On May 5, the third installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy series was released, bringing back old faces. “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” rocketed to the top of the charts making $48 million on its opening night and being expected to make $110 million by the end of its opening weekend. As of May 17 the movie has made $771 million globally.

Of all the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this one differentiates itself by serving as an entry point for new Marvel fans. The movie doesn’t overuse references to characters from previous movies, allowing for a fresh audience to enjoy and understand without needing to think too much about background. This movie is a perfect entry point for new Marvel fans while not losing sight of what made the first two installments global hits.

The first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies were joyrides, the first closely relating to the plot of the popular movie “Avengers: Endgame” and the second about the main character Peter Quill’s struggle to relate and meet with his dad, ending in Quill nearly destroying half the galaxy. The third volume opens up the backstory of the beloved warrior racoon, Rocket. Rocket, a main character introduced in the first movie, instantly was a fan favorite with his daredevil personality and his use of comedy. 

The movie starts with the characters on the skull or planet “Knowhere” which had been known to be a pseudo-base to the Guardians. After the second movie’s destruction, the Guardians had settled down to hopefully live a peaceful life on Knowhere, but the galaxy had different plans for them. Within the first 10 minutes, all the characters’ lives are put in danger as they are attacked by a being who looked like he was sent to apprehend Rocket. The guardians, as they always do, are able to overcome him but at a cost: their friend Rocket is wounded and has only 48 hours to live. 

From here, the team is led through tough challenges, where comedy holds a prominent place in the characters’ hearts. From snarky remarks to witty remarks, the laughs and giggles were heard around the theater. Comedy seemed to be the attractive feature for all audiences from young Marvel fans to adults. The comedy had them hooked. 

The movie also threw some plot twists, such as Quill’s long-lost girlfriend Gamora being reintroduced as a new character. Director James Gunn miraculously balances the film’s ongoing need for action with a love story that had been seen in the past two renditions. In addition, some life lessons are passed on through characters such as “Everyone deserves a second chance” coming from fan-favorite tree Groot. Not to mention the astounding soundtrack, which brought old songs from the ’60s to ’90s to audiences of today.

This movie is a must watch for audiences of all ages as it brings a fresh perspective for returning viewers and a funny, action-packed love story for new viewers.