James Gunn Directed Movies Ranked
3. The Suicide Squad (2021)
The Suicide Squad Review
In transitioning over from one side of the comic book divide to the other, James Gunn was able to re-establish his fervour for more adult filmmaking ideals, imbuing his Warner/DC debut with the same borderline inappropriate jokes, don’t-blink visuals and identifiable narrative core as had made his name in his early career, once again proving his ability to effectively parody a medium whilst keeping true to its values.
The Suicide Squad may have lacked the same galaxy-hopping visual splendour and narrative opportunities of this filmmaker’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, and in doing so it had moments in which the visual palette left something to be desired and the characterisation of minor supporting acts came across as stereotyping, but under the guidance of a new studio Gunn was once again able to capture that which had made his films so beloved: a relatable quality to seeing the misfits, the mocked and the unremarkable find their purpose in the world.
As has been the case for Gunn’s entire career, The Suicide Squad didn’t keep up its momentum for its entire runtime, but it did offer so many memorable laugh-out-loud moments that there was a quote, a death or an action scene for everyone to laugh at, to become involved with, and to discuss later on with their friends, achieving that sacred watermark of box office friendly discussion-factor that was key to his two Marvel films.
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2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Review
James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 perhaps went slightly under the radar in 2017 due to the overwhelming quality on offer in that year’s class of comic book adaptations – Wonder Woman, Logan, Thor: Ragnarok and Spider-Man: Homecoming each being mega-hits for a number of reasons – but the quality on offer in this unexpected sequel to Marvel’s most surprising box office smash was still very high.
Perhaps the standout aspect of this universe-trotting tale was its remarkable visuals and unique colour palette, both of which distinguished this from the other films in the MCU and made for one of the most visually resplendent offerings Marvel Studios have produced to this day.
While the central narrative was somewhat divisive among audiences, there’s no doubting that it provided the movie with some stunning emotional beats to match Gunn’s trademark comedic timing, all the while never losing touch of what made the original so great: the dynamic between its central group of characters.
With side narratives worthy of a teary eye and planet-spanning battles between familiar but spectacular creatures, vehicles and so on, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ticked all the fantasy-action boxes, though it was missing just that little something special that was on offer in James Gunn’s very best film… our number one.
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1. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
What James Gunn achieved with Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014 has gone down in history as a special moment for Marvel Studios and fans of the MCU alike, the relatively inexperienced but passionate filmmaker putting together a group of rag-tag next-to-nobodies to create one of the most immersive, hearty and spectacular comic book movie adaptations of all time.
With moments as deeply moving as the death of Groot, as uplifting as the team defeating the bad guy hand-in-hand in the climactic battle, and as funny as the genre-busting dance-off presented just moments before, Guardians of the Galaxy was a plethora of not only memorable moments, but moments that felt intrinsic to the very fabric of the project.
Where this film surpassed its sequel was in the handling of said moments, and how naturally they came to pass, as well as how characters like Drax the Destroyer were given the scope to not only be incredibly funny but also believably threatening.
This was a movie in the comic book universe that felt natural, like the decisions of the characters were understandable, and it acted as a breakout moment that both the MCU and James Gunn needed (though for vastly different reasons), Gunn being propelled to superstardom as a result, Guardians 1 setting the benchmark for the rest of his career.
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What do you think of James Gunn’s directorial work thus far? Do you agree with our order? Which James Gunn film do you like the most? Let us know in the comments below, and in the meantime make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
