Why Sean Gunn Thinks Rocket Is The Defining Character Of The Guardians Of The Galaxy Trilogy
With "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," actor Sean Gunn has arguably reached the zenith of his career after his motion capture performance as Rocket Raccoon and his role as Kraglin, the mowhawked Ravager with a heart who finally gets his long overdue hero moment in his brother James Gunn's surprisingly moving threequel. Professionally, both brothers have been working together since "Tromeo and Juliet," with Sean also going on to appear in "The Specials" and the R-rated vigilante superhero indie "Super" (before appearing in all three "Guardians" films and the "Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special").
Countless VFX artists have worked tireless hours to bring Rocket Raccoon to life, working in concert with Gunn's movements on set to deliver a fully realized character that has now become the beating heart of the franchise and one of the most unlikely heroes in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rocket's tragic backstory has been in the back of director James Gunn's mind from the beginning, and after how hard-hitting his journey through "Vol.3" turned out to be, it's easy to see how effectively it connects back to pivotal scenes in the original "Guardians of the Galaxy."
In "Vol.3," it's revealed through flashback how Rocket was painstakingly built up piece-by-piece by the wicked experiments overseen by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) — which, interestingly, winds up being a metaphor for how the character of Rocket was brought to life by an entire team of artists and performers over the course of the trilogy.
Seeing himself in a CGI character
Now that Kraglin has become such an endearing character and an official member of the Guardians, most fans will recognize Sean Gunn as the former Ravager who finally learns to wield Yondu's (Michael Rooker) whistle-contolled Yaka Arrow. The effort it takes to provide the mo-cap work for Rocket in all the "Guardians" films can go overlooked, but it's worth pointing out how much of Gunn's own personality and physicality is on display.
Speaking with AV Club, the actor acknowledged just how much of himself winds up on screen in Rocket:
"I definitely see stuff that I did all the time, because a lot of the stuff, the hand movements or shrugs, or sighs, or things where Rocket's looking around, like that's all me. Most of the time that's stuff that I did on set. So I see that stuff a lot."
During the flashbacks of "Vol.3" (showing the evolution of Rocket from an adolescent raccoon to the more recognizable adult version), Gunn was able to stand at his full height to do more traditional motion capture, instead of being obligated to constantly move around on his hands and knees.
Without question, those scenes featuring Rocket's other cellmates (Lylla, Teefs, and Floor) are some of the most difficult moments to watch in "Vol.3." But James Gunn's ability to speak through the character makes the audience root for Rocket even when it seems like all hope is lost. Both brothers feel a strong connection to Rocket, which in turn helps Bradley Cooper find his voice and allows the team of animators to create believable, cathartic moments that reduce the audience to a puddle of used tissues and tears by the time the end credits roll.
This was Rocket's story all along, according to Sean Gunn
No disrespect to the other main Guardians, but Rocket Raccoon has become the emotional core of James Gunn's trilogy, an amazing feat that actually represents what's possible when the efforts of an entire team of artists work together seamlessly. To Sean Gunn, that's the real reason why Rocket winds up the true, rightful leader of the Guardians. Gunn told AV Club:
"Rocket's interesting because it takes a team of people to create Rocket. It's my brother James, and it's me, and it's the visual effects team. And then of course it's Bradley Cooper. And all the pieces get put together at the end. And in that way, it kind of mirrors what it's like to make a movie. It takes all kinds of different people to make a movie. So if there's any character who best defines what the Guardians are all about, it's Rocket."
Perhaps more than any other Marvel movie or superhero property in general, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films show the truly collaborative spirit of filmmaking, and that comes through in the bond that the Guardians develop over time. Gunn's right, but I'll do him one better. Looking beyond "Guardians of the Galaxy," if there's any one character throughout the entire comic book genre that epitomizes the magic of moviemaking, it's Rocket Raccoon.