What do you do when the Avengers are unavailable? What’s next when you lose the people closest to you? What happens when your mental health takes a toll for the worse? There is one simple answer to all of these questions: Go watch Marvel’s Thunderbolts* as soon as you physically possibly can!
Despite the difficulties surrounding many of the recent Marvel films, Marvel Studios is more alive than ever, as the company has managed to establish several fantastic and engaging movies. These include Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, and Deadpool and Wolverine. However, these films are about to be obliterated at the box office by the best Marvel movie since Avengers: Endgame!
Thunderbolts* is a wonderful film for all audience members. Its stories are explained well enough within the film to ensure that newcomers to the franchise aren’t confused, while also building a shared universe for returning fans to appreciate. The film follows misfit anti-heroes who want to have a better life. They all work for a manipulative government agent, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who is trying to gain fame and recognition for saving the world after the Avengers disassembled during the blip. When Valentina traps them in a scheme to destroy any evidence of her past work, these misfits must learn to work together and fight for something greater than themselves. Exploring themes of sorrow, grief, depression, and acceptance, Thunderbolts* takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster as each character learns what it means to truly be a hero.
Careful who you assemble – The main cast
The cast of this film is kind of odd, but it might be one of the best teams the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has shown us since the very first Avengers film in 2012. Most of the main characters have been pulled from the less popular productions in recent years, including Black Widow, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Starring Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, this cast has perfect chemistry and blends beautifully together into the story. Those who have seen the Hawkeye series on Disney Plus will understand just how funny Yelena can be, and Pugh nails the Russian accent so well that we can’t even believe she’s actually British! Her sarcasm reflects perfectly with the similarly toned humor of John Walker and Ava Starr, played by Wyatt Russel and Hannah John-Kamen respectively.
For the glory! – Veterans of the MCU
David Harbour and Sebastian Stan also reprise their roles as the Red Guardian, Alexei Shostakov and the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes. The chemistry between these characters also reflects well, as both of them were recipients of different super soldier serums, and Alexei has fun comparing the two. Alexei is one of the funniest parts of the film, mirroring Yelena’s humor, but with less style and more dad jokes. Alexei’s Red Guardian Limo Service also comes in handy during a high-speed desert chase, providing comic relief and adding some extra color to the bleak stretch of Oklahoma road. He’s just there for the glory!
From Bob to Bob – Marvel’s rising star
Lewis Pullman is likely best recognized from the 2022 sequel film Top Gun: Maverick as Robert “Bob” Floyd. He has proven his acting capabilities throughout many movies, but nothing can top his performance as Bob Reynolds in Thunderbolts*. Bob’s storyline in the film follows the comics rather closely, pursuing his mental struggles and his darker childhood memories. He is forced to think about his past and future, choosing to move forward with people who care about him, or slide backward as Sentry, Earth’s mightiest hero. Bob shines both dramatically and comedically, helping the audience understand the importance of mental wellness, while simultaneously making us fall down laughing at some of the funniest lines in the movie. Trust me, it’s hard to fall off a reclining sofa chair in a movie theater, but with humor like this, it’s inevitable! Pullman’s performance will make you want to laugh, cry, and sneeze at the same time. So don’t shout cucumber, just bring tissues and enjoy one of the most emotional performances ever seen in the MCU.
The Visuals and the Void
The visual effects in this movie are stunning. Each graphic conveys the tone and adds to the narrative in a significant way. Watching Ghost walk through walls never gets old, and every practical shot makes the story come to life in the perfect way. The film is two hours and six minutes long, but Shang-Chi editor, Harry Yoon, makes it feel like a brisk and comprehensive hour and a half story.
If you’re not yet convinced to go see this movie, just watch the beautifully edited trailers. Every preview will give you chills! The initial teaser sampled the song “Where is My Mind” by the Pixies, foreshadowing the mental health themes and allegories present. The D-23 special look trailer gave us a more in depth understanding of each character, providing more clarity on the comedic aspects of the film. The “Big Game” trailer from the Superbowl gave us a special look at the dramatics of Thunderbolts*, giving us a taste of the emotions we would soon feel in the coming months in the form of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship. The final trailer featured David Bowie and Queen’s famous song “Under Pressure”, using nostalgia and epic scenes from the film to draw viewers in. Every trailer was edited perfectly and advertised the absolute cinema that this movie provides.
One of the most terrifying yet cool visual effects in any Marvel film was the blip during Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, where the villain, Thanos, wiped out half of life at the snap of his fingers. The final result of this effect was trillions of people turning into dust and drifting away in the breeze. Thunderbolts* achieves the impossible, creating an even more terrifying and effective version of this original visual.
The main villain in this story is quite literally just Bob’s depression. It’s depicted as a living cosmic form of the emotion and presents itself as a shadow being called the Void. The Void has immense power and can consume people into his prison of traumatic memories. The visual result is a shadow left in the place of where the Void’s victims were previously standing. Bob is unable to control his depression, and this results in the monster trapping him inside a shadow cloud covering the entire city of New York, holding all citizens hostage. Yelena and the others must brave their worst memories and fight their depression to save Bob from himself, and to free the citizens of New York from their worst nightmares.
Mental Health Awareness Month – Impact on culture and society
Thunderbolts* was released at the perfect time, debuting in theaters on May 2 to kick off Mental Health Awareness Month with a strong start. I would absolutely recommend this movie to any member of Hope Squad or anyone who needs help with their mental wellness. For those who just want an unforgettable cinematic experience, I would strongly encourage you to find your local theater and see this amazing film on the big screen. Not only does it carry poignant messages, it’s also just a good movie! Nobody is required to understand any other films connected to Thunderbolts* to understand the plot. It has a phenomenal score composed by Son Lux (Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023) that reflects all of the best themes and emotions throughout the movie. Thunderbolts* hits hard emotionally, the humor sticks the landing, and it creates characters who the audience will become genuinely attached to.
Final thoughts and the future
The team established in Thunderbolts* is also set to return in Avengers: Doomsday releasing on May 1 next year, so this story isn’t over yet. Remember to stay for both post-credits scenes when you see Thunderbolts* because they are sure to blow your mind! It currently has an 88 percent certified fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, supporting its popularity among critics and fans alike. Find your beloved crew of misfits, call Red Guardian Limo Services (you actually can and should do this at 1-833-RED-LIM0 *that’s a zero, not an O*), and see this movie as soon as possible to have the greatest time of your life. Why are you still reading this? — go watch the movie already! For the glory!
