The premise of a ragtag group of anti-heroes forced to team up is quite common in movies these days. The obvious comparison to the newest MCU entry, Thunderbolts*, would be Suicide Squad or The Suicide Squad. However, plenty of examples outside of the superhero genre pull from a familiar set-up. While many elements of the film feel familiar, it offers something more that makes it genuinely stand out.
Florence Pugh’s Yelena is at the film’s center, and the opening sequence makes it clear that she’s in a Sisyphian rut. She keeps pushing her boulder up the hill, and it keeps rolling back down again — and she feels doomed to repeat this mundane routine, with no sense of purpose. She reaches out to her father, the Red Guardian (David Harbour), and then to her boss, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), for some sort of compass bearing towards a meaning for her actions. Yelena eventually finds herself with several other disillusioned castoffs stuck in a deathtrap in a conflict that pushes them each to confront their past while making decisions about their future.
Pugh elevates the film significantly, delivering both impactful punchlines and emotionally resonant moments. She’s incredible and has truly embraced Yelena as a character every time she’s been given the chance.
Harbour stole our hearts in Stranger Things, and the attempts to launch him as a leading man have not quite clicked. There is something about the enthusiasm and wistfulness he brings to his MCU character that makes him instantly endearing. His performance might be considered over the top, but it works for the character. He shares great chemistry with Pugh, which makes for some of the movie’s funnier moments.
The rest of the cast further elevates the film. Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, and Dreyfus all reprise characters seen in various MCU films or series, but manage to individually bring something special to the overall story. Dreyfus has such authority and simultaneous comedic timing that she’s perfect casting for this character. You believe that she can pull off everything she does at every moment.
New to the MCU is Lewis Pullman and Geraldine Viswanathan, each of whom brings something special. Viswanathan is asked to do a lot less, but still makes a major impact. However, Pullman’s character verges on typecasting, especially if you’ve seen Bad Times at the El Royale — but he is able to do something new here. His connection with Pugh in the film really helps build out the themes.
Thunderbolts* delivers great action set pieces, something often lacking in recent superhero movies. They either feel blank, have no stakes, or are a flurry of CG that becomes too chaotic to follow. The action is not always as busy as in other films, and often it is shot with clarity for the audience to see what’s taking place.
The film embraces the MCU tones of snarky, irreverent humor mixed with some heavy moments. All of the moments may not resonate with everyone, but those that do are likely to land powerfully. It was refreshing to see a big blockbuster take time with characters, find relatable, real-world issues, and blend them into a fun action movie. It is in this impressive blending of tones that makes the finale memorable.
The film’s third act (where many superhero movies falter) is a standout. There will be no spoilers here, but the direction the story leads us to gives the opportunity to try something slightly different. It’s heartfelt and sincere, but also creative and visually interesting. There is quite a bit to these final scenes that makes them stand out amongst the many MCU films that have come before it.
Ultimately, I was rooting for Thunderbolts*, but I was extremely skeptical going in. I am of the mindset that Marvel did something impossible. The run of Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame was impressive, and appears to be an unrepeatable achievement. It seems unwise to continue trying to force all of the movies (and now series) to be connected, and expect to get the unmatched results they once did. No one else has been able to accomplish such a feat. While still connected to past and future MCU installments, Thunderbolts* is the first film in a while that feels self-contained. The story and the characters are going through this moment, and we are with them for the duration of it. What they are looking for isn’t really a MacGuffin, and it’s something we can all relate to needing to find.
Thunderbolts* will be in theaters on May 2.
Rating: 5/5
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