The Guardians go out Gunn's a-blazin'! But there is much more to this film than meets the eye. Get ready for a deep dive and a very unconventional review.
To think I got here from a poignant LoC post about Kenny to a GotG review. You truly have a knack for making a lot of topics accessible to the uninitiated (I’m extremely unfamiliar with superhero comics, especially Marvel)—I never thought I’d be one to scroll through a meticulous GotG review, but your wit and enthusiasm kept me hooked!
I had an initial knee-jerk reaction at the mention of anti-intellectualism, so I’m glad that you made a distinction between actual intelligence, vs. the religion of pragmatic expedience we see today. I still exalt genuine intelligence as a redeeming virtue, which is partly because I think it’s the best way to avoid subverting one’s conscience/autonomy. Then again, I’m thinking of Clarisse McClellan… in that vein, modern society truly has become anti-intellectual—things like curiosity, “creative or critical thinking, [and] novel experimentation or rigorous methodology” (as you so eloquently put it!) aren’t actually valued—the ideal of intelligence is just used as a cudgel to force people into conformity. Ironically (like rain on your wedding day!), most of the valedictorians were some of the least curious and enthusiastic classmates I knew—I’d find more intellectual kinship when reading Lovecraft on the bus ride home.
At the same time, everyone wants to LARP as Gregory House, but for all the adeptness with which people craft elaborate metanarratives about the world, there’s a risk of abstracting away from one’s conscience. It may be known as a cliché reading assignment book, but Flowers for Algernon illustrated this perfectly. Charles Gordon is treated like a pet until he gains his high IQ, and then like a fear-inducing deity afterwards—while the typical message is that Charlie loses himself due to gaining greater IQ, it was cathartic when he blasted Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss, saying “[my past self] would’ve given you his last crust of bread”. I wouldn’t call myself stupid, but my affability often outshone my competence, and I’d exalt people that I considered more intelligent than myself. It took me a while to recognize my capacity to be a kind friend, and to think critically/deeply/creatively.
All this to say that reflecting on your post brought me a sense of closure about a topic I'd pensively ponder—I graduated a few months ago, but oddly enough, I feel like "[I'm] in high school again", somehow vindicated. Thank you for this thought-provoking read!
Thank you so much taking the time read through my article and for another exceedingly gracious and insightful reply. I know people are busy and coming from all different walks of life, so I always make a concerted effort to write in such a way that, regardless of the topic or my particular conclusions and opinions, readers will find my articles enjoyable and informative. How often I succeed... is up for debate haha. But that is why feedback like yours here is truly some of the most welcome--and highest--praise that I could ever hope to receive! I am over the moon to hear that my musings here could add some useful perspective to the topics you'd been pensively pondering. I readily confess that I had no idea going in to GotG3 that I would enjoy the film so much, nor that I would find so many profound elements to investigate! I haven't really seen anyone else do a deep dive on this film ("Won't you believe it's just my luck!"), so I'm very happy if I can fill that void a bit here and give the Jimmy G and the crew the credit they deserve.
Speaking of which, you raise excellent points here yourself that really enhance the ideas I was trying to develop. Great references from Fahrenheit to House (I feel like there is Taking Heads "Burning Down the Houes" joke here somewhere haha) to Algernon, which was hugely influential book for me. Such a perfect scene to invoke! And it is so rewarding to hear from someone who is on a similar wavelength on this, frankly, rather challenging topic.
And I also definitely relate to feeling more kinship with dead authors, like--KA CHOW!--our boi Howard, than with "honor roll" classmates at times haha. That is the beauty and vitality of art! And thank God for that.
Speaking of art and Algernon and superheroes, if you ever get a chance, you might enjoy a really cool story arc in Tangled Web 5 & 6 titled "Flowers for Rhino." It takes the theme of that book and ports it over to the Spider-Man universe with the lumbering C-lister villain Rhino basically playing the Charlie role. I feel like Pete Milligan was doing a lot of interesting writing back then, and that series gave people like him and Ennis a chance to write some interesting, unconventional stories in the Spidey mythos.
Again, thanks so much, and keep on rockin' in the free-ish world! ♪
Thank you for your meticulous response to my stream-of-consciousness! The issue of intelligence (and my tendency to exalt it) is something I tend to grapple with quite a bit, to the point that it seeped into my recent crybaby-ish "Anodyne Presence" post.
