Thunderbolts* review: A dark but uplifting superhero blockbuster

Marvel Studios has delivered another gem in its Multiverse Saga with its down-to-Earth blockbuster, Thunderbolts*. Directed by Jake Schreier (Beef), this film presents a bold new adventure surrounding its titular team of assassins and ex-villains as they fight to take down the corrupt CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and her ultra-powerful champion, the Sentry/Void (Lewis Pullman).

Before its premiere, it seemed like Thunderbolts* could’ve been another unnecessary comic book blockbuster with nothing new to add to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fortunately, this uplifting movie defied these expectations with its dark, heartfelt narrative, which balances thrilling action, lighthearted comedy, and intense psychological storytelling. Marvel Studios has always shone by surprising its audience, and Thunderbolts* is far from a typical superhero movie.

The characters light a spark in this dark film

Though Yelena isn’t the team leader, her character’s emotional journey makes her the main protagonist of Thunderbolts*. Florence Pugh delivers another terrific performance that helps make Yelena relatable on so many levels, despite being a black ops agent. Her tearful speech to her father Alexei (David Harbour) shows that, like many other real people, she’s trying to cope with so many negative feelings about herself, which she fails to bury with booze and work.

Meanwhile, David Harbour brings plenty of humor and heart as Alexei/Red Guardian, portraying him as the upbeat and goofy father figure Yelena and her teammates sorely need to hold them together. The team, as a whole, has fantastic chemistry together. Despite being at each other’s throats in the beginning, Thunderbolts* shows why these dysfunctional characters are actually perfect for each other with their similar backstories and rapid-fire banter.

However, Taskmaster still seems underutilized, despite her one-dimensional character, having roughly a minute of screentime before she gets shot dead. Based on her absence in much of the film’s marketing material, it was pretty clear that she was doomed to die. Though Antonia’s death understandably raises the stakes of the movie, her tragic character and her death at Ava’s hands aren’t addressed much after the fact, except for one scene. Ava similarly seems underdeveloped, as the film focuses more on Yelena, Bucky, and Walker’s dark pasts, leaving both her and Antonia’s characters feeling like missed opportunities in the story.

The film’s villains shine in the darkness

Pullman delivers a well-rounded performance as the film’s main villain. The actor seamlessly blends the foolish but gold-hearted Bob, the splendid but vain Sentry, and the sinister, hopeless Void in a compelling and realistic embodiment of depression. Bob truly feels like a regular guy thrust into an unfortunate situation, overwhelmed by mental illness, his experiences with parental abuse, and the mind-blowing comic book world he inhabits. This makes the perfect reflection for Yelena, who forms a heartwarming bond with him as she tries to help him through the darkness.

Likewise, Julia Louis-Dreyfus adds plenty of layers to her sarcastic and manipulative character, Val. She’s the kind of villain audiences both love and hate at the same time. Though she acts like she’s in control and talks down to everyone with her quick wit, the Void’s vision of her traumatic past shows that she is masking her true pain, which understandably made her see the world in a cynical light. Also, with her impeachment storyline reflecting certain real-world events, Val is a haunting depiction of the dangers brought on by too much power going unchecked.

A heavy story holds up the film

While Thunderbolts* could have been another generic superhero movie, it gives some of Marvel’s outsiders the chance to shine in the vein of The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy. Specifically, Thunderbolts* prioritizes the cast’s emotional journey of redemption as it tackles serious themes of guilt, depression, and suicide. Yelena’s first scene, in which she jumps off a skyscraper, sets the tone of the movie with a spectacular reflection of her depression and how it connects to her life as a black ops agent. The film still balances its heavier story with Marvel’s trademark humor, with Bucky dishwashing his bionic arm, Alexei picking up the team in a party limo, and that hilarious climb up an elevator shaft.

Thunderbolts* also stands out with the way it handles its villain. Though the Void is way out of the heroes’ league, he is a perfect representation of the “emptiness” Yelena and her teammates feel due to their regrets, sorrow, and lack of direction. Instead of a traditional CGI fight against the Void through the streets of New York, the film has the heroes navigate a winding maze of Yelena and Bob’s darkest memories in a cerebral jailbreak straight out of Being John Malkovich. As the Thunderbolts enter the Void and face their inner demons, the film also creates some cosmic, psychological horror reminiscent of Stranger Things, which raised similar psychological themes through Vecna in season 4.

Though the Thunderbolts were no match for the Void in terms of brute strength, the film handles the issue of mental illness very well. It makes it clear that, like depression, the Void can’t be killed or pushed down, and it only makes it stronger, but Bob can still cope with the love and support of his friends. At the same time, Alexei emphasizes that simply helping the people on the streets can make a huge difference, showing precisely what it means to be a superhero. Thus, the way the Thunderbolts rally to rescue civilians on the streets of New York harkens back to the spectacular and uplifting third act of The Avengers. This paved the way for the Thunderbolts to be branded as the New Avengers in a surprising but welcome twist.

Is Thunderbolts* worth the watch?

It has its fair share of flaws, but Thunderbolts* is an exceptional blockbuster and the perfect motion picture for those looking for a break from traditional Marvel movies. While the film features a healthy dose of action and humor, its focus on the characters and exploration of mental health makes for a darker, more grounded superhero blockbuster than most, continuing Marvel’s steady return to form in the Multiverse Saga. Thankfully, the film will lead to more of the New Avengers with their next big adventure, Avengers: Doomsday, which will hopefully give them the chance to grow even more as Earth’s Unlikeliest Heroes.

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.