Thunderbolts* review: A grim yet inspiring superhero blockbuster

      **Thunderbolts* Review: A Dark Yet Inspiring Superhero Blockbuster**

      “Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts* enhances the MCU's shortcomings with a brilliant superhero blockbuster featuring a refreshingly dark and emotional storyline.”

      **Pros**

      - Exceptional performances

      - Great heroes and villains

      - Stunning action sequences

      - Addresses profound themes of regret, depression, and redemption

      - Balances humor, heart, and horror

      **Cons**

      - Some supporting characters feel underdeveloped

      Marvel Studios has produced another standout in its Multiverse Saga with the grounded blockbuster, Thunderbolts*. Directed by Jake Schreier (Beef), this film offers a daring new adventure centered on its titular team of assassins and former villains as they confront the corrupt CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and her immensely powerful champion, the Sentry/Void (Lewis Pullman).

      Prior to its release, Thunderbolts* appeared to be another superfluous comic book film lacking originality in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fortunately, this uplifting film surpassed these anticipations with its dark, poignant narrative, masterfully blending thrilling action, light-hearted humor, and intense psychological storytelling. Marvel Studios is known for keeping audiences on their toes, and Thunderbolts* is certainly not an ordinary superhero film.

      **The Characters Ignite a Flame in This Dark Narrative**

      Although Yelena is not the team leader, her emotional arc positions her as the main protagonist of Thunderbolts*. Florence Pugh delivers another outstanding performance, making Yelena relatable on many levels, despite her role as a black ops agent. Her heartfelt speech to her father Alexei (David Harbour) reveals her attempts to manage overwhelming negative feelings about herself, which she struggles to mask with alcohol and work.

      Meanwhile, David Harbour injects humor and warmth into his role as Alexei/Red Guardian, showcasing him as the energetic and silly father figure that Yelena and her teammates desperately need to keep them united. The chemistry among the team is remarkable. Even though they start off at odds, Thunderbolts* ultimately demonstrates why these dysfunctional characters complement each other, thanks to their shared backstories and snappy dialogue.

      However, Taskmaster still appears underutilized, as her one-dimensional character is given roughly a minute of screen time before being abruptly killed. Given her sparse presence in the film’s marketing, it was evident she was fated to die. Although Antonia’s death raises the stakes, her character and the circumstances surrounding her demise don’t receive much attention afterwards, save for a single scene. Ava also feels underdeveloped, as the narrative largely focuses on Yelena, Bucky, and Walker’s troubled histories, resulting in both her and Antonia’s characters feeling like lost opportunities.

      **The Film’s Villains Shine in Darkness**

      Pullman delivers a well-rounded performance as the main adversary. He effortlessly merges the foolish yet good-hearted Bob, the impressive yet vain Sentry, and the sinister, hopeless Void, creating a compelling and realistic portrayal of depression. Bob feels like an ordinary individual caught in a difficult situation, grappling with mental illness, experiences of parental abuse, and the overwhelming comic book universe he inhabits, serving as an apt mirror to Yelena, who develops a heartwarming connection with him as she tries to help him navigate his darkness.

      Simultaneously, Julia Louis-Dreyfus enriches her sarcastic and cunning character, Val. She embodies a villain that audiences simultaneously love and despise. While she projects an aura of control and uses her sharp wit to belittle others, the Void’s glimpse into her traumatic history reveals the deep pain she conceals, prompting her cynical worldview. Additionally, her impeachment storyline parallels certain real-world occurrences, rendering Val a haunting image of the hazards posed by unchecked power.

      **A Heavy Narrative Supports the Film**

      While Thunderbolts* could have easily fallen into generic superhero territory, it provides Marvel’s outsiders an opportunity to shine, akin to The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy. Specifically, Thunderbolts* emphasizes the cast’s emotional journey of redemption, confronting weighty themes of guilt, depression, and suicide. Yelena’s initial scene, where she leaps from a skyscraper, sets the film’s tone, offering a striking reflection of her depression tied to her life as a black ops agent. The film adeptly balances its more serious themes with Marvel’s signature humor, featuring Bucky doing dishes with his bionic arm, Alexei picking up the crew in a party limo, and that amusing climb up an elevator shaft.

      Thunderbolts* also distinguishes itself through its portrayal of the villain. Although the Void far exceeds the heroes in sheer strength, he encapsulates the “emptiness” Yelena and her teammates experience due to their regrets, sorrows, and aimlessness. Instead of a conventional CGI battle against the Void through New York City, the film presents the heroes navigating a twisting labyrinth of Yel