I think it's a reflection on the person themselves if they can find something meaningful from a piece of media, so more power to you; I probably would not have been able to analyze a movie in such a profound manner ... but I'll be sure to check out the Tangled Web arc, to try!
[Sorry for the short response! I really have nothing to add, since you've articulated so well here!]
I grew up watching Siskel and Ebert religiously, and loved their work, so I totally understand, Matt. I am just honored to even be *mentioned* in the same proverbial, digital breath as the legend himself.
Thank you so much for the read and the kind words. I am really glad you enjoyed this piece. It took a lot twists and turns that even I didn't expect as I was writing it, and I became really invested in trying to do right by these ideas and "characters" (real and fictional), so it means a lot to hear from people who like you who found it worthwhile.
Yeah, it took me on one hell of a journey, too, lol. I never would have thought that movie had anywhere near that much to say about our culture that wasn’t complimentary. Really deep stuff.
I absolutely loved this film. Thank you for naming and giving voice to the spiritual underpinnings that made it so emotionally intimate and connecting for me. And clearly for many others.
Thank you so much for the read and the kind words! I'm really glad the piece resonated with you; I had no idea how my view of the film was going to be recieved haha
Thank you very much for the read and for the kind comment! The "evolution" of the High Evolutionary, to coin a phrase, is indeed a fascinating topic of its own. It seems to me that though many of his early stories in the 60s and 70s may've portrayed him as either heroic or a rather quixotic "Man of Science!" by the time we get into the 80s, with storylines like Evolutionary War, he had already assumed a more villainous role. I find it fascinating how media can provide a snapshot of a zeitgeit. For example, "Science!" as villain in the atomic 50s sci-fi like Them! vs. "Science!" as savior in space-faring 60s sci-fi like Star Trek. I think the case could be made that the evolution of the High Evolutionary also tracks with larger cultural views of science, and of course the views (overt or more subtle) of the writer or director themself, which of course factors in quite a bit with how I approached this article.
In the 90s High Evo was much more heroic and was ashamed of the Evolutionary War, and had renounced it so that he was trying to atone. He had a very interesting set of appearances in Spider-Man in the 90s.
Agreed! It knows what it wants to do, and accomplishes it brilliantly on all fronts, style and substance. Crazy that Brad has two perfect films in my book then!
Great review. Not what I expected to hear about this movie. However, do you think these messages are accidental or that Gunn is secretly one of /ourguys/?
Thank you very much; it was not the review I expected to end up writing either haha! But, since I didn't see anyone else talking about the angles that I found interesting, I figured I might as well take a stab at it.
But, you ask a really good and difficult question that I've been thinking about as well regarding Jimmy G's intentions. Candidly, I believe the really long answer depends on one's views of things like some Jungian Collective Unconscious, or Divine Inspiration, or how much agency any of us really have in what we create.
I think the more manageable answer is that Gunn is indeed free of the Woke Mind Virus. I doubt he is some rock-ribbed Conservative or leading his local prayer group (I had read that his criticism of Trump may have spurred people on the Right to pick up the Cancel Pitchforks and go rummaging through his Twitter history in the first place.), but I do think this film proves he poured the Loony Lib Kool-Aid into a potted plant when no one was looking. Fingers crossed!
When I was discussing the review with a friend of mine, I mentioned that I certainly could be projecting a bit when it came to the parts about Gunn's potential motivations. That's why I tried to qualify things when discussing, say, the possible impact being cancelled had on Gunn's world view as manifest in his treatment of Drax.
That said, I think the themes and the characters are both too meticulously developed to be just a happy accident. Though with the way things are going in the world today: I'll take a happy accident too haha. Jimmy G earned my respect with this one, and I am optimistic for what he does at DC, both because I'd love to see some good DC films for a change, but also because of the delicious schadenfreude of Gunn getting stabbed in the back by Disney Marvel, still dropping the mic by directing their best film in years on the way out the door, and then watching that studio collapse like the House of Usher from his new, luxurious Metropolis penthouse.
But, I'm curious what you think! How much of the subtext in the GotG 3 do you think was constructed consciously by ol' James?
