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Thunderbolts Review: Does Marvel Finally Get Its Groove Back?

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Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. However, achieving this goal requires generating significant hype for the movie in the preceding months. Unfortunately, Captain America: Brave New World, released earlier this year, didn’t contribute much to this effort as it presented an ordinary thriller plot without many unexpected elements beyond what was already shown in promotions. Consequently, there’s a lot riding on director Jake Schreier’s upcoming film, Thunderbolts.*

Thunderbolts*

Launch Date: May 2nd, 2025

Behind the Scenes: Directed by Jake Schreier, Co-Written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo

Star Studded Cast: Includes Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Content Advisory: Rated PG-13 for intense violence, strong language, mature themes, and some sexual and drug references

Running Time: Approximately 126 minutes

As we’re deep into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) storyline, what fans are yearning for in the upcoming blockbuster is a nostalgic trip back to the elements that first captivated them – a thrilling journey, endearing and dynamic protagonists, intricate villains, and pulse-pounding action showcasing each character’s unique talents. Luckily, this new film delivers on those aspects… for the most part.

Despite some flaws such as not fully integrating all major characters and having thin plot development at certain crucial moments, “Thunderbolts” stands out by its appeal and the thought-provoking themes it presents. Unlike recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) titles like “Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania” and “Captain America: Brave New World”, it manages to be satisfying in ways that those films have not.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I’ve eagerly anticipated the continuation of storylines introduced in “Black Widow” (2021) and “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” series on Disney+. The narrative unfolds with CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, finding herself in a precarious situation. With impeachment proceedings underway and investigations into her questionable business practices, she’s scrambling to destroy incriminating evidence before things go from bad to worse. This involves recruiting freelance operatives and hired guns for clandestine missions worldwide.

Valentina aims to wrap up all her unresolved issues at once by assigning missions to Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker, also known as U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr, known as Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Antonia Dreykov, known as Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko). She arranges for them to gather at a secluded spot, with the plan being that they’d all take each other out. However, she underestimates two factors: 1) these marginalized individuals might somehow find common ground and cooperate, and 2) they might stumble upon Bob (Lewis Pullman), who was believed to be deceased but is actually a subject of an extraordinary experiment.

While billed as an ensemble film, the focus of Thunderbolts* is ultimately pretty narrow.

In the team-oriented movie “Thunderbolts,” it’s reasonable to assume that the film would showcase its diverse cast effectively and engagingly. However, surprisingly, this Marvel production appears to favor certain characters over others, which can be slightly disheartening. If you’re expecting Ghost and Taskmaster to have substantial roles, you might want to adjust your expectations as they don’t get any standout moments and essentially function as additional characters with recognizable faces. U.S. Agent, while receiving a bit more attention, is only marginally better off. The film provides a brief backstory for him, sets his attitude (he’s a real jerk), but there’s no significant character development or climactic moment for the aspiring hero.

At this stage as well, Bucky Barnes (also known as Red Guardian) and David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov, aka Red Guardian, make an appearance. The previous character has some thrilling action sequences, and it’s intriguing to witness the progression of his character since his debut on the big screen around fifteen years ago. However, there isn’t much new development in his character arc for us to observe. As for the latter, once again, the character is portrayed as a “large, boisterous Russian” primarily for comedic purposes, which initially amuses but eventually becomes repetitive and doesn’t seem to run out of steam.

A more fitting title for this movie could be “Yelena Belova and Her Companions” since Yelena Belova, a graduate from the Black Widow program, is undeniably the most prominent character in the film. It’s not a bad wager, given Florence Pugh’s exceptional acting skills and the intriguing journey of her character. After years of living as a solitary assassin, Yelena experiences an overwhelming sense of monotony as every day seems to blend into the next. She battles to suppress her darker feelings, yearning for purpose and meaning in life. Eventually, she encounters the enigmatic Bob, which may offer her a chance at fulfillment.

Thunderbolts* has a strong emotional core with an effective message about living in the modern world.

The relationship between Yelena and Bob serves as a key element in “Thunderbolts” for conveying its central message, and the film’s exploration of a socially relevant theme is a welcome change in the MCU since “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” with exceptions such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” Without giving too much away, Bob has his own troubled history that resonates with Yelena’s, and their tales complement each other. In a world plagued by dark times, this blockbuster emphasizes the importance of not allowing darkness to overwhelm one’s ability to see the brightness of life. The film primarily drives home messages about finding meaning, expressing emotions healthily, and building connections in its third act, and it’s these profound themes that make “Thunderbolts” stand out in the growing MCU library.

Stylish cinematography and choreography come together for a number of exciting set pieces in Thunderbolts*.

The movie’s emotional depth aligns beautifully with an abundance of thrilling action sequences, which surprisingly come from first-time blockbuster director Jake Schreier. The partnership between cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo and stunt coordinator Heidi Moneymaker is evident right from the start – the opening scene showcases a breathtaking bird’s eye view tracking shot of Yelena battling through a corridor filled with armed guards, casting long shadows – and there’s a consistent stream of enjoyable action scenes.

However, the film could benefit from more diversity in the abilities of its main characters (it’s noted that they all belong to the “punch-and-shoot” category). Yet, this is compensated by the unique settings, high stakes, and captivating choreography.

The latest “Thunderbolts” film doesn’t quite recapture the heights of fan-favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe films from Phases Two and Three, but it does manage to surpass some recent titles by avoiding hasty “we’ll fix it in post-production” energy. While the movie is inconsistent in several areas and may not be a complete comeback, it establishes its unique identity and sets the franchise on a promising course towards the next Avengers story (and let’s hope that Matt Shakman’s “Fantastic Four: First Steps” maintains this positive trajectory later this summer).

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2025-04-29 19:10

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