They called me a fool for still having faith in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Well, who’s the fool now?
Sitting down to watch “Thunderbolts*,” I hadn’t been this enthusiastic about a Marvel project since I heard Chris Evans, as Steve Rogers, mutter, “Avengers, assemble.” Although not entirely terrible, much of the MCU’s “Multiverse Saga” has disappointed me. With the abundance of corporatized slop Disney has dumped onto fans since 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” superhero fatigue has left audiences disinterested in future Marvel projects.
After being let down by “Captain America: Brave New World” earlier this year, it felt as if Disney and Marvel had lost the magic touch that made these superhero movies the global phenomena. However, something felt unusual “Thunderbolts*.” Its eccentric, promotional run revealed a personality unlike what we’ve seen from Disney in years. Why is the poster a giant cereal box? What’s up with this trailer that seemingly reckons with director Martin Scorsese’s comments that Marvel films “aren’t cinema?” Why is there an asterisk in the title?
“Thunderbolts*” is a film with many odd, unexpected quirks. The biggest of them all? This is a pretty fantastic movie.
“Thunderbolts*” gathers the MCU’s most troubled misfits – Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, John Walker, the Red Guardian, Ghost and the Taskmaster – and assembles them into an unconventional band of anti-heroes. They must team up to uncover the mystery behind Bob, a quirky figure with a dark secret, and stop a sinister force manipulating events behind the scenes.
“Thunderbolts*” is easily the most unusual MCU project released after “Endgame.” The film is quite dark, arguably more so than 2023’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” It’s stunning how Disney even allowed the film to go as dark as it did, grappling with themes such as depression, abuse and metaphorical explorations of suicide. Although its messages aren’t as deep as they could’ve been, the film’s care and earnestness for its subject matter are quite refreshing to see.
The MCU has always struggled with balancing tone. Easily the biggest sin holding back “Endgame” from being as good as it should’ve been was its inconsistency. For as melancholic as the film was, there were too many unfunny, unwelcome comical bits spoiling the emotional gravitas of the narrative. And yet, the cheesy “power-of-friendship” sentimentality of “Thunderbolts*” somehow complements its very somber tone because of the good execution. It presents a hope for healing to those struggling with mental health as we watch these broken characters slowly recover from their troubled pasts.
As mentioned previously in my review of “Captain America: Brave New World,” acting quality is not my biggest concern in these superhero movies. However, I was genuinely astonished at how good the performances in this film were. To name a few, Lewis Pullman as Bob is simultaneously amusing, horrifying and tragic. David Harbour demonstrates pure comedic brilliance with his timing and delivery as the irresponsible Red Guardian. But he is also able to turn a complete 180 and become a heartfelt, mature father figure to Yelena and the group.
Florence Pugh’s performance as an empty Yelena is too heartbreakingly real. There are hundreds of different layers and levels Pugh plays for sadness that the word “nuance” isn’t enough to describe. Pugh’s ability to display an extensive range for a single emotion alone makes her worthy of securing an Oscar for this role. Pugh proves herself to be arguably the greatest actor of her generation, and if you didn’t believe it then, you’ll surely believe it now, with a Marvel movie of all projects.
My biggest gripe with the film is the lack of screen time for the other anti-heroes. Taskmaster, as great of a role as she had in this film, didn’t have much to expand the character we saw from 2021’s “Black Widow.” The same applies to Ghost, who despite being a more active participant in the film’s action sequences, doesn’t have much development.
As incredible of an actor as Sebastian Stan is, he doesn’t have much to do as Bucky in this film. Apart from being an awkward out-of-place congressman also operating, low-key, as a super soldier on the side, of course. It was disappointing to me how underwhelming his role in this movie was despite Bucky being a popular part of the MCU for over a decade now.
And easily the most disappointing of them all was the film’s handling of John Walker, the Captain America before Sam Wilson. Walker, now a disgraced figure after the events of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” didn’t have as much as I hoped for in terms of expanding the tragedy of his character. It wouldn’t have hurt to dedicate a couple of extra minutes to developing the arcs of these characters.
“Thunderbolts*” will continually surprise you. From its twists, turns and constant subversion of expectations, it will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s an unpredictable movie constantly working to deceive you, from its promotional material to the asterisk in the title. All your questions will be answered, but not in ways you would expect. After years of struggling to find solid footing “post-Endgame,” Marvel fans can rejoice for finally having the Multiverse Saga’s equivalent to 2012’s “The Avengers.” If future Marvel projects are going to be met with the same love and care as this one had, then it’s safe to say, “We are so back.”
4/5