I don't know, because I haven't seen this movie, or any of his movies, quite honestly. One thing I was thinking is that perhaps James Gunn just knows what makes a good story, a *human* story, and he tapped into these universal elements and experiences that don't care if one is left-wing or right-wing. From reading your review, he comes across like too much of an artist to let his politics ruin his story. He might not be unwoke or whatever, but he's at least unwilling to let wokeness destroy his art. For that, he has my respect, even though he'd probably hate me and my family and people like us in real life.
But I don't know. That's not a charitable assumption, and I'm basing it on the words and art of too many of his Hollywood brethren and not on Mr. Gunn himself. So maybe it was a happy accident, as you say, or maybe he really is just a pre-woke liberal (whatever that means).
Let me conclude by saying that I am glad to hear that such messages can still make their way into mass entertainment. You know, the way they used to!
Great review and lots of food for thought. Thank you for writing it.
You are quite welcome. Thank you once again for the kind words. When hammering away at these articles, I always hope to provide something unique for the reader to consider (well, first, I always hope to have readers at all haha), so it means a lot to hear that.
I really like your take on Gunn as an artist, regardless of politics (remember when that was, at least ostensibly, a thing?). It's a perspicacious point, and a great comment all around. You've given me food for thought as well!
Such a wonderful review! It was so thorough, but doesn’t seem spoiler-y. I’ve seen the middle GotG, but not the first nor most recent episode. I now want to see this!
I really appreciate the kind words, as well as you taking the time to read through what became a far longer screed than I had planned haha! I'm so glad you enjoyed it : )
And as you likely gleaned, I would indeed recommend giving Vol. 3 a watch. I'd humbly suggest sitting down with the first one, well, first before checking out the third installment though because the work done establishing the characters and plotlines in the original ups the impact of this final film.
If you do check 'em out, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
To think I got here from a poignant LoC post about Kenny to a GotG review. You truly have a knack for making a lot of topics accessible to the uninitiated (I’m extremely unfamiliar with superhero comics, especially Marvel)—I never thought I’d be one to scroll through a meticulous GotG review, but your wit and enthusiasm kept me hooked!
I had an initial knee-jerk reaction at the mention of anti-intellectualism, so I’m glad that you made a distinction between actual intelligence, vs. the religion of pragmatic expedience we see today. I still exalt genuine intelligence as a redeeming virtue, which is partly because I think it’s the best way to avoid subverting one’s conscience/autonomy. Then again, I’m thinking of Clarisse McClellan… in that vein, modern society truly has become anti-intellectual—things like curiosity, “creative or critical thinking, [and] novel experimentation or rigorous methodology” (as you so eloquently put it!) aren’t actually valued—the ideal of intelligence is just used as a cudgel to force people into conformity. Ironically (like rain on your wedding day!), most of the valedictorians were some of the least curious and enthusiastic classmates I knew—I’d find more intellectual kinship when reading Lovecraft on the bus ride home.
At the same time, everyone wants to LARP as Gregory House, but for all the adeptness with which people craft elaborate metanarratives about the world, there’s a risk of abstracting away from one’s conscience. It may be known as a cliché reading assignment book, but Flowers for Algernon illustrated this perfectly. Charles Gordon is treated like a pet until he gains his high IQ, and then like a fear-inducing deity afterwards—while the typical message is that Charlie loses himself due to gaining greater IQ, it was cathartic when he blasted Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss, saying “[my past self] would’ve given you his last crust of bread”. I wouldn’t call myself stupid, but my affability often outshone my competence, and I’d exalt people that I considered more intelligent than myself. It took me a while to recognize my capacity to be a kind friend, and to think critically/deeply/creatively.
All this to say that reflecting on your post brought me a sense of closure about a topic I'd pensively ponder—I graduated a few months ago, but oddly enough, I feel like "[I'm] in high school again", somehow vindicated. Thank you for this thought-provoking read!
"NO REEEEECEEEEEEESSSSSSSS! NO RECESS!"♬
Thank you so much taking the time read through my article and for another exceedingly gracious and insightful reply. I know people are busy and coming from all different walks of life, so I always make a concerted effort to write in such a way that, regardless of the topic or my particular conclusions and opinions, readers will find my articles enjoyable and informative. How often I succeed... is up for debate haha. But that is why feedback like yours here is truly some of the most welcome--and highest--praise that I could ever hope to receive! I am over the moon to hear that my musings here could add some useful perspective to the topics you'd been pensively pondering. I readily confess that I had no idea going in to GotG3 that I would enjoy the film so much, nor that I would find so many profound elements to investigate! I haven't really seen anyone else do a deep dive on this film ("Won't you believe it's just my luck!"), so I'm very happy if I can fill that void a bit here and give the Jimmy G and the crew the credit they deserve.
