, but also strips away a lot of baggage that could have come with her return.

Chris Pratt was the face of the Guardians for the longest time and while his story here as Star Lord is fulfilling, he manages to actually lose the antsy 12 year old kid vibe that he has had before. There are still moments where he lets the inner kid lose, but the character final grows up and Pratt makes it feel earnt. Mantis has a unique role here, as the voice of reason and the comic relief, her inability to land properly being a constant and while Pom Klementieff could have just done something similar to what we had seen before, she does managed to bring more raw emotion to the role, more so at the end. For all the growth the human characters have, Rocket Raccoon finally has a chance to be the star, though not in the way you might think. Bradley Cooper has managed to play the character as a no nonsense bounty hunter and then a greedy deceitful berk and now here. Each time we have seen Rocket, there has been a level amount of growth, but in learning more about his history, the final moments feel more impactful for it and Cooper’s voice feels genuine throughout.

There are more characters here than you can shake a Flora colossus at, but as this is a movie set in space, there is a lot going on visually as well. While the first movie played it safe, keeping things somewhat like items we would see on Earth and the second made a more fantastical version of things we might see on Earth, this third film goes above and beyond. If you have played the 2021 videogame from Square Enix, Guardians of the Galaxy, there is a lot of visual similarities going on here. While there are extremely familiar Earth elements, there are a lot more wild and unique visuals, with shapes and patterns. Seeing things that is clearly extra-terrestrial on screen, has helped make it a far more grand spectacle and that includes the giant floating head. There are a few moments where the visuals do get a bit busy and it can be hard to keep track of who or what is going on, but for the most part, it’s a visual marvel from start to finish.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is the Marvel movie that we have been waiting for, not only does it take characters we know and love and give them room to grow, it also is not afraid to make that growth hurt. The inclusion of the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock, amongst others, could have bloated things out, but there is nothing superfluous here and while there are a lot of story threads, none feel left behind. By the time the final credits appeared on the screen, I finally felt like I could breath, this movie delivers across all aspects and had me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. For the last Guardians of the Galaxy movie, at least for now, this movie is the fitting send off they needed, it has heart, laughs and some tears and brings everything together in a way that will have you feeling satisfied.