Credit: Marvel StudiosGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was a triumph for the series and a reminder of what superhero movies could and should be like. A popular consensus amongst fans is that it’s one of the most heartfelt and exciting entries to come out of the MCU, especially given Marvel’s track record with superhero fatigue.
James Gunn recently shared his thoughts on the biggest issue plaguing Marvel prior to the film’s release. After experiencing the emotional tidal wave that was Guardians 3, it’s safe to say that he was right.
Marvel’s Emotional Constipation
As crude as the term above might seem, we can think of no better descriptor for the problem facing Marvel’s plot lines. Emotional constipation could best be described as the presence of an emotional element, but not the expression. It’s there but not expressed, so why should we/the audience care?
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The director of the Guardians franchise shared his thoughts on the state of Marvel before, but his final contribution to the MCU has one element that could save the franchise millions if they would just learn by his example. On the subject of superhero fatigue, Gunn stated,
“But I get fatigued by most spectacle films, by the grind of not having an emotionally grounded story. It doesn’t have anything to do with whether they’re superhero movies or not. If you don’t have a story at the base of it…it just gets fatiguing, and I think that’s very, very real.”
Gunn doesn’t waste any time in getting to the literal heart of the matter. If the movie in question doesn’t have an emotionally grounded story, audiences are going to quickly lose interest.
Guardians of the Galaxy is the heart of the MCU
It’s been said that James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy series (and possibly even The Suicide Squad) are what happens when someone who understands and appreciates the medium they are adapting. Gunn, his cast, and his team have done precisely that and the evidence shows.
Marvel has a slew of new material coming out for the next phase of the MCU, but if Secret Invasion, The Marvels, and so on don’t have any emotional weight, risk, and reward, we’re going to end up right back where we started. Even worse, James Gunn will be playing for the other team.
What do you think Marvel should learn from Guardians 3? Tell Inside the Magic in the comments below!