Speaking of which, you raise excellent points here yourself that really enhance the ideas I was trying to develop. Great references from Fahrenheit to House (I feel like there is Taking Heads "Burning Down the Houes" joke here somewhere haha) to Algernon, which was hugely influential book for me. Such a perfect scene to invoke! And it is so rewarding to hear from someone who is on a similar wavelength on this, frankly, rather challenging topic.
And I also definitely relate to feeling more kinship with dead authors, like--KA CHOW!--our boi Howard, than with "honor roll" classmates at times haha. That is the beauty and vitality of art! And thank God for that.
Speaking of art and Algernon and superheroes, if you ever get a chance, you might enjoy a really cool story arc in Tangled Web 5 & 6 titled "Flowers for Rhino." It takes the theme of that book and ports it over to the Spider-Man universe with the lumbering C-lister villain Rhino basically playing the Charlie role. I feel like Pete Milligan was doing a lot of interesting writing back then, and that series gave people like him and Ennis a chance to write some interesting, unconventional stories in the Spidey mythos.
Again, thanks so much, and keep on rockin' in the free-ish world! ♪
Thank you for your meticulous response to my stream-of-consciousness! The issue of intelligence (and my tendency to exalt it) is something I tend to grapple with quite a bit, to the point that it seeped into my recent crybaby-ish "Anodyne Presence" post.
I think it's a reflection on the person themselves if they can find something meaningful from a piece of media, so more power to you; I probably would not have been able to analyze a movie in such a profound manner ... but I'll be sure to check out the Tangled Web arc, to try!
[Sorry for the short response! I really have nothing to add, since you've articulated so well here!]
Brilliant, just brilliant. I love Roger Ebert, but I've got to say, you have matched him, and surpassed him, with this one.
Well, matched in many ways. I don't want to deny the love of Ebert.
I grew up watching Siskel and Ebert religiously, and loved their work, so I totally understand, Matt. I am just honored to even be *mentioned* in the same proverbial, digital breath as the legend himself.
Thank you so much for the read and the kind words. I am really glad you enjoyed this piece. It took a lot twists and turns that even I didn't expect as I was writing it, and I became really invested in trying to do right by these ideas and "characters" (real and fictional), so it means a lot to hear from people who like you who found it worthwhile.
Yeah, it took me on one hell of a journey, too, lol. I never would have thought that movie had anywhere near that much to say about our culture that wasn’t complimentary. Really deep stuff.
I absolutely loved this film. Thank you for naming and giving voice to the spiritual underpinnings that made it so emotionally intimate and connecting for me. And clearly for many others.
Thank you so much for the read and the kind words! I'm really glad the piece resonated with you; I had no idea how my view of the film was going to be recieved haha
Good article love the reference to Michelangelo that said though, High Evo is a heroic figure in the pre-1997 comics, but enjoyed this article.
Thank you very much for the read and for the kind comment! The "evolution" of the High Evolutionary, to coin a phrase, is indeed a fascinating topic of its own. It seems to me that though many of his early stories in the 60s and 70s may've portrayed him as either heroic or a rather quixotic "Man of Science!" by the time we get into the 80s, with storylines like Evolutionary War, he had already assumed a more villainous role. I find it fascinating how media can provide a snapshot of a zeitgeit. For example, "Science!" as villain in the atomic 50s sci-fi like Them! vs. "Science!" as savior in space-faring 60s sci-fi like Star Trek. I think the case could be made that the evolution of the High Evolutionary also tracks with larger cultural views of science, and of course the views (overt or more subtle) of the writer or director themself, which of course factors in quite a bit with how I approached this article.
In the 90s High Evo was much more heroic and was ashamed of the Evolutionary War, and had renounced it so that he was trying to atone. He had a very interesting set of appearances in Spider-Man in the 90s.
I think Fight Club has got to be up there in the realms of perfect films.
