“Thunderbolts* is my favourite MCU film since Avengers: Endgame.”
It’s not abnormal to hear this claim each time a new entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe hits cinemas, and it is rhetoric that will be stated as Thunderbolts* releases in cinemas this weekend. The bar that Endgame set for superhero storytelling (along with its successful landing of the decade long running plane that was The Infinity Saga) is astronomically high.
For me personally – a movie fan who has liked enough of the post-Endgame offerings – there’s only been one film that I’ve enjoyed enough to be discussed as a truly worthy successor in the continuation of the MCU into its new phases. That was until I saw Thunderbolts*.
Thunderbolts* is my favourite MCU film since Avengers: Endgame.
Florence Pugh returns as Yelena, who is at a point in her life where the grief of losing her sister, Black Widow, the absence of communication with her ex-superhero father, Red Guardian (David Harbour), and the immense trauma of her violent childhood, is culminating in a depressed and lonely yearning to find purpose outside of being a killer-for-hire.
Yelena approaches her employer, the cunning and conniving Valentina Allegra de Fonataine (Julia Louis Dreyfus), for an out from the mercenary business in the hopes of finding a new spark for life. Happy to accommodate, but at the cost of one last job, Fontaine sends Yelena on a mission to destroy evidence that could bring Fontaine’s less-than-legal activities to light in an ongoing investigation. However, Yelena soon discovers that this “mission” is a death trap for the last pieces of evidence to tie up – a group of ragtag, superpowered misfits that have been the pawns in Fontaine’s shenanigans.
Reluctantly teaming up to save their lives, Yelena, Agent Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian, and newcomer, Bob (Lewis Pullman), make it their mission to take out their revenge on Fontaine. But, their mismatched anti-hero personalities and the arrival of a powerful new threat, don’t make the Thunderbolts pursuit for self justice an easy one.
” one of the more emotionally moving and mature MCU outings “
Leaning into the expected charm of the MCU, Thunderbolts* showcases a lot of formulaic Marvel movie aspects. The action is exciting and stylistic. The jokes are silly, but usually solid. And there is great chemistry between the characters in this team-up dynamic. None of these things are unusual findings in a Marvel film. However, director Jake Schreier (Netflix’s BEEF) brings a unique personality, both visually and tonally, to Thunderbolts* that truly makes it feel like its own thing, which is a welcomed, refreshing element for the MCU.
The action is slick, stylish, and effective. The choreography of the fight scenes are exciting because each hero gets to highlight their own unique abilities. The way Ghost interacts with her surroundings to her physical advantage differs from how Agent Walker uses his gun and shield, which differs from Yelena’s gymnast-like manoeuvring. Schreier’s direction captures each style in a dynamic way that never gets lost in the chaos of the action, and when the team up leads to the character’s using their abilities together is phenomenal.
The physical chemistry is only topped by the authentic dynamic between the group, which provides many banter-filled laughs and genuine heart. Harbour’s Red Guardian, and his charmingly dopey nature, has a high strike rate of joke-to-laughs, and the quips that come from Walker and Ghost often highlight the pure insanity of the team’s mission. Having played the character for over a decade now, it’s always a welcomed treat to watch Sebastian Stan’s evolution as Bucky, who gets a brilliant T2: Judgment Day style action homage that will bring smiles to many action-cinephiles.
But, it’s Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman who are the standouts within this ensemble, and that is because the film’s themes, exploring loneliness, depression, trauma, and purpose, while incredibly solidly written, is brought to life with such authenticity and heart by Pugh and Pullman. From the opening scene, Yelena’s internal struggle is known, and plays a role in her character’s evolution throughout. Then when a connection is formed with Pullman’s Bob, who is struggling with his own intense experience of trauma and loneliness, watching the journey’s these characters must go on as they deal with these things makes for some of the most emotionally mature themes seen in an MCU film, and the script and performances are worthy of praise for this. There are moments where it can come across as thematically darker than most Marvel outings, and it may be a little intense for younger fans, but just by opening a conversation about these feelings in a tentpole, action blockbuster, is to be commended. The way the exploration of these themes culminate into the film’s finale, which is creatively done in a superhero-allegory that is impactful and engaging.
Thunderbolts* is one of the more emotionally moving and mature MCU outings, with the script and brilliant performances from Pugh and Pullman exploring some heavy themes, without losing the MCU charm that audiences love. It’s funny, action packed, and features brilliant chemistry between the mismatched misfits. This is one of the best post-Endgame Marvel films, by far.
Thunderbolts* is in cinemas May 1.
