‘Thunderbolts*’ review: Marvel movie packs an emotional punch
In a time when everything Marvel does is questioned, “Thunderbolts*” seems to be one of the studio’s safest plays, but throughout the film you realize it’s one of their most ambitious swings.
In “Thunderbolts*” Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes — Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
Official synopsis of “Thunderbolts*”
Whether you’re a Marvel fan or not, it’s been pretty obvious the current state of the studio is a bit different than it was back in 2019, the year of “Avengers: Endgame.” That being said, while I understand people’s frustration and confusion with the direction of the franchise, I don’t really care that much. I’m just a kid who grew up obsessing over comics. At this point, I just want Marvel to produce entertaining movies that I can get excited for. “Thunderbolts*” (asterisk included in the title) checks both boxes: I was super excited prior, and I was thoroughly entertained throughout.
Being familiar with the Thunderbolts comics, I felt that if Marvel were to adapt these characters’ story for the big screen, the action would be crucial to the movie’s success. The key players in this film aren’t superhuman (in most ways) and primarily take on enemies with their fists and guns, so this film needed to be grounded as possible. While some of the content from “Thunderbolts*” is not so grounded, I was overall shocked with how rooted the action was. The opening of this film will satisfy fans in a way that I feel we haven’t seen since 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.”
Photo by Chuck Zlotnick / Disney
On top of all the action, the soul of this film is in the characters and the emotion. Like I mentioned, the opening of this film truly gives you a glimpse of what you’re going to get in both action and emotion. “Thunderbolts*” dives heavilyy into the trauma of these characters, specifically Yelena (Florence Pugh). There are some heavy moments in this film that shocked me; I truly wasn’t expecting a superhero movie to take us there. The only other Marvel to come remotely close has been “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”
While some characters in “Thunderbolts*” get their time to shine, others are left with more to be desired. This is mostly felt in the third act. It’s easily one of the most ambitious finales we’ve seen from Marvel, but it will not be for everyone.
“Thunderbolts*” packs a punch in both action and emotion, making for one of the strongest Marvel films in recent memory. And yes, this film has BIG implications toward the broader MCU.
SCORE: 4.5/5
“Thunderbolts*” is rated PG-13 and is in theaters May 2! There are two post-credit scenes.
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