Thunderbolts* review: Will the misfits revive Marvel's fortunes?

Marvel’s Phases 4 and 5 have shown us one thing: they've completely lost the plot. They had some box office success with the Spider-Man movies and the Deadpool vs. Wolverine movie, but nothing came close to the cinematic highs of Avengers: Endgame. Their failed attempts to tap into the nostalgia of the original Avengers and the entire multiverse saga seem broken. While Deadpool will remain the Marvel Jesus, can the Thunderbolts revive the studio's fortunes?

For the first time in quite a while, the post-credits sequence of a Marvel movie feels essential, thanks to Thunderbolts. Credits: GQ

As larger audiences were feeling superhero fatigue and losing interest in the genre, Marvel assembled a team of misfits. A stark difference from the glossy and expansive Infinity saga, Thunderbolts is largely a dark and gloomy story on loneliness and facing our inner demons. This is the most grounded and personal Marvel movie to have been made in recent times, and the issues the movie speaks about, including governmental powers, super-soldiers, and the new global status quo, are more relatable.

Marvel understood that it's not the characters' power that makes the movie interesting; it's their personalities. By exploring the past events of a few characters, we understand their haunted past and trauma, which makes their battles feel more personal. In one of the dialogues, a pivotal character says, "There are bad people, and then there are worse." Thunderbolts embodies this ideology as every character is flawed, has a troubled past, and tackles those depressions in all the wrong possible ways.

When was the last time you saw a Marvel movie that addressed issues like mental health, domestic abuse, and drug abuse in such detail? The dark underpinnings shine bright through this not-so-tightly-knit screenplay. This dark take on social causes sets this movie apart from the light-hearted entertainers that Marvel movies are known for. This means there are no hype scenes every 5-10 minutes, but the overarching narrative leaves you with a good aftertaste.

The plot of Thunderbolts

The movie begins with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) impeachment trial, where she addresses that she is working on building a team that is more powerful and accessible than the Avengers. In the meantime, she employs assassins to take out her enemies. One such operation puts Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Wyatt Russel (John Walker/ US agent), and Ava Star/ Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) in the same room, where they discover the presence of Bob (Lewis Pullman), who was a misfit in that space.

Marvel’s jokey yet moody “Thunderbolts” returns the blockbuster franchise to the geeks. Credits: Marvel

As the mission gets twisted, these characters are forced to work together as a team to escape the situation. However, the movie reaches its peak when the seemingly unassuming Bob makes a huge sacrifice, revealing his other side. Things take an even darker turn when he realizes his complete power and gets consumed by the darkness within him.

In the meantime, we see that Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) has turned into a Congressman and is trying to shut down de Fontaine's work. She is working on a secret experiment that has seen no survivors except one. De Fontaine wants to extract the survivor and showcase him as a success of her experiment, which will help her get out of the impeachment. However, Bucky Barnes has other ideas, leading to the team-up of the supervillains, the Thunderbolts.

Pros of Thunderbolts

The movie's setup is solid and dense for a Marvel movie. Florence Pugh has incredible scope to prove her acting skills, pull a punch, and throw a leg, and she delivers. She shoulders the major portions of the movie and showcases an award-winning performance. Her chemistry with David Harbour is also incredible, as the duo easily pulls off emotional and comical scenes. The rest of the cast pulled out a satisfactory performance.

Florence Pugh shared that Yelena is a completely different person from the person that you’d assume she would be. Credits: CBR

Technically, this movie meets the standards of regular Marvel movies. All the departments have done a neat job, but nothing stands out. The editing in this movie is commendable, as superhero films are rarely as tightly focused and progress as seamlessly from scene to scene, with no pauses for breath and no sudden jumps to different parts of the World.

This movie also starkly diverges from the multiverse saga as it is too grounded in its approach. This grounded approach was something that Marvel needed to gain the audience's trust. The movie takes us back to the good old days of Captain America: Winter Soldier. While it doesn't match the greatness of that film, it comes closer. It also helps that the plot deals with some real-world issues like mental health and drug abuse.

The asterisks in the title mean something huge to the MCU. It showcases a new and bold direction for the universe and offers possibilities for some interesting crossovers. If the studio builds on this idea, then Marvel could strike gold with this approach, as the next iterations of these characters promise to offer a fun-filled ride.

Cons of Thunderbolts

The role of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is underwritten, making the character seem more caricaturistic. Although Julia Louis-Dreyfus brings the charm needed for the role, the poor writing hinders the character's development. This issue makes the entire first act feel a little weaker than the rest of the film, which could put off the movie experience for some.

Valentina, still operating from the shadows, remains one of the most compelling wild cards Marvel has to offer. Credits: Screenrant

Marvel should also understand that it's been six years since Endgame, and we have crossed two complete phases of movies and series. Still, piggybacking on the nostalgia of the OG Avengers is holding them back from exploring new avenues and bringing in more characters. Not every villain needs to be the next Avenger, or the hero to be the next Captain America. While the throwbacks help us reminisce about the old times, they shouldn't act just as a money shot.

For the social issues they wanted to address, the studio could have pushed for an R-rated movie rather than a PG-13 movie. The success of Deadpool vs. Wolverine should give them more hope to adopt even darker tones and address bolder topics. But Marvel, being Marvel, stuck to PG-13, which dilutes the plot. What could have been a decisive blow, like a hammer on the nail, is turned into a gentle pat. However, the essence is not lost.

Verdict of the Thunderbolts

Thunderbolts has been one of the more rewarding movie experiences Marvel has recently produced. While the movie follows some beaten formulaic traits of earlier films, they work to their advantage as the audience wants to feel the comfort of the known in a new flavor. However, what could have been one of the greatest movies for the studio falls short. This movie will lead Marvel Studios into Phase 6 and provide a new direction to the MCU. All you Marvel fans, keep your heads high.