Thunderbolts*: A Terrific Bounce Back For The MCU (Early Review)

“Never underestimate an underdog.” A sentiment surely many have heard over the years, in the context of competition or someone who is least expected to accomplish something great, something beyond their abilities. It is this thought process that has led many throughout history to prove the naysayers wrong, and rise above the rest, time and time again. It is this line of thinking that is built into the premise of Thunderbolts*, the latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, releasing this weekend in theaters, bringing the cinematic section of Phase 5 to a close.

Yelena Belova (Pugh) has proven herself to be a highly skilled assassin from her days in the Red Room to a contract killer, going from mission to mission and getting the job done every time. And yet, she feels the joy in her work is lost, and success is less fulfilling than before. However, when she gets a mission that could change that trajectory for her from Valentina de Fontaine (Julia Louis Dreyfus) , she gets thrown into a situation where she’s paired up with Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker (Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) to take on a threat they are not prepared for.

Everyone in Thunderbolts* is either a reject living around the corners of the MCU, or forgotten by many since their first appearance. Not many who have asked about Ghost since 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, or Taskmaster since 2021’s Black Widow. The two are characters who most may not consider enough in conversations, but director Jake Schreier and writers Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo uses this to their advantage, as these also happen to be characters who have been through a great deal of personal tragedy and pain, traumas that have not yet been addressed. It is this thematic handling that makes Thunderbolts* special, turning it into one of the most poignant entries in the MCU.

Comparisons to Guardians of the Galaxy are inevitable, as both films feature a bunch of criminals and lowlifes brought together to fix things, but through the exploration of their shared grievances and the lies they tell themselves, Thunderbolts* sticks out from that comparison, and is elevated by terrific performances across the board, particularly a magnificent Pugh, who gets many chances to shine here and work through Yelena’s emotionally battered state. Her performance is closely followed by Harbour, who once again steals the show as Alexei Shostakov, Yelena’s ‘dad’ and a man who really wants to just be a part of something greater. Without any spoilers, Lewis Pullman is also incredible in the movie as Bob, getting to do a lot of heavy lifting as far as the emotions are concerned.

Thunderbolts* moves at a brisk pace, filled with some entertaining set pieces and action sequences, all set to a fantastic score from Son Lux, with many of them done in-camera with practical effects involved. It feels almost refreshing to watch an MCU entry after so long that feels rather tangible and not a case where the visual effects take over, with the more digital moments also being executed spectacularly as a result thanks to having more time allocated to them. Yelena jumping off one of the tallest buildings in the world to kick off the film is an extraordinary feat, and makes for an awe-inspiring shot in IMAX.

Two-thirds of Thunderbolts* (don’t worry, the asterisk is explained) feels like the action thriller one would expect it to be, but the other third is an emotionally gut punching section that gives these members a moment to just convey what they’re going through and why they feel like they’re not enough, and yet when it’s time, they come together and make it count. And yet, throughout it all, the film never loses its sense of humor, with laugh out loud moments from Harbour and Pugh, as well as Stan, who once again delivers a solid performance as now Congressman Bucky Barnes, following up on his previous appearance in Captain America: Brave New World.

That being said, not all of Thunderbolts* is perfect, however, featuring some minor missteps along the way. During the film, Valentina has her own personal issues playing into the story, and some of those aspects don’t get as fleshed out as they can, and despite emphasizing that the rejects matter here, some don’t get much further development beyond what was previously known about them. Conversely, they still get a moment to shine, making up for some of those shortcomings.

By the end, there is a jolt that hasn’t been felt in the MCU for some time. In Phase 5, there have been wins with the films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool and Wolverine, but after a fluctuating slate, there is a life breathed into the series that makes it feel fresh again. While there is still one series left to top off this phase with Ironheart this June, the future set up by Thunderbolts* is an exciting one, marking an interesting direction for the MCU moving forward. Also, stay for the credits.

Score: 90/100

*still courtesy of Marvel*

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Shaurya Chawla