Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Trauma, teamwork at heart of darker MCU threequel.
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 70 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is a powerful yet dark conclusion to the trilogy, featuring intense themes of animal cruelty and violence that may be distressing for younger viewers or animal lovers. While it showcases meaningful messages about friendship, forgiveness, and personal growth, the graphic content and harsh language make it unsuitable for children and sensitive audiences.
- dark themes
- animal cruelty
- intense violence
- unsuitable for kids
- emotional depth
Summarized with AI
Based on 95 kid reviews
Kids say this film is much darker and more intense than its predecessors, featuring themes of animal cruelty, graphic violence, and strong language, including the first use of an F-bomb in the MCU, which might be unsettling for younger viewers. While some fans found it to be an emotional and powerful conclusion to the trilogy that effectively explores deeper themes of friendship and trauma, many reviews caution that it is not suitable for children due to its serious content and disturbing scenes.
- dark themes
- intense violence
- unsuitable for children
- emotional conclusion
- strong language
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, the Guardians, having (mostly) survived the events of the previous MCU films, are living in Knowhere in a state of low-key PTSD. That's particularly true for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), who's still mourning the death of his Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Then Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) -- a killing machine genetically engineered and raised by Sovereign leader Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) to destroy the Guardians -- ends up surprising the gang and leaving Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) near death. Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) discover that Rocket has a "kill switch" inside him that needs to be overridden if they want to save his life, so the whole gang -- including Groot (Vin Diesel) and Drax (Dave Bautista) -- head off to track down the code. Their search ultimately leads to the ultrapowerful High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), who's trying to create utopian societies throughout the universe. Rocket's past -- and his connection to The High Evolutionary -- reveal how he came to be, what kind of creature he really is, and even how he got his name. Meanwhile, Peter must come to terms with the reality that the Gamora who's from the other timeline introduced in Endgame never lived through the love story he shared with the Gamora who died in Infinity War.
Is It Any Good?
Surprisingly heartfelt, this movie is the darkest and most personal of the three Guardians films -- but also the most uneven. Writer-director James Gunn knows how to make this ragtag bunch work, but there's a layer of sadness that envelops the proceedings, despite the many laugh-out-loud moments. On the one hand, this mission has the established camaraderie of the second movie, one of the most ruthless villains in the entire MCU (The High Evolutionary is memorably terrifying with his perfection obsession), and a decades-spanning soundtrack that includes everything from Radiohead's "Creep" and the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" to Bruce Springsteen's "Badlands" and Florence and the Machine's "Dog Days Are Over." On the other hand, the extensive flashbacks to Rocket's past, while illuminating, have such a different pace and character development that Vol. 3 sometimes feels like two stories smooshed together. The introduction of Adam Warlock is also uneven, and Poulter, who's a talented and funny actor, isn't given much to do except preen, kill, and whine for most of the movie.
Then there's the Gamora factor, which is necessarily complicated because she's not the same Gamora audiences have grown to love. It's difficult to feel invested in this Gamora, and her presence is sometimes more unpleasant than humorous. Like Peter, many viewers are likely to miss the old Gamora too much to enjoy Saldana's performance here. Pratt knows how to continue to make Star Lord lovable and messy and a bit of a wreck, and Cooper does a lovely job of conveying the trauma that Rocket experienced, as well as his core desire to belong to a found family. Bautista gets a great moment to shine when he forms a bond with a group of genetically engineered children, and Gillan's Nebula has her biggest role in the group to date, stepping up as a real leader. The visual effects focus on hybrid creatures created for potential utopias and sequences of violent whole-world destruction. The hybrids are purposefully uncanny and unsettling. It's unclear whether there will be more Guardians films in the future now that Gunn has left the MCU, so this is a good time to enjoy his final contribution to the franchise -- and be thankful for the questions he finally answered here.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. How does it compare to the two previous movies? To other MCU movies? What's the impact of violence on kids?
Which characters do you consider role models? How do they demonstrate teamwork, perseverance, and courage? Why are those important character strengths?
Talk about The High Evolutionary's vision: What's wrong with his way of thinking? What does he lose by viewing Rocket and his friends as failed experiments? Can you think of parallels to real life?
What did you think of the soundtrack to Vol. 3? Kids/teens: Does the movie make you interested in music from the 1960s, '70s, '80s, and '90s?
What do you think happens next? Is the franchise done, will it continue as-is, or will it follow only a couple of the main characters?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 5, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : August 2, 2023
- Cast : Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldana , Karen Gillan , Dave Bautista , Bradley Cooper , Pom Klementieff
- Director : James Gunn
- Studio : Disney/Marvel
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 150 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : intense sequences of violence and action, strong language, suggestive/drug references and thematic elements
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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