SPOILER WARNING! This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts* in theaters now.
Before the release of Thunderbolts, many people seemed to have moved on from superhero movies. After Infinity War and Endgame there hasn’t been any new epic releases from Marvel that gave fans any reasons to stay. Apart from a few solid hits from Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman No Way Home, Loki, and Moon Knight, there hasn’t been a lot of blockbuster hits that has won the support and faith from its audience. Mediocre releases like Ant Man: Quantumania, The Eternals and The Marvels have placed a bad taste in many people’s mouth for there poor storytelling, lackluster characters and unfocused tone. The Thunderbolts* not only brings back the classic team dynamic between heroes but also tell a personal and grounded story that is relatable and emotional. Where previous Marvel movies tackled villains that were worldwide level threats with underlying political and social themes; Thunderbolts* tosses all of that out the window and offers a story that involve friendship, family, mental illness and personal trauma.
The Characters*!
Having Valentina De Fontaine be the main villain of the plot was a refreshing step back from the over-the-top Marvel villains from previous releases. Actress Julia Louis Dreyfus does a great job playing the character and manages to be a consistent threat from beginning to end. Each actors not only portray their characters well but also make them feel alive at the same time. Each have their own struggles, conflicts and goals that are understandable and relatable. Actor Wyatt Russell plays John Walker who is a former U.S Agent and Captain America that has been disgraced by the mass public and dishonorably discharged for a war crime. He begins as unlikeable and distrusting towards other members of the team but as the story unravels we slowly see the pain and fights that John Walker faces. His vulnerability makes him relatable and sympathetic. Near the end of the movie he becomes more accepting of his team members and is respected by them. Florence Pugh portrayal of Yelena Belova is both heartwarming and tragic. Yelena Belova faces extreme grief and depression over the loss of her sister Black Widow. Alongside her who faces this loss is their Father Alexei Shostakov played by David Harbour. The father and daughter dynamic between Alexei and Yelena is beautiful and real. Seeing a moment where they admit their faults and learning to deal with their hardships together was heartwarming. Sentry was also a very well-written tragic character. His backstory of trauma and abuse was enthralling and the way the movie depicted it not only felt real but personal too. Actor Lewis Pullman does an impressive job at making the character innocent and menacing at the same time.
What makes the story in Thunderbolts* a throwback to classic Marvel films are its characters. Their exchanges between each other are down to earth and compelling. Each of them are allowed to be vulnerable and given chances to overcome each of their conflicts on their own and by the helps of each other. The dialogue is believable and doesn’t oversaturate every moment or line with poor jokes, quips or one-liners. The scenes are allowed to breath and the flow never feels dragged by unnecessary comic relief. Every actor is given a chance to stand out and no one in the cast feels wasted.
The Action*!
The action sequences from Thunderbolts* are well shot, edited and choreographed. The directors did an excellent job at executing the scenes. The sequence where all the Thunderbolts members go into the Shadow realm to save Sentry from his own demons was spectacular. The entire dreamlike scene felt like it was inspired by Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Seeing the movie take fully committed time to show that damaging effects of abuse and mental illness was such a gripping experience. The most memorable moment were the after credit scenes in the ending. After the Thunderbolts are revealed as the New Avengers by Valentina De Fontaine they receive mixed criticisms from the public; questioning their capabilities and worthiness to take the title mantle of the Avengers. As the credits move on the team receives an alert notice of an incoming ship from outer space. As it approaches towards planet Earth the ship reveals a 4 on its side.
The Theories*!
A few theories comes to mind when looking into this scene. It is a direct ad for the upcoming Fantastic 4 movie or a set up as a direct sequel to Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. What could come happen after this moment is that the events will occur once Avengers: Doomsday releases. The New Avengers will most likely confront the Fantastic 4 after they crash land their ship onto Earth. From there the Thunderbolts meet the team, but among them emerging from the ship is Dr. Doom himself. He holds the Fantastic 4 hostage and is planning to take over Earth in the main MCU universe. From here this ignites attention from all the heroes around the world on Earth in stopping Dr. Doom and his plans to conquer Earth as his own. This could be Avengers: Doomsdaf’s plot after Thunderbolts*. Where the new Avengers team up with other experienced heroes to take down Dr. Doom and save the Fantastic 4. From there it will probably then lead to Avengers: Secret Wars where every hero from Earth and different galaxies all come together to defeat Dr. Doom before he sets to submit the main Marvel timeline under his rule. The Thunderbolts story not only follows up familiar tropes that dedicated and casual fans are use to. But bravely portrays real-world personal problems that negatively impact people’s lives. It’s not another superhero movie where the plot follows the same point that’s been done before. It is an emotional roller coaster from start to finish that will have the audience enthralled throughout. Where heroes aren’t just depicted as faceless protagonists; each characters from the team play an integral role in the story and to each others development. They don’t stay as one-dimensional comic reliefs, they all face their internal struggles and fears together and become a family in the end.
