THUNDERBOLTS* (also known as THE NEW AVENGERS) is directed by Jake Schrier. The film stars Florence Pugh, David Harbor, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wyatt Russell, Sebastian Stan, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko, and Lewis Pullman. It’s film 36 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When a group of misfit heroes including US Agent, Ghost, and Yelena Belova are betrayed by their former benefactor, Valentina, they must unite and join forces to escape from captivity and put an end to her schemes, which include a cancelled project that could create a being more powerful than any super soldier.
Let’s face it. When Thanos died, the Marvel Cinematic Universe largely became a hit-and-miss affair. Sure, we’ve gotten some great stuff like DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, SHANG-CHI, and SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, but there have been some duds along the way as well, including THE MARVELS, ETERNALS, and QUANTUMANIA. Going to see an MCU movie used to be a must-see event for me. Now it’s something I go into with a shaky uncertainty. So many of the movies seem interested in pushing agendas and trying to build a multiverse that has become too big to control. Self-contained movies are largely a thing of the past.
That said, I’m pleased to report that THUNDERBOLTS* is a long-overdue breath of fresh air for the whimpering MCU. It unites misfit heroes and thrusts them into some action-packed situations, but doesn’t shy away from the MCU’s signature brand of humor. Is it the kickstart this dying cinematic universe needs? It is indeed. THUNDERBOLTS* is a hell of a lot of fun, and even if doesn’t quite reach masterpiece tier, it’s still the best MCU movie in the past several years.
Where THUNDERBOLTS* shines brightest is its cast. These are misfit and failure heroes who’ve seen better days and are down on their luck. They’re basically Marvel’s version of the SUICIDE SQUAD. Throwing this bunch of lovable losers together, who all have great on-screen chemistry together, makes for some very entertaining viewing. The movie doesn’t skimp on the action, nor on the humor, with much of the latter coming from David Harbour’s hilarious Red Guardian.
The movie also benefits from largely being self-contained and avoiding the overused multiversal shenanigans that have become frustratingly common in many of the more recent Marvel movies. There are a few works you may want to watch before THUNDERBOLTS*, but at the same time, you can enjoy this movie without them, as exposition largely tells you what you need to know. It clocks in at a running time of about two hours, and none of this time ever feels wasted. The somewhat surreal climax of the film tends to drag a bit, having more in common with X-MEN APOCALYPSE than the MCU, but hats off to the writers for trying something different.
THUNDERBOLTS* isn’t an AVENGERS-level masterpiece, but it’s the most fun I’ve had at a Marvel movie in years, and there’s something to be said for that. Well-paced, action packed, and hilarious when needed, this one doesn’t disappoint, and is hopefully a sign of things to come for the MCU ahead, especially considering the climactic movies being built up to. This one comes highly recommended!