All 3 Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies, Ranked From Wost To Best

It's hard to make a good trilogy. Countless great filmmakers have tried their hardest to nail down a trio of excellent movies in one specific continuity only to have their trilogies ruined by one bad movie, if not more. Still, the greatest movie trilogies of all time prove that this creative endeavor isn't inherently doomed. One of those better trilogies, especially in the realm of superhero and blockbuster fare, are the three "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies. Writer/director James Gunn took these once-obscure cosmic Marvel Comics characters and turned them into cornerstones of the Marvel Cinematic Universe who headlined three lucrative films.

Once upon a time, adapting the Guardians of the Galaxy into even one tentpole feature seemed ludicrous. However, we now live in a world where three of these films not only exist, but also ended up being varying degrees of terrific. Ranking all three "Guardians of the Galaxy" entries from "worst" to best illustrates what creative miracles Gunn pulled off. Not only did he make people care about Groot (Vin Diesel) and Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), but he did so while delivering grandiose spectacle and impressive creativity.

No matter their artistic highs and lows, the three "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies are tremendously adept at balancing earnest explorations of fractured psyches with dazzling music-driven pageantry. No wonder moviegoers everywhere are "hooked on a feeling" when it comes to these titles.

The original "Guardians of the Galaxy" being the "worst" in this trilogy is merely a reflection of writer/director James Gunn further refining his blockbuster movie chops as time went on. Most notably, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" marked Gunn's first collaboration with cinematographer Henry Braham. The initial "Galaxy" was shot by MCU alum Ben Davis, whose work emphasized minimal colors and uninspired camera placement. Subsequent "Galaxy" entries would improve these problems with brighter colors and better lighting.

While an over-emphasis on dreary tableaus and some misguided stabs at "edgelord" dialogue keep "Guardians of the Galaxy" from being the franchise's artistic high point, this 2014 feature is still a bolt of fun that registers as something special. Gunn's palpable and infectious enthusiasm for these obscure Marvel characters is enduring. Despite all the terrible things the Guardians of the Galaxy have ever done, it's hard not to get invested in their respective plights. The humorous dialogue and showmanship underpinning music-driven sequences, meanwhile, are exquisitely crafted.

Even the practical makeup effects used to realize characters like Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) show the level of detail and artistry informing this inaugural installment. If Gunn, David, and company had turned up the brightness on some scenes, this terrific adventure would've easily ranked higher.

Six years after "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," James Gunn returned to deliver "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," a satisfying conclusion that wore its heart on its sleeve. Happily, Gunn hadn't lost his dedication to giving audiences the unexpected. In this case, that meant not only delving into Rocket's past, but harrowingly depicting all the misery he and his fellow captive animal pals endured at the hands of the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). This informs a plot with non-linear digressions, contemplations on how we define our identities (is it trauma or the ways we cope with trauma?), and some excellent needle drops.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" is afraid of neither brash tonal swings or grand adventurous set pieces. The latter sequences take place in largely practical locales that absolutely pop off the screen. On the other hand, Gunn's script can get too crowded for its own good. At least the overstuffed qualities stem from utilizing every corner of the Guardians lore rather than setting up MCU Disney+ shows, but it's still a foible. Thankfully, this shortcoming is somewhat mitigated by a sublime cast, with Pom Klementieff especially excelling with her work as Mantis.

The ending of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" is a moving wrap-up to this trilogy that proves saying good-bye isn't easy, but can still be an emotionally fulfilling blast.

Nearly all of Marvel's Phase Three movies, from the worst to the best, in some way helped tee up the big crossover events "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame." One of the most standalone exercises in this era, though, came with the excellent "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." Rather than intertwining the titular heroes deeper into pre-existing MCU lore, James Gunn further explored their interior worlds and woes. Folks like Nebula (Karen Gillan) were viewed as tormented figures who craved love they never received. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finally met his birth father, Ego (Kurt Russell), only for the reunion to create further problems.

Life is messy, even for a cosmic gang called the Guardians of the Galaxy. Embracing that reality made for an exquisite motion picture, especially since Gunn's sense of showmanship was clearly bolstered since the initial "Galaxy." Sequences like Yondu (Michael Rooker), Rocket, and Groot slaughtering pirates to the tune of "Come a Little Bit Closer" is a barn-burner set piece full of grim comedy and striking images. Meanwhile, those tendencies are masterfully utilized for the opposite tonal purposes in a poignant funeral finale set to a Cat Stevens ditty.

As richly human as it is deeply fun, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" saw everything in this superhero saga firing on all cylinders. Plus, who could resist the antics of Baby Groot?