Review: ‘Thunderbolts*’
There has been a notable shift in the way people anticipate new outings from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though a new MCU movie release used to have the world boiling with universal excitement up until Avengers: Endgame, Phases 4 and 5 have been met with both mega-hits across the board (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Deadpool & Wolverine), and disappointments, both critically and commercially. Some of the Disney Plus shows weren’t met with much frenzy either, also contributing to the overall mixed bag. So much so that some started speaking of “Marvel fatigue” as latest installments failed to capture the original magic that made the world fall in love with the Avengers & co.
As Marvel Studios is about to release its 36th film, skeptics will be relieved to learn that Thunderbolts* is nothing of the sort.
The movie opens with the much-talked-about scene of Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova jumping off the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, followed by an intense fight sequence choreographed by James Young. Past outings of the MCU have often been criticized for their overflow of CGI, with critical focus on quality sometimes deemed neglected. Here, in its first 10 minutes, we are met with an abundance of practical effects and stunts, setting the tone for what the audience is in for: a return to form.
It is filled with heart, stakes, and actual developments for the MCU in many regards. The signature Marvel humor is there too, sometimes unwelcome, considering the dramatic situations, as it often can be in the MCU. However, it doesn’t stop the narrative from offering truly resonant moments as we witness the making of a new unconventional team of street-level anti-heroes with a dynamic unlike anything seen in this world so far. The first act does an efficient job bringing the team together while also exposing Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Valentina’s plans. Viewers are taken into a story that starts with political turmoil born from the vanishing of the Avengers team, and then unravels to showcase the birth of the Thunderbolts, as each member becomes the others’ “found family.”
It is in the final segment of the film that The Void, a clear depiction of depression and the loneliness that comes with it, becomes the true antagonist and what these characters ultimately rise against.
The third act revolves around fighting that darkness and finding a way to overcome it, which can feel almost impossible to do, just as it seems to be for these characters. The clumsy humor is gone here as Pugh’s Yelena faces the bleakest moments of her past to reach Lewis Pullman’s Bob. Whether the resolution is satisfying enough will be left to the audience to decide, but it ultimately offers a gratifying twist on the usual “final fight” endings of comic-book films.
The mystery surrounding the asterisk in the title finally gets answered here, partly through one specific moment toward the end of the film that should bring a genuine smile to audiences’ faces.
Thunderbolts* also delivers in the craft departments, first through its visuals. It has a cinematic touch that makes it worth seeing on the big screen, mostly due to the work of cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo (The Green Knight). The film’s score also feels very different from the usual MCU sounds, thanks to composers Son Lux (Everything Everywhere All At Once). It works especially well in the most tense moments of the film.
As for the cast, Florence Pugh stands out as the heart of the film. She grounds it, anchoring the stakes with a gravitas and emotional punch rarely seen in a Marvel project. From show-stopping action to moving deliveries, she touches everything here. Yelena is first found broken, purposeless, and lost. She struggles to make peace with the fact that her sister is gone, leaving her without the opportunity for a proper farewell. Not only will this state of mind have many viewers relating to the character, it also brings forward a question that many of us would struggle to find an answer to: how to deal with the loss of the one person who held our world together.
She attempts to find solace in her not-so-paternal father figure, David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov, with one particularly striking scene between the two highlighting how difficult it can be to see any worth in ourselves because of our mistakes, and how validating it feels to be more than just that in someone else’s eyes.
If Pugh was, up to that point, establishing herself as a fan favorite through her past few outings as Yelena, this leading role solidifies her as a bona fide Marvel star—one who doesn’t shy away from bringing her A-game to every single project she’s in.
Another highlight is Lewis Pullman’s Bob/Sentry, an internally conflicted figure running from a troubled past that brings him into Val’s mysterious program. If the role was initially going to Steven Yeun (who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts following the SAG-AFTRA strike), Pullman proves to be not just a valid choice, but a perfect fit.
Sentry, described as “more powerful than all the Avengers combined,” is supposed to be the key protector of the people while ultimately staying under Val’s control. An all-powerful being that audiences may, on paper, want to compare to Homelander from The Boys—although unlike his counterpart, Bob/Sentry doesn’t want to give in to his demons. He also gets to showcase his powers against all the Thunderbolts at once in a specific fight scene that is both technically and creatively impressive.
Pullman’s Sentry also makes for a touching found-brother figure to Pugh’s Yelena. Their growing chemistry is a true asset to the film, and one can’t help but look forward to seeing more of these two together. Luckily, they are both set to return in Avengers: Doomsday.
Sebastian Stan also returns as Marvel veteran Bucky Barnes, eager to stop Val from completing her devious endeavors. Stan is great here in a more subdued role. The movie gives him a few scene-stealing moments. The car chase scene especially comes to mind, where the original greatness of The Winter Soldier goes full speed on screen. Bucky is also looking for a purpose, and acknowledges his difficult past with a notable one-liner, making him a perfect fit for the rest of the team. Stan’s presence brings a nostalgic element that is much appreciated in this group of recently-introduced characters.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus makes for an engaging first antagonist as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and the dynamic she forms with Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel is reminiscent of a comic-book twist on a The Devil Wears Prada boss-assistant relationship, which fits very well into the film as we progressively see Mel question the moral basis of her job.
Finally, Wyatt Russell and Hannah John-Kamen offer much more likable versions of their characters here. John-Kamen’s Ghost especially comes off as an intriguing, nuanced, and unpredictable figure—a totally different approach from her previous Ant-Man appearance as a villain, allowing us to see her in a new, much better light.
That may be where the true strength of Thunderbolts lies in the climate we’re in: it feels fresh.
Fresh in its use of practical effects and stunts, fresh in the themes it tackles, fresh in its approach to these new characters and the dynamics they bring. The film also wraps on the most exciting end-credits scene we have seen in a long time. A fitting ending for a movie introducing not just a new team, but a new era for the MCU, and a promising one at that.
Rating: 4/5
Thunderbolts* will be released in theaters this Friday, May 2.
