Very few directors are able to balance the fine line between humour and emotion. Add a bit too much of comedy, and the stakes of the film will be undermined while not feeling consequential at all. By this point in his career though, James Gunn has perfected that formula. In a way, his films follow a specific style, and that style is very much successful. RRR: Here’s What James Gunn Has To Say About SS Rajamouli’s Magnum Opus (View Post).

Take a group of ragtag beings, add a spice of soundtrack filled with some of the classics from the bygone eras of pop, add some parents that are the absolute worst at parenting and create an emotional payoff in the third act that is sure to have you crying your eyes out – that is what a James Gunn film looks like. A formula done to near perfection.

Him now taking on the best of both worlds with Marvel and DC as he makes some of the C and D listers our favourite superheroes out there, Gunn’s work has been nothing short of outstanding. So, to celebrate this son of a Gunn’s (I am very proud about that joke) 56th birthday, let’s take a look at six of his most emotionally charged scenes from his works at DC and Marvel.

The Gang Bonds (The Suicide Squad)

The best way to develop a team is to have them interact with each other and put down some emotional stakes that will make you feel for these characters. This scene from The Suicide Squad establishes that perfectly well as Ratcatcher and Bloodsport bond over by sharing their traumas and promising each other that they will get out of this mess. It’s a tear jerker that definitely does its job in setting up these characters well.

Killing the White Dragon (Peacemaker)

Remember the entire deal about the worst parents out there? Yeah, Peacemaker had a literal Nazi for a father. With years of trauma and abuse coming to a head as Christopher is finally facing off against his father, the White Dragon, the scene is filled with some great acting from John Cena and Robert Patrick. With the payoff making you as the watcher feel completely free, it’s perhaps a great example of how Gunn handles these scenes so well.

We Are Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy)

As Ronan’s ship is going down, in a last-ditch effort to save everyone Groot ends up creating a ball through his body so that our heroes could be safe. Knowing that this would kill him, Rocket asks him to why he is doing this and Groot for the first-time replies saying “We are Groot.” Never thought would cry for a tree, but here we are. Great job, Gunn.

We are the Guardians of the Galaxy (Guardians of the Galaxy)

Who thought the idea of paying off a dance battle with one of the most badass scenes in Marvel history would be a good idea? Well of course it was Gunn. With Peter being able to distract Ronan and finally getting a hand of the Power Stone, his body starts to disintegrate as the energy is too much for him to handle. He is then slowly joined by every group member as they distribute the energy among themselves while the score blares up in the background. It’s a perfect scene that showcases just how far this group has come.

Yondu’s Funeral (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2)

Yondu’s death felt earned and capped off a story that was all about finding who your real family is. It’s made all the more better with a tearjerker sequence that uses “Father and Son” by Cat Stevens as a background track (Gunn practically cheated there) while Ravagers all across the galaxy come by to show their respects to this legend. With characters finally accepting and coming to terms with their own trauma as Gamora and Nebula bury their aggression towards each other too, it’s a wonderful payoff to a wonderful story.

Ratism (The Suicide Squad)

As a giant Starfish is causing destruction and with no hope in sight, Ratcatcher launches what is one of the most unique attacks on a supervillain in a comic book film ever. A swarm of rats coming into save the day as they pierce into the eye of a giant starfish, it can’t get any better than this. Not only that, but we are also treated to a scene of the original ratcatcher played by Taika Waititi talking about how if rats have purpose, then we all do too. In a movie that’s filled with all the sex jokes and gore one could think of, The Suicide Squad is capped off with James Gunn’s best scene to date that made the journey all the more worth it. The Suicide Squad Movie Review: James Gunn’s DC Epic Is a Violent Delight (LatestLY Exclusive).

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 being the end of a saga as well, we can’t wait to see how Gunn will conclude their story. With this, we finish off the list and wish James Gunn a very happy birthday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2022 11:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).