Sommerleigh Pollonais, Senior Writer
An unlikely group of ne’er-do-wells are forced to come together and take on a threat the likes of which we haven’t seen since old prune face snapped half the world out of existence.
One could argue swap out The Sentry for Starro and you have yourself DCU’s/James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, but to me these two powerhouses have always mirrored each other so that’s neither here nor there. Standing on its own leather clad feet, Thunderbolts* is a refreshing return to form for the MCU, bringing likeable dynamic characters together, coupled with an engaging story and adrenaline pumping action.
Florence Pugh as ex-assassin Yelena Belova. She doesn’t carry this movie on her shoulders, but she most definitely makes for its strong foundation. Her vulnerability, dry humour and I daresay realistic appearance (she’s the shortest of the group) makes her one of the most relatable “heroes” in a Marvel movie in a long time. Her familial dynamic with David Harbour (Alexi Shostakov/Red Guardian) is another strong aspect of the story as well as her burgeoning relationship with The Sentry, while the group as a whole slowly grows on you in the best ways. And this is coming from someone who wasn’t a Wyatt Russell/John Walker fan.
While Julia Louis-Dreyfus didn’t really standout as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, she does a decent enough job but isn’t given much to do other than “be evil”. It was Lewis Pullman as Robert Reynolds a.k.a. The Sentry and his unique “issues” that pulled me in and had me reaching for the napkins. Huge props to the writers as this was a really ingenious way of adding vulnerability to a decidedly over-powered character. It was also a testament to them acknowledging the fanbase isn’t just made up of youngsters by tackling heavy themes such as depression, trauma, guilt and loneliness in a way they never really have before. It’s all woven together seamlessly in a way that’s both accessible and impactful to viewing audiences, no matter your age or experiences.
Like every Marvel movie, I could go on and on discussing where it shines and where it faltered. As much as I wasn’t a fan, I kind of felt bad for Taskmaster. Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost) probably had like five lines of dialogue (I still think she’s a cool character though and I’m glad she’s part of the team). Valentina Allegra blah, blah, blah might just be the most uninteresting villain the MCU ever had — and that’s saying a lot! But the movie made up for these weak spots by delivering a solid second act and an emotionally touching final act that actually made me feel something I haven’t felt in a long time. Excited for what the MCU has to offer next.
Sommer’s Score: 7.5 out of 10
Have you seen Thunderbolts*? What did you think of it? And you can check out more super powered movie reviews below:
Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More