This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
In Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, our beloved band of misfits is looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from a terrible loss, must rally his team and embark on a dicey, action-packed mission to defend the universe and protect Rocket. Meanwhile, a new, unpredictable force threatens to bring the Guardians down for good. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is written and directed by James Gunn.
For in-depth thoughts on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, please see my colleague Payton Coelho’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 delivers a fetching uptick in quality over the already dazzling accompanying Blu-Ray. While it may not be night and day, the subtle increases in fine detail in the cosmic production design and terrific costumes are greatly appreciated. The HDR enhances every color in a way that will have you showing this off for pure visual majesty. With the vibrant and colorful aesthetic on full display, you are thankful to have HDR to find the nuance within each hue that fully saturates the screen.
When we explore various distinct environments, you tend to find at least one element that leaves you awe-inspired. Skin tones and shades of makeup also appear more natural with crisp detail apparent in close-up and medium shots. The elements in the film taking place in darkness are more defined thanks to deep black levels. The highlights in the film are also more crisp with white levels more controlled with no instances of blooming to be found. This 4K UHD presentation is a pure visual delight throughout. There is nothing wrong with the Blu-Ray, but the 4K UHD Blu-Ray is the way to go if you have the system to support it.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with a robust Dolby Atmos presentation that shows off with a knockout soundscape. From the opening moments, the movie announces itself as a sonic force full of action sequences and other moments that lend themselves to great complexity. Sounds are precisely rendered with pinpoint directionality from the more frantic scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. The low end holds up better than we have come to expect from Disney with great rumbling under your seat.
The track is replete with environmental details that flow throughout the rear and overhead channels. The height channels take on a substantial amount of information which enhances the spatial dynamics of the track. The all-important soundtrack is essential to the film’s identity, and it permeates the room with confidence. The sounds of traveling through to different worlds and scenes of chaos provide an impressive soundscape that radiates throughout all the speakers. Dialogue is presented crisp and clear without ever being overshadowed by any of the competing sonic elements. There are no complaints with the audio for this one. There are English SDH, French, Spanish and Japanese subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director/Writer James Gunn provides a really entertaining and informative commentary track in which he discusses exploring Rocket’s storyline, the journey of the three films, the fun details added to certain environments, the elements of the characters and script that evolved, the links between the films, bringing on various performers from his past projects, the use of music in the film and more.
- The Imperfect, Perfect Family: An 11-minute featurette which takes a look at the saga of these three films, the balance of conflicting tones, the facets of the characters and the bonds they share, the intimate nature of this concluding chapter and more.
- Creating Rocket Raccoon: A nearly ten-minute piece which focuses on the journey of Rocket, why the character is so personal to him, the on-set stand-in for the character, the visual effects work and more.
- Gag Reel A six-minute collection of flubbed and forgotten lines, goofing around on set, ruined takes and more that is quite delightful.
- Deleted Scenes: Eight unused scenes totaling nearly nine minutes are included here featuring more Adam Warlock, additional material of Drax talking about metaphors, some High Evolutionary scenes and more. There are some unfinished special effects in some of these scenes.
Final Thoughts
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the concluding chapter that fans deserve for these characters for the time being. James Gunn crafted a really excellent, consistent trilogy of films that provided humor and heart alongside these breathless adventures. With so much time spent with these characters, it is nice for the plot to scale back a bit and tackle something a bit more personal to the team. The scale is still large in an action set piece sense, but these moments are almost always in service of furthering the character development. There may be some minor issues here and there, but the emotional payoff is so satisfying that they are mostly forgiven. Disney Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a decent assortment of special features. If you are a fan of these characters, this release will suit you well. Recommended
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Disney Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.