Thunderbolts* Review

Captain American: Brave New World was decent enough, but it essentially felt like Marvel was trying to make a meal out of leftovers you forgot were in the fridge. Something similar can be said about Thunderbolts*, which assembles several supporting characters we haven’t seen in a while. Thunderbolts* is a much more satisfying spread than the MCU’s last outing, however. Part of that’s because the ingredients all complement each other. It isn’t a Hulk sequel disguised as a Sam Wilson movie with Eternals thrown in for some reason. Every character is bound by trauma, healing and battling their inner demons together.

Florence Pugh is the film’s secret sauce. As much as audiences wanted to see Natasha Romanoff headline a movie, Yelena Belova stole the show. It’s no surprise that Yelena can carry a movie, but she isn’t without backup. John Walker (Wyatt Russell) wasn’t fit to be Captain America, although I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t more entertaining to watch than Sam Wilson. While Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen) got the short end of the stick in Ant-Man and the Wasp, she’s given a chance to shine here. The three clash along with Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), the one returning player who isn’t drastically improved. Thunderbolts* compensates with a fresh ingredient: Lewis Pullman’s Bob, who walks a fine line between the most mundane member of Yelena’s crew and the wildest of wild cards.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) assembles these outcasts with the intent of destroying them. This backfires as the team instead joins forces, plotting against their boss. Valentina has been teased in a few other Marvel projects, sometimes to a distracting degree. Seriously, what she was doing in Wakanda Forever? Louis-Dreyfus always had potential in this role, however. Thunderbolts* puts her to effective use, letting Louis-Dreyfus full Selina Meyers as a politician who’s a step ahead while simultaneously making it up as she goes along. Having Geraldine Viswanathan as an assistant is a plus as well.

Also in the mix are Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Red Guardians (David Harbour), although Pugh and Pullman are the MVPs. Pullman, in particular, sneaks up on you in a performance that initially seems like comedic relief. Looking deeper into his soul, we find something more disturbing, yet relatable, reflecting what Yelena and the others are going through. The film opens with a reckless Yelena talking about the void inside her. This takes on a more literal form, cleverly visualizing what many keep buried until it consumes them. Thematically, this is one of the darker MCU films. It’s also one of the darkest aesthetically, which can suck out some of the entertainment value. Overall, though, Thunderbolts* balances fun with grit.

I’d call Thunderbolts* the good version of Suicide Squad, but then again, James Gunn already redeemed that franchise. Thunderbolts* still feels in the vein of Suicide Squad, and not just because it’s about a ragtime team of misfits. Yelena and her companions are told they’re expendable. After a while, they start to believe it, almost welcoming the release of death. Through an unlikely bond, though, the group finds that maybe their lives are worth fighting for along with the world. Thunderbolts* might not be a game-changing MCU movie, although it is a distinct one bolstered by mature themes and a strong cast. In a franchise that’s become hit-and-miss, it’s a jolt of thunder the MCU needed.