Wonder Watchlist

I’ll be the first to admit that there is an overwhelming amount of Marvel projects post-Avengers: Endgame that have missed the mark. Too much comedy, poorly directed, and VFX workers not given the proper amount of time to polish their work. I’ve found myself skipping newer entries into the MCU, especially when it comes to Disney+ shows. A franchise that could once guarantee boatloads of profit and praise desperately needed a new spark. Thunderbolts* is a jolt of life back into the franchise when it needs it the most, showcasing a team of misfits that are as flawed as they are skilled in combat. With a cast possessing magnetic chemistry, quality practical effects, and a much better grasp on mental health than earlier films, Thunderbolts* is a welcomed surprise.

Centered around Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) Thunderbolts* places audiences into her life while it’s in a dark place, aimlessly completing each new task she’s given by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Yelena has been alone for some time after her sister passed away, using her work and substances to distract her from the mental pain she’s in. In a constant battle with her dark past, Yelena is exhausted, looking for any little slice of happiness she can get. Her pain comes from deep within her, some in the form of regrets, but mostly from a childhood that was taken from her. Choices she was never capable of making for herself and the suffering of those around her haunt Yelena for a majority of the film.

Working with Valentina is no cakewalk for Yelena; it places her in some high-risk situations, but in true Yelena fashion, she finishes yet another task set before her. Thunderbolts* finally gives Valentina her time to be as devious and downright irritating as she wants to be, whether it’s in her impeachment hearing or her ability to talk down to nearly everyone she comes into contact with. As a former CIA, she’s no stranger to hidden agendas, super-powered beings, or plotting her next power move. Her motives in the film are trouble, yet she sees her actions as nothing but necessary. However, Yelena isn’t the only hero for hire she has on her roster, and as the film progresses, Valentina’s schemes begin to mix.

There’s a refreshing balance of tone in Thunderbolts* that writers Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo manage to achieve, something sorely missed from a large amount of Marvel projects. Although some of the mental health topics come across as surface level in their conclusions, or explanations, seeing this franchise treat mental illness with care is admirable. Not playing off depression or anxiety for jokes makes this character-driven story easy to connect with and relate to. Everyone has a darkness to them, and Thunderbolts* doesn’t shy away from those hard-to-talk-about pieces of our past that make us who we are. Pearson and Calo have to juggle a lot of different characters within this story; they give each of them their moment to shine and then some.

Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* is highly entertaining with its rotating cast of misfit heroes, its high-stakes dynamic action, and practical effects work. Schreier’s entry into the MCU is a return to the early phases of this cinematic universe, where the sets look and feel real, and the punches feel like they are connecting to flesh. Largely due to the stunt work, many of the film’s action scenes bring together characters who at times have similar skill sets, making it easy for some to get lost in the shuffle, but Thunderbolts* allows each character to have their hero moment. It would be easy to let the film get bogged down with too much action, but Schreier’s focus on Yelena grounds it with her story.

There’s plenty of stellar performances in Thunderbolts*, with there being something for everyone to connect with in some way or another. Pugh is flexing hard with her performance as Yelena here, harder than in her previous work with Hawkeye and Black Widow. She brings out a side of her that we haven’t fully seen, a woman who recognizes she needs to change but doesn’t have the ability to. She’s fully committed to her role in this film, not only with her acting chops but her physical performance as well by jumping off incredibly tall buildings with her stunt work. Pugh steals each scene she is in with her heartfelt and honest portrayal of Yelena.

The films large ensemble cast brings plenty of praise worthy performances as well, some from characters we haven’t seen in some time, and some making their first impressions. Sentry (Lewis Pullman) makes his MCU debut, and with an actor like Pullman it’s easy to feel empathetic for Sentry, or rather Bob. He captures a youthfulness in Bob that is charming, he’s eager to help but reluctant because he doesn’t see himself as anything extraordinary. Pullman’s performance has a duality when he’s Bob he’s a friendly face with a confused demeanor, but once he shifts into the perfect hero Sentry his confidence is off the charts.

The rest of the Thunderbolts* team rounds out that misfit family feel. Red Guardian (David Harbor), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Bucky (Sebastian Stan), and John Walker (Wyatt Russell) have a tremendous amount of chemistry with one another. Some stand out more than others; John-Kamen and Russell, for example, riff off one another exceptionally well. Their shared moments together bring to light their complicated lives while arguing like they are siblings. Stan plays an integral role in the film’s plot, in a way we haven’t quite seen from him before. His screen time is lesser than some of the other cast, but he makes each moment count. Red Guardian is a character that I have been wanting more of, and that completely has to do with how Harbor plays the character. A washed-up super soldier reliving his glory days while having painful reminders of those he’s lost. His moments with Pugh as they work out their tricky relationship are what drive the film’s themes home.

Everyone envisions themselves as the perfect hero, devoid of mental stressors or having backstories that are squeaky clean. We’d like to imagine ourselves as always doing the right thing at the exact right time, never hesitating when times get tough. But that’s not the reality of living in a world that is harsh and cruel. Sentry for all his abilities still is a sad and lonely man who is desperate to change, finding solace in harmful ways. While the film explores darker themes than a usual MCU film there’s still work to be done with how it’s portrayed through it’s characters, Thunderbolts* by no means perfectly captures these themes, but how they handle mental illness is much better than how Thor has been treated for the last several years. Everyone wants to be an Avenger, but the world deserves heroes that are imperfect, ones who struggle as those they are protecting do, we deserve the Thunderbolts*.

Overall I had a blast watching Thunderbolts*, a marvel project that doesn’t need to inject useless point and clap moments of nostalgia to carry a bland story. There’s no lack of powerful performances in this that will make it easy for the audience to connect to any of the several characters. With strong writing, directing, and visuals Thunderbolts* will take many film goers by surprise.

Rating: 4/5

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