GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY III: RUNNING OUT OF SOFT ROCK?

For Marvel fans like me a new flick on Disney + is exciting.

Last night I watched Guardians of the Galaxy III. Previously I'd really enjoyed the first two films, especially the first, with its bold use of the great American song book and the refreshing motley of Guardians.

The second film was great but the pre-occupation with a CGI Kurt Russell took away one star. Still a fab flick through.

So [spoiler alert!], the difficult third film is essentially Rocket's origin story. I liked it, I did, but it lacked something the first two had, that light-hearted joule de vivre that always carried the friends along.

Yes, number three is still about friends for sure but there's so much more shouting going on. Angry, hacked-off guardians throwing tizzies. Even Nebula [ex-Dr.Who] the patchwork android shouts and balls - at everyone. Gamora looks fed-up most of the time and Quill appears to have just fallen out of bed. Only Groot, Mantis and Drax seem themselves, with Rocket out for the count on an operating table this time round. Mantis remained my favourite Guardian, I could watch her all day.

Oddly enough it was the new stuff I liked the most though. The engineered animals were the most interesting sections by far, dare I say the most human; strangely sweet, sad and heartening like Watership Down was. Another newcomer was Adam Warlock, a conflicted super-being, who looked just like Rick Astley painted gold.

Even the songs seemed out of kilter. This is the Day by The The? What happened to the bright and breezy mix-tape? Maybe this was indeed the day.

I've since read that the old Guardians will not return to the big screen. Ten years is a long time listening to soft rock and wearing green greasepaint. I for one will miss them as a team. I hope individual characters re-appear in the Marvel Universe, if not the actors themselves. Warlock will certainly be one to watch.

Goodbye Guardians. come and get your love.*

* in case you haven't seen the first film, this is the title of the 1973 song by US rockers Redbone, made famous again by the movie's superb opening scene, where Peter Quill dances to his mix tape and headphones. I loved Redbone as a kid in 1970, their Witch Queen of New Orleans a personal favourite, appearing on one of my K-Tel LP 20 Dynamic Hits. Remember it?