Love him or hate him, no one can deny Chris Pratt is a star. The actor, who first rose to prominence with the endearing sitcom Parks and Recreation, became a household name thanks to the MCU — in fact, along with Chris Hemsworth, Pratt might be the franchise’s most successful creation. The actor made his debut as Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord, in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and immediately left a mark on audiences.
Star-Lord is not the most powerful hero in the MCU, but he might just be the funniest. There’s an everyman quality to him that makes him surprisingly relatable, which is all the more impressive considering his stories are set in space next to a sentient tree and a talking raccoon. Much of Star-Lord’s charm comes from Pratt; indeed, the two are a classic case of a perfect actor finding the perfect role. So far, Pratt has appeared in six MCU movies, leading the Guardians trilogy and playing supporting roles in three other projects, but which is the best? This list will rank every Chris Pratt movie in the MCU based on his role in the narrative, the movie’s overall quality, and its place within the larger franchise.
6
‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (2022)
Directed by Taika Waititi
Thor: Love and Thunder is often considered among the MCU’s weakest efforts, and it’s hard to argue against that harsh assessment. The film is silly to a fault, increasing the absurdist approach first used in Thor: Ragnarok but with an increasingly self-aware tone that is neither cute nor particularly funny. Chris Hemsworth does his best with the material, and the supporting cast is equally game, but there’s a sense that director Taika Waititi might’ve thought himself too big to fail.
Sadly, the presence of the Guardians of the Galaxy seems like more of an afterthought than a valuable addition. Shoehorned into Thor’s story following the events of Avengers: Endgame, the Guardians have only a few minutes of screentime and do nothing other than act as foils to Thor’s increasingly unhinged antics. Pratt’s Star-Lord finds himself in a role that doesn’t really fit him, playing the straight man to Hemsworth’s Thor. Too long to be a cameo but too meaningless to be a true supporting performance, Pratt’s appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder feels more like a checkpoint in his Marvel contract.
5
‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
Despite its many flaws, Avengers: Endgame is still a major cinematic event that ranks as the MCU’s crowning achievement. The film sees the surviving Avengers coming together to perform an elaborate “time heist” that will allow them to bring back all those who were dusted by Thanos’ actions. Because they all disappeared except for Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper), the Guardians don’t appear until the climactic battle for the Earth in the third act.
Pratt’s Star-Lord has very little to do once he returns. He joins the final battle against Thanos and shares what should’ve been a tender reunion with Gamora, which is instead turned into a cringeworthy and undignified humorous moment that kills all the tension. His final scene shows him having a playful banter with Thor, who has joined the team provisionally. It’s a fun exchange that once again sees Pratt playing the straight man to Hemsworth’s more overtly comedic approach. It mainly works because it goes on for just a few minutes, but it’s a clear sign that Chris Pratt works better when he’s allowed to let his frat boy energy fly.
4
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
Now, Avengers: Infinity War is great, probably the best Avengers movie so far. The film juggles a massive cast and numerous storylines to bring pretty much every corner of the MCU together in the fight against the Mad Titan Thanos (Josh Brolin). The Guardians of the Galaxy have a major role, considering Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) is Thanos’ daughter. Thus, the team has a personal connection to the storyline, further enhanced by Quill’s romantic relationship with Gamora.
Pratt’s Star-Lord gets some of his best moments in Infinity War. He has excellent comedic chemistry with Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man and Robert Downey Jr.‘s Iron Man, shares a few tender moments with Saldaña, and even gets to show some impressive fighting skills during the big showdown on Titan. Alas, all of that goodwill falls apart with Star-Lord’s actions, which allow Thanos to get away and wipe out half of all life in the universe. Whether his reaction is out-of-character or not has long been debated by critics and fans, but the fact remains that Star-Lord is probably the least valuable player in Infinity War. It might be too much to blame him for Thanos’ ultimate victory, but he certainly didn’t help. Like, at all.
3
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ (2023)
Directed by James Gunn
James Gunn‘s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy ranks among the best in modern cinema. Every movie is quite strong and consistent when it comes to Star-Lord’s characterization. Indeed, as the de facto lead, Quill has a consistent and well-mapped-out character arc across the trilogy. It all culminates in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the final entry in his journey with the group of a-holes who saw him go from petty bandit to experienced and hardened leader.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is arguably more about Rocket than anyone else. However, it still works as a fitting coda for Peter Quill’s journey, especially concerning his place within the team and his relationship with Gamora. Yet, there’s a foreign sense to the proceedings, especially concerning Quill and Gamora’s romance. Rather than deal with the loss of a loved one, Quill is forced to deal with her unexpected return courtesy of the time heist in Endgame. The result is a bizarre tale that sees both characters going their separate ways in a bittersweet conclusion to their romance. It’s to Gunn, Pratt, and Saldaña’s credit that they made such a story work, but it’s also somewhat frustrating knowing what could’ve been had the Guardians remained solely on Gunn’s corner of the MCU. Still, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a satisfying conclusion to Peter Quill’s story with the team, allowing Pratt to do some of his most emotional work.
2
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ (2017)
Directed by James Gunn
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a major turning point for Star-Lord. The plot sees him meeting his father, the Celestial known as Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell). The reunion turns sour when Ego’s real motives come to light, forcing the Guardians to take a stand against the powerful being. Star-Lord holds the heart of the story through his bonds with his late mother, his newfound father, his adoptive father Yondu (Michael Rooker), and the other Guardians, who have slowly but surely become his found family.
Since it’s set only a few months after the first movie, Star-Lord remains his childish and immature self in this adventure. However, the plot allows him significant growth, turning him into the leader the team needs. Pratt has several great scenes with Saldaña, Russell, and especially Rooker, turning their previously antagonistic dynamic into an unexpectedly gentle and profound one. Indeed, Quill and Yondu’s bond might be the strongest aspect of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Pratt and Rooker bring it to life beautifully. Broadly speaking, Vol. 2 might be the weakest in the Guardians trilogy, but in terms of Star-Lord’s character arc, it’s arguably the strongest.
1
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014)
Directed by James Gunn
From the moment Pratt’s Star-Lord came onto the screen dancing to Redbone’s 1974 hit “Come and Get Your Love,” we could tell he was something special. Pratt’s childish, energetic presence gave the MCU a much-needed jolt of energy, surprising audiences with a character that was unlike anything the franchise had seen before. Less stoic than Captain America (Chris Evans), less grandiose than Thor, and far more personable than Iron Man, Pratt’s Star-Lord was the closest thing to an everyman the MCU had.
It also helps that the first Guardians of the Galaxy remains among the franchise’s finest efforts, a perfect blend of humor, high stakes, and emotional resonance. The team feels natural and suitably chaotic, and the chemistry between the cast is top-notch. Guardians of the Galaxy is a high point of Phase 2 of the MCU and a landmark of the series as a whole, and it’s thanks in no small part to Pratt. Star-Lord might’ve suffered considerable ups and downs in subsequent years, but his debut appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy will forever rank among the best and most effective introductions in superhero cinema.
Discover more from imd369
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
