REVIEW: ‘Guardians 3’ introduces a host of characters — and its own endgame

With more characters, more plot twists, more fights, you’ll wonder if, somehow, you wandered in at the wrong time. Oddly, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) isn’t the focus. That honor goes to Rocket (Bradley Cooper), the raccoon who has been attacked by outside forces. While tending to him, the guardians happen upon an ark of other animals who are also targets and need rescuing.

Toss in a bunch of kids, some unidentified creatures and a baddie called the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) and it’s clear this isn’t going to be just another trip built around old pop hits. Volume 3, in fact, seems like another “Endgame,” attempting to tie up everything before the closing credits.

Director James Gunn assumes you know what’s going on. But he doesn’t goose the humor like he did in the first film (it’s often deadly serious) nor does he curb the slow-mo fights. This edition is packed – and that isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Gamora (Zoe Saldana) is here but, like us, doesn’t remember key facts or who’s friendly and who isn’t.

Arriving post-Thanos, she and the High Evolutionary are on a different scale. Thanks to that memory loss, she’s not the Gamora Star-Lord loved. Eager to control life (not unlike “Toy Story’s” Sid), the High Evolutionary is making life difficult for all sorts of mammals, Rocket included.

That stirs the protective juices and gets the regulars back into play. The interesting addition: Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), a gold guy who learns it’s good to be good.

While many of the special effects seem redundant, the film’s makeup tricks are perfection. The High Evolutionary, for example, has skin that looks like it’s attached with safety pins. Folks on other flying space pads have all sorts of prosthetics found in a “Star Wars” cantina. Visually, it’s fun to watch.

But then the film gets stuffed with so many characters you feel like you’re at a football stadium without a ticket. When they square off on the deck of a ship, it’s difficult to figure out who’s playing defense.

Drax (Dave Bautista), Nebula (Karen Gillan), Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Groot (Vin Diesel) get their moments but Rocket has the ball. He doesn’t fumble it, particularly when he finds a friend worth saving.

“Guardians 3” has tearful moments, several goodbyes and a surprise from Groot that will make you wonder if he hasn’t been playing us all along.

Gunn’s passion for the characters means we don’t have to hear origins stories each time they get on screen. Still, it would be nice to have a little more background before we fall in line with characters we don’t know.

If this is the last episode of the series (could that really be true?), it’s done with great care and concern. Gunn knows how to fire up the faithful. Now, he just needs to point out who they are.