Review: 'Thunderbolts*'
*The Avengers weren't available, so they sent these guys instead, and we're all the better for it!
One could be forgiven for saying that the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t exactly been the same since the now 6-year-old Avengers: Endgame. In the years after its release in 2019, that movie has become a blessing and a curse for the massive superhero franchise.
The film, directed by the Russo Brothers, set the bar for the franchise so high that many fans and critics see it as nearly impossible to reach. Still, to this day, the film is the yardstick to which every other Marvel film is compared, with fandom conversations often using terms such as “…the best since Endgame” and similar when discussing the franchise.
There have been many attempts, of course, and even some exceptions—films that have reached the lofty heights of the finale of MCU’s Phase 3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3—aka James Gunn’s epic MCU mic drop—stands out as a personal favorite, surpassing all the other post-Endgame releases and placing itself firmly in the top three of my list of best-ever MCU installments.
But for every Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in the post-Endgame era, there seems to be two Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Eternals, and The Marvels.
And what’s even happening over in Sony’s live-action Spider-Man Universe, with even worse films like Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter? Again, we could be forgiven for asking questions; are Marvel and Sony really scraping their superhero buckets? Someone needs to think outside the box—or said buckets.
The time has come for Thunderbolts* then, and it’s easy to become cynical. After all, the previous MCU film, Captain America: Brave New World, was fun but forgettable, with little of the impact we were hoping for. Blame spoiler-eager marketeers for that one, maybe?
In the grand tradition of superhero franchise rivalry, Thunderbolts* reflects DC’s Suicide Squad, which we last saw in James Gunn’s excellent and deliciously bonkers 2021 film The Suicide Squad. That film showed audiences that prominent franchise names aren’t the main ingredients for success, but heart, edge, and attitude are.
After all, who had heard of Polkadot Man before he was gloriously brought to life by David Dastmalchian in James Gunn’s film? It’s not enough to draw by numbers and check off studio-mandated boxes. The audience needs to feel something.
When reviewing any Marvel film, I always try to give readers a list of other Marvel titles they should watch beforehand to stay as up-to-date as possible. However, as the MCU grows, it’s getting harder to keep up, and the list keeps getting longer.
That said, if you want to be caught appropriately up for Thunderbolts*, the essential films and series are: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Black Widow (2021), Hawkeye (2021), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). Did I forget to mention anyone? Feel free to let me know in the comments.
Much like DC’s Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts* follows a group of anti-heroes, villains, and misfits thrown together by a secret government program to confront a world-threatening emergency. The team — Yelena Belova/Black Widow (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), John Walker/US Agent (Wyatt Russell), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) — are all under the command of the cynical CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), but it doesn’t take long before they find themselves at odds with their boss. It’s complicated.
They face the enigmatic Robert Reynolds — aka Sentry/The Void — an intensely powerful superhero with a darker side… literally. I won’t go into details here, but once again, we’re back to the Marvel vs. DC rivalry, with Marvel’s comic book writers looking at Superman, saying, “Hold my shawarma!” — and creating their own version with increased powers and a Jekyll-and-Hyde complex.
But wait a minute? Thunderbolts*? Why the asterisk? Apparently, it’s a cheeky way of saying that despite the potentially world-ending threat The Void poses, The Avengers were unavailable for this one, so you’ll have to make do with the Thunderbolts.
Moving on. Like The Avengers and The Suicide Squad, a film like the Thunderbolts* rides on chemistry. Every superhero fan and comic book nerd has their own favorites. Chances are that yours is not among the Thunderbolts, however. Still, even if it is, if the film can’t conjure up enough charm and feels, no action scene or world-ending villain will make the audience care.
Luckily, Thunderbolts* goes a long way to break the mold and places itself among the better installments of the post-Endgame era. Directed by Jake Schreier, who is mainly known for directing the 2023 TV series Beef, Thunderbolts* is presented as a kind of dark and dysfunctional take on The Avengers.
We meet up with Yelena Belova, aka Black Widow, who is finishing another pointless sabotage mission. Or at least that’s how she sees it. Opposition is light, the danger is low, and it’s not even Tuesday. Maybe she’s just depressed. She has every reason to be. Still, she has to do these things, as she owes CIA director de Fontaine.
She also keeps tabs on her well-meaning father, Alexei Shostakov, who dreams of his days as the Russian superhero Red Guardian… but now lives in a run-down apartment, working as a limo driver. Meanwhile, the former Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, now involved with politics, is investigating the CIA director.
Belova is sent to a remote military installation to take out another target. The place is deserted, except for her mysterious quarry, which seems to be there on her own mission. Soon, the confrontation turns into a Mexican standoff consisting of Belova, John Walker, aka US Agent, Ava Starr, aka Ghost, and Antonia Dreykov, aka Taskmaster (played by Olga Kurylenko), all there sent to kill each other. And who is this bedraggled man hiding behind the crates? His name is Bob, aka… Bob (played by Lewis Pullman), and he doesn’t look dangerous. Surely, he is not. Right?
From here, as the conspiracy gradually comes to light, the new team must band together to survive against those who want them dead and the emerging potentially world-ending threat about to be released. It all plays out much like the gathering of the Avengers, with heroes—in this case, anti-heroes and former villains—coming reluctantly together for a common cause.
I was skeptical about this film, but it might have as much to do with franchise fatigue as anything else. I must admit that these characters haven’t impressed me much in the movie they were first introduced in—except for Buckey Barnes, one of the greats—in Thunderbolts* they get their chance to shine.
While some members of the Thunderbolts crew are more interesting than others — which really comes down to who your favorites are — the all-important chemistry and charm are on full display. Still, it’s not all banter and jokes; more often, the film explores the internal conflicts these characters carry.
And here, Thunderbolts* works far better than a Marvel Cinematic Universe film has any right to. Reflecting very human struggles with mental health, each character faces their own demons and fights them in their own way. They are all broken, and it’s not only refreshing to see heroes—super, anti, or otherwise—struggle with very human challenges, but also, to see mental health issues treated in a good and fair way on screen. Yet, despite their personal battles, they must find a way to work together before it's too late.
The cast members are generally very good in their roles. If you’ve seen the films and series mentioned earlier in the review, you know what to expect. I’m very happy to see Yelena Belova finally come out from under the shadow of Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, and Florence Pugh is excellent in this role, with room to really explore the character.
Another stand out, however, is Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomer Lewis Pullman as Robert Reynolds, aka Bob, aka Sentry, aka The Void. This is one of the more interesting antagonists this far in the franchise—not that the bar here is exceptionally high—and Pullman delivers an excellent performance in bringing this multi-faceted character to life, both vulnerable and menacing.
All in all, Thunderbolts* is a good addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It plays with greatness several times during its just over two-hour runtime, with excellent action and great music by the band Son Lux, who did the score for Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. And while it doesn’t reach all the way up to the best of the post-Endgame titles, it’s one of the better.
'Thunderbolts*' Q&A: Meet the New Crew
The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to evolve, and with Thunderbolts* it takes one of its boldest swings yet. Centered on a ragtag team of anti-heroes, misfits, and morally gray operatives, the film shows us a darker, more grounded take on the traditional superhero ensemble, without losing the action or heart fans expect from Marvel.
'Thunderbolts*' Q&A: Meet the New Crew
The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to evolve, and with Thunderbolts* it takes one of its boldest swings yet. Centered on a ragtag team of anti-heroes, misfits, and morally gray operatives, the film shows us a darker, more grounded take on the traditional superhero ensemble, without losing the action or heart fans expect from Marvel.
Really good piece! I’m posting my Thunderbolts* review soon too ;)