How many times have we seen the same old story repeat in every superhero universe? Well, Thunderbolts starts with something refreshingly different. Not only does it experiment boldly with the way it builds its villain, but it also takes you to a very different world, essentially inside your head. It allows its characters to meet themselves and confront their darkest fears. The metaphor it builds upon is a joy to watch and forms the very foundation of the movie. It doesn’t force the obvious “let’s build a team” trope; instead, it positions its characters smartly so the team forms on its own.
Also, the movie does absolute justice to its quintessential hero—er, anti-hero—who is introduced quite inventively. You get to see both versions of The Sentry and The Void in a single film. The icing on the cake is how these characters are only seconds away from unleashing chaos.
Thankfully, Thunderbolts isn’t the debacle that Captain America: Brave New World turned out to be, even though the latter serves as a stepping stone for the events in Thunderbolts.
Direction of Thunderbolts
Jake Schreier‘s direction is brilliant. With the subtle introduction of your regular Bob amidst a fight, every shot carries an element of surprise. It’s not your typical tangent of a story. From the start, when superheroes are summoned to die, the narrative flips when their survival accidentally causes them to form a group.
The final transitions are absolutely amazing, especially the sequence where Yelena navigates through the variegated sections of the Void’s brain. I loved the contrast of the silhouette-like body of the Void, it made him appear darker, more depressing, and more villainous.
The addition of Winter Soldier to the team was brilliantly conceived. He flaunts his Avenger status, loudly insinuating how different he is from this newly formed group, and how far above them he stands. Towards the end, however, it becomes clear that it’s not always an Avenger who solves the problem. Sometimes, even they are clueless against an inconceivable enemy. It takes someone who truly understands what they are fighting.
Lack of Substance
Despite its inventiveness, you feel a lack of substance towards the end. The movie had the potential to be as epic as The Avengers, given the insurmountable villain, but it all ends too quickly. It’s understandable since much of the battle is mental, but the content ends up feeling limited, like something that was hyped immensely but fizzled out too soon.
The action is a tad limited as well. You find yourself waiting for something big to happen, and while the sequences don’t disappoint when they arrive, there’s a sense of constraint. Much of the action seems sacrificed to accommodate the plot.
I like it when Marvel experiments, and this was a great attempt, focusing not on an outward, physical battle but an internal one. Still, the quick fizzling of the build-up feels like a missed opportunity for the breathtaking stunts Marvel is known for. The fact that both The Sentry and The Void share only about 15 seconds of screen time each makes you wonder if more could have been reserved to showcase their badassery, rather than dedicating so much of the film to Bob.
Team Up
The unusual, unsung-hero team-up feels just right, with each member bringing their own energy to the group. Yelena, being the protagonist and driver of the story, naturally feels like the leader, while Ava Starr’s powers easily make her the coolest of the bunch. Alexei injects childlike enthusiasm and provides comic relief simply by being himself. John Walker remains the stubborn anti-hero, always difficult to work with.
And then there’s Bucky—the coolest Avenger of all time—who single-handedly proves why he should never be counted out, even when things get tough. The unforced grouping, tied together by Alexei’s enthusiastic screams of “Thunderbolts!” (while others rolled their eyes), was the icing on the cake this team-up needed.
Final Verdict
Overall, Thunderbolts is entertaining like every other Marvel movie, but it tries to be bolder and more inventive with its subtle plot angles. Unfortunately, it ends up lacking some substance toward the climax. Even though The Sentry and The Void are portrayed as absolute badasses, you can’t help but feel they weren’t given enough justice. Still, the unusual and