Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is not as kid friendly as other Marvel Studios’ movies.
Some elements in the film might be inappropriate for younger kids. James Gunn has made the franchise grow up with its fans. The first Guardians movie came out in 2014, and now the kids who saw it back then are almost 10 years older. So, the last movie in the Guardians series can do more things that are edgy for a PG-13 MCU movie.
The film is not totally bad for younger Marvel fans, but there are some things that parents might want to know before they bring their kids to watch the film. It has a sad story about Rocket being abused, a lot of bad words and some scary scenes.
The film is more mature in its themes, and it might be censored when it comes to Disney+. So here is what parents and families should know before they take young kids to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
1. The Film is Rated PG-13
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s rating is PG-13, like all the other MCU movies. PG-13 means that the film might not be good for kids under 13, and that is true for Guardians Vol. 3. It is not R-rated, so younger kids can watch the film, but there are many things that could make them uneasy.
All the other MCU movies are PG-13, but Guardians 3 goes further than the others. This is probably because it is the last film in the series, and also James Gunn’s last MCU film. So, Marvel Studios let him do more things, and the film is one of the darker PG-13 movies in the MCU.
2. Rocket’s Story Contains Depictions of Animal Torture & Trauma
The hardest part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for viewers, irrespective of age, is Rocket Raccoon’s story. The film shows how he was created by the High Evolutionary through painful experiments.
So many of the film’s flashback scenes contain traumatic depictions of animal abuse. The film does not show everything because it is PG-13, but Gunn strongly conveys the idea of emotional trauma by showing some scenes that are hard to watch in Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
In the same way, Rocket’s companions – Lylla, Teefs, and Floor – endure these experiments. The film, thus, is unsettling in its suggestions of what abuse they suffered, especially when considering their cybernetic enhancements and what would have been required to install them.
These experiments, the abuse and torture of animals, and the overall mistreatment of the creatures make for an uneasy viewing.
Rocket’s emotional story is especially heartbreaking, resulting in many tragic scenes that could be challenging for younger viewers to watch. While these uncomfortable elements all fit within the context of the story and deliver what is one of the most emotionally impactful entrances into the MCU so far, it does not mean they make for pleasant viewing.
It is also important to note that these scenes are mostly confined to flashbacks, though their significance to the story of the film means they linger in the mind long after watching.
3. Use of Abusive Language
Besides the dark parts of Rocket’s story, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 includes several abusive words. This was not surprising, because the first two Guardians movies also had these.
The Guardians series always had the MCU’s most rude humor, which does not change with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. This means that there is nothing very shocking in Guardians 3 over the first two films, except for an MCU first in terms of cursing.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has the MCU’s first-ever F-word. In a scene where the Guardians are trying to get into a normal Earth car, Star-Lord says the F-word clearly for the first time in the MCU.
The scene is one of the funniest in the movie, but the use of this language might make parents not want to take very young kids to see the film because of it. It is good to know that every PG-13 movie can have one F-word, but Guardians 3 is the first MCU movie to follow this rule.
4. Depiction of Violence
Lastly, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has a lot of violence and gruesome imagery that could make younger viewers uneasy. The bloodiest scene happens during film’s end after the High Evolutionary is beaten.
In one of the film’s scenes in the past, Rocket is shown brutally attacking the High Evolutionary, with the end of the film showing the results of this scene. The High Evolutionary is shown to have been wearing a mask since the scene in the past, with his face underneath horribly disfigured.
The makeup to create this effect looks like Harvey Dent/Two-Face from The Dark Knight, with much of the skin gone from the villain’s face.
This might scare younger children, along with some of the other more violent parts of the film. In the last part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there is a one-shot action scene in a hallway.
While the scene is one of the best the MCU has ever done in terms of action, some of the deaths might not be good for kids to watch. From enemies being stabbed, torn apart, and sliced in half to the usual violence that goes with MCU action, kids under 13 might be bothered by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s showing of intense fighting scenes.
5. The Film is Still Worth Watching
Having said all that, it is important to note that despite its use of crude humor, abusive language, depictions of violence, torture and trauma, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is one of the best films of the MCU in the recent past.
These points are only meant to illustrate how the film may not be suitable for younger MCU fans to watch but does not qualify it as a bad film. In quite the contrary, viewers of appropriate age must watch the film in theaters to get the experience.
James Gunn made Guardians Vol. 3 to provide closure to the fans of the franchise, and a befitting ending to the iconic characters. The film is clearly meant for people who have been following the Guardians since the first film in 2014.
As I mentioned previously, fans who watched the first film as kids are almost 10 years older now. So, it is clearly suitable for them to watch this film as young adults.
As far as the young MCU fans are concerned, they might wish to watch the first two films in the franchise first and then proceed to watch Guardians Vol. 3 at a later stage when they will be of a suitable age.
About Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The High Evolutionary, Rocket’s creator, emerges to reclaim his creation threatening to destroy the Guardians to get what he wants. Star-Lord must lead his team and protect one of their own while dealing with his emotional turmoil over Gamora. The stakes are even higher as Adam Warlock hunts the team on the orders of The Sovereign’s leader, Ayesha.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to hit theaters on May 5, 2023. Previous cast members will reprise their roles, including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, and Pom Klementieff. Will Poulter and Chukwudi Iwuji will join the cast as Adam Warlock and The High Evolutionary.
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