The Thunderbolts* is the type of film the superhero genre needs right now. It’s electric, emotional and engaging from beginning to end.
Unlike the other post-Endgame Marvel movies, Thunderbolts* ditches the “multiverse” slant and instead focuses on a small group of seemingly irredeemable people up against impossible odds, psychically and mentally.
Thunderbolts* focuses on a rag-tag team of anti-hero’s from across the Marvel universe brought together through a shared goal. The team is forced to come together or it could spell the end of the world.
It’s a classic MCU plot but it’s held up by the stellar performances and genuine emotional core that’s guaranteed to bring you to tears.
An Unforgettable Performance
As the promotional rollout for Thunderbolts* began, it was clear that the emotional core of the movie revovled around Florence Pugh’s character, Yelena Belova, the sister of Black Widow.
Yelena has appeared in a few MCU projects prior to Thunderbolts* but she was never the main focus. Instead she served the role of supporting cast in Black Widow and played the antagonist role in the TV show Hawkeye.
She’s been around in the MCU for almost half a decade and she’s become something of an underrated fan favourite, but Thunderbolts* puts Yelena at the upper echelon of MCU characters without a doubt.
Pugh brings a subtlety to her performance that perfectly embodies the film’s themes of loneliness, isolation and depression. Yelena is struggling with her grief and is unable to find meaning in anything, there’s a void in her that can’t be filled.
Each member of the Thunderbolts embodies the film’s key themes, some more than others. David Harbour’s Red Guardian is a Russian knock-off Captain America that struggles to become something outside of his old glory days. Wyatt Russel’s U.S Agent is at the lowest point of his life having lost both his title as Captain America and his family.
Though the film doesn’t focus on the struggles of Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost, it’s clear the character is attempting to make a new start, but continually falling into old habits. Fan favourite Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan, leads the team, bringing in some much needed heroism to the crew of misfits.
The misfit structure of the team calls back to the formation of one of the MCU’s most famous teams – The Guardians of the Galaxy. If the Guardians eventually become a family, the Thunderbolts fall somewhere between estranged cousins and reluctant co-workers.
Is it Worth a Watch?
Thunderbolts* isn’t flawless, it features some staple MCU-isms that have become stale after almost forty films. There’s the obvious twist of bad guy, personal stakes and CGI fights at the end but that’s become part and parcel for almost every MCU film by this point.
What new stuff is featured in Thunderbolts* is incredible. There’s a real focus on the mental health of the core characters that’s never been done before. One scene in particular involves a conversation between Yelena and Red Guardian that’s bound to draw a couple of tears even from the most jaded MCU fans.
Without spoiling who the big bad of Thunderbolts* is, the character is one of the most interesting parts of the film that works perfectly as an obvious allegory for mental health struggles and how they can leave you feeling like a void.
Thunderbolts* is undoubtedly the MCU’s most interesting film post-Endgame. It’s got the heart of the Guardian’s films with the stakes of an Avengers film. There’s no doubt that its darker tone will put many MCU fans off, but what lies at the heart of Thunderbolts* is an emotionally resonant message that everyone needs to hear.
Featured Image Credit: Marvel Studios
Fourth year Film and Journalism student
Deputy editor
Contact - deputyeditor@brignews.com
