As the divisive and often maligned fifth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to a close with the 36th(!) instalment in the franchise, President of Marvel Studies Kevin Feige certainly needs a hit. With more box office flops than successes – along with a sadly review bombed female-led instalment – it appeared that cinema goers were slowly moving on from the superhero antics of the MCU. And to be fair, the Marvel machine has been going since 2008. But thankfully, Feige has assembled a squad of hugely talented actors in Marvel’s latest team-up instalment, with the film recapturing the magic of the early MCU as they take on Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley’s ragtag band of anti-heroes.
Directed by Jake Schreier (Robot & Frank) Thunderbolts* centres on a ragtag band of mercenaries – Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) and John Walker (Wyatt Russell) – as they’re assembled on a mission by the nefarious Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). However, it soon transpires to be a dangerous trap and the team must work together – with the help of newbie Bob (Lewis Pullman) – to escape. But secrets uncovered in the mission force them to confront their darkest pasts, with Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) assisting the dysfunctional group along the way.
Gone are the expansive multiverse and timey-wimey plots of the Multiverse saga, as writers Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo take Thunderbolts back to basics – and it’s all the better for it. This a character-driven story through and through, with the story affording the excellent ensemble cast time to explore the inner workings of their complex characters, while telling a surprisingly timely and emotional story in a predominantly self contained outing. This isn’t just Marvel’s spin on the Suicide Squad, there’s a genuinely emotional story at its heart which delves into grief, loneliness and redemption which will undoubtedly resonate with many. It’s the most human that the MCU has felt in a long time.
The character-driven film feels like early Infinity era MCU, with Pugh and co. recapturing the magic of original team-up instalments such as Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s packed with heart and humour – and there’s some genuinely hilarious quips and sequences as the ragtag band of misfits bicker while Red Guardian is in his element. The film truly comes to life once the Void makes his chilling entrance, and the antiheroes have to fight for New York – and Bob’s – future, in a particularly intriguing arena. It’s here where they have to confront the darkest corners of their pasts and their selves, in a sequence which feels thematically (and visually) similar to the excellent series Legion.
The ensemble cast all shine, with the central team sharing an excellent chemistry packed with chaotic energy and fiery competitiveness. Along with a hilarious script, the dysfunctional ragtag band of misfits are all given excellent arcs too, particularly Yelena and Bob. Florence Pugh is undoubtedly the star of the show, bringing Yelena’s snarky humour from Hawkeye with an added layer of nuance and depth as she struggles with finding meaning, while struggling with her grief following Natasha’s death. She carries much of the dramatic weight of the movie, alongside Lewis Pullman’s troubled Bob. The two strike up a surprising bond and they both share a similar inner struggle, with their dynamic proving the heart of the film. Pullman impresses as he effortlessly switches personas between the golden retriever energy of Bob to the cold Sentry, and it’s so effective.
David Harbour once again flexes his comedic chops as Red Guardian, proving another highlight amongst the team as the character is clearly living his best life throughout the mission. The former Soviet super soldier and Yelena also share an entertaining and hugely endearing dynamic. It’s also amusing to see Stan’s Bucky (unsuccessfully) attempting politics as a congressman, but it’s a shame we don’t really get more from the former Winter Soldier. Likewise, the recent Avengers: Doomsday announcement was also a shame as it somewhat dampened the stakes of Thunderbolts.
Director Jake Schreier and the film’s cast and crew really have knocked it out of the park with the incredibly impressive stunts, fight sequences and practical effects. It’s clear that the team have tried to film as much of it in-camera as possible – and it really does pay off. The practical effects and stunts – which the cast mostly did themselves – are the best we’ve seen in a long time, especially Florence’s Pugh’s skyscraper jump (from 2,722ft high!), an early showdown between the team and an excellent car chase, with Bucky afforded his own awesome T2 motorbike moment. It’s genuinely so refreshing to see such an MCU film attempting to not utilise a ton of green screen and visual effects.
Verdict
With a character-driven story, an outstanding ensemble cast and impressive practical action, Thunderbolts is easily one of the best Marvel movies in a long time. The predominantly self-contained story packs an emotional punch, with tons of heart and humour, while side-stepping the recent MCU pitfalls of repetitive structures and gratuitous fan service. Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman and the rest of the Thunderbolts team are clearly the future of the MCU, and I genuinely can’t wait to see more from them. Make sure you stay for the two mid and post-credit scenes too, as the latter will undoubtedly excite MCU fans.
