Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
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The Guardians of the Galaxy must embark on a perilous mission to save the life of Rocket from his creator.
The story
After being attacked by Adam Warlock at their new headquarters on Knowhere, the Guardians of the Galaxy find Rocket critically wounded. Because of a specialized kill switch embedded in him by the organization Orgocorp, standard medical supplies are ineffective. The team must travel to Orgocorp's headquarters to find the override code and save his life. Along the way, the film explores the origins of Rocket, a genetically engineered raccoon who was experimented on by the High Evolutionary, a scientist seeking to create a 'perfect' society. The team must navigate a dangerous landscape to secure the code before it is too late.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following an attack by Adam Warlock, Rocket is critically injured by a kill switch. The Guardians travel to Orgocorp to find the override code. During the journey, flashbacks reveal Rocket's past as a victim of the High Evolutionary's experiments. The team, joined by an alternate version of Gamora, infiltrates Orgocorp and travels to Counter-Earth. They face various obstacles, including the High Evolutionary's guards and the threat of the Sovereign. They eventually reach the High Evolutionary's Arête Laboratories. While the group splits up to navigate the complex, they eventually reunite and engage in a final battle against the High Evolutionary's forces. They successfully rescue a group of children and other animals. In the aftermath, the team faces a transition: Peter Quill decides to leave the Guardians to reunite with his grandfather on Earth, while Rocket is named the new captain. The remaining members, including Mantis, Gamora, and Nebula, embark on their own paths of discovery or new alliances.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 150
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- James Gunn
- Writers
- James Gunn · writer
- Genres
- superhero; action; comedy; science fiction
- Themes
- identity; family; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- emotional; melancholic; action-packed
- Setting
- A variety of locations in space, including Knowhere, Orgocorp's headquarters, and the planet Counter-Earth.
- Premise and plot tags
- origin story; superhero team; space opera
- Source material / true-story basis
- Marvel Comics
- Franchise connections
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, praised for its emotional weight and for concluding Rocket's arc, though some critics noted its length.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · scale: percentage · review count: 404; Metacritic · score: 64 · scale: 100 · review count: 63; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 91% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Visual Effects · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film is the first in the MCU to feature the word 'fuck' uncensored.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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