Agreed! It knows what it wants to do, and accomplishes it brilliantly on all fronts, style and substance. Crazy that Brad has two perfect films in my book then!
I think he’s a decent actor. Think of Seven as well. He was class in that as well.
He was. I still say "Whaaat's in the booooox!?" every chance I can. And 12 Monkeys!
Great review. Not what I expected to hear about this movie. However, do you think these messages are accidental or that Gunn is secretly one of /ourguys/?
Thank you very much; it was not the review I expected to end up writing either haha! But, since I didn't see anyone else talking about the angles that I found interesting, I figured I might as well take a stab at it.
But, you ask a really good and difficult question that I've been thinking about as well regarding Jimmy G's intentions. Candidly, I believe the really long answer depends on one's views of things like some Jungian Collective Unconscious, or Divine Inspiration, or how much agency any of us really have in what we create.
I think the more manageable answer is that Gunn is indeed free of the Woke Mind Virus. I doubt he is some rock-ribbed Conservative or leading his local prayer group (I had read that his criticism of Trump may have spurred people on the Right to pick up the Cancel Pitchforks and go rummaging through his Twitter history in the first place.), but I do think this film proves he poured the Loony Lib Kool-Aid into a potted plant when no one was looking. Fingers crossed!
When I was discussing the review with a friend of mine, I mentioned that I certainly could be projecting a bit when it came to the parts about Gunn's potential motivations. That's why I tried to qualify things when discussing, say, the possible impact being cancelled had on Gunn's world view as manifest in his treatment of Drax.
That said, I think the themes and the characters are both too meticulously developed to be just a happy accident. Though with the way things are going in the world today: I'll take a happy accident too haha. Jimmy G earned my respect with this one, and I am optimistic for what he does at DC, both because I'd love to see some good DC films for a change, but also because of the delicious schadenfreude of Gunn getting stabbed in the back by Disney Marvel, still dropping the mic by directing their best film in years on the way out the door, and then watching that studio collapse like the House of Usher from his new, luxurious Metropolis penthouse.
But, I'm curious what you think! How much of the subtext in the GotG 3 do you think was constructed consciously by ol' James?
I don't know, because I haven't seen this movie, or any of his movies, quite honestly. One thing I was thinking is that perhaps James Gunn just knows what makes a good story, a *human* story, and he tapped into these universal elements and experiences that don't care if one is left-wing or right-wing. From reading your review, he comes across like too much of an artist to let his politics ruin his story. He might not be unwoke or whatever, but he's at least unwilling to let wokeness destroy his art. For that, he has my respect, even though he'd probably hate me and my family and people like us in real life.
But I don't know. That's not a charitable assumption, and I'm basing it on the words and art of too many of his Hollywood brethren and not on Mr. Gunn himself. So maybe it was a happy accident, as you say, or maybe he really is just a pre-woke liberal (whatever that means).
Let me conclude by saying that I am glad to hear that such messages can still make their way into mass entertainment. You know, the way they used to!
Great review and lots of food for thought. Thank you for writing it.
You are quite welcome. Thank you once again for the kind words. When hammering away at these articles, I always hope to provide something unique for the reader to consider (well, first, I always hope to have readers at all haha), so it means a lot to hear that.
I really like your take on Gunn as an artist, regardless of politics (remember when that was, at least ostensibly, a thing?). It's a perspicacious point, and a great comment all around. You've given me food for thought as well!
Such a wonderful review! It was so thorough, but doesn’t seem spoiler-y. I’ve seen the middle GotG, but not the first nor most recent episode. I now want to see this!
I really appreciate the kind words, as well as you taking the time to read through what became a far longer screed than I had planned haha! I'm so glad you enjoyed it : )
And as you likely gleaned, I would indeed recommend giving Vol. 3 a watch. I'd humbly suggest sitting down with the first one, well, first before checking out the third installment though because the work done establishing the characters and plotlines in the original ups the impact of this final film.
If you do check 'em out, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Not a perfect film. Not even the best GotG movie. Second best of the three.
Good movie and worthy of the price of admission though.
Appreciate the comment!
It’s all subjective. Personally I thought Thor Ragnarock was the best Marvel movie.
Ragnarok was a lot of fun. I'm always happy to see Cate in any film.