Is Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 appropriate for kids?

Back in 2014, I received an invitation for a screening of the first Guardians of the Galaxy. I knew very little about Marvel’s offbeat superhero team. When I saw the trailer for the movie, I thought, “This is where Marvel movies go downhill.” I didn’t understand how a talking raccoon, a tree that only says 3 words, and a strange group of alien beings could be a good addition to the MCU.

Marvel packed the theater that day full of influencers and film critics. Shortly after the movie started, the drama, comedy, and action pulled in the audience. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume One remains one of my top 5 favorite Marvel movies. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is now right behind it.

We’ve seen some stinker superhero movies lately. It’s probably hard to make a superhero movie that has great action, tells a fantastic story with great acting, and makes you laugh and feel. For the third time, Guardians, does all those things.

I was prepared for an emotional superhero flick before the movie started. The director James Gunn and many of the cast members have publicly shared this is their last Marvel movie. Which, to be honest, makes me a little sad. The Guardians’ trilogy is a breath of fresh air to a genre that’s getting repetitive and stale. The characters and plot always deliver. With that being said, the Guardians trilogy goes out on top.

Without giving away spoilers, here’s what the Guardians Volume 3 is about: Peter Quill (Starlord) is still mourning the loss of Gamora while his teammates are trying to hold him and the team together while living in their new home in Nowhere. During this time, Rocket’s past comes to light. The group must rally around Rocket to take on the new bad guys, The High Evolutionary and Warlock. Chukwudi Iwuji plays The High Evolutionary and gives a magnificent performance. You want to hate and fear the bad guy, and you will MCU’s newest villain.

This film has a lot of emotional moments and I teared up a few times. Every character gets their moment in the sun. My favorite has always been Drax, played by Dave Bautista, and I’m glad he finally gets to show off his power. Rocket will send you on an emotional roller coaster and every character brings the laughs. Like the other movies in the trilogy, this one is as funny as any comedy you’ll see.

So, let’s get into why you’re probably reading this. Is Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 appropriate for kids?

I always add this disclaimer to reviews: each kid is different and parents know what their child can handle. For my kids, it was mostly fine. I took my 11-year-old and 7-year-old with me. My 7-year-old hid her face and covered her ears a few times. My superhero loving son enjoyed the movie and had no problems. I wouldn’t take kids to see Volume 3 without seeing the other two. If they are fine with the first two and other Marvel films, they’ll probably be okay with this one. The action, language, and innuendos are about the same. I will add there’s a gory scene towards the end of the movie that some kids might have an issue with. Chris Pratt drops the first “F” bomb in an MCU movie.

If your kids are sensitive to onscreen violence and gory scenes, then this movie might not be for them. If you’ve been taking your kids to Marvel movies, they’ll probably be okay. Bring the tissues though.

Nine years ago, I sat in a crowded theater for Volume 1. During that screening, the audience laughed, cheered, clapped their hands, and bounced to the music in their seats. During Volume 3, the audience did the same, along with a few sniffles. Some critics are going to hate on this movie, but this film isn’t for the critics. It’s for the fans. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy this movie.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is rated PG-13 for intense violence, language, and drug references.

I watched Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 on an Imax screen and if you can, this is a great way to see the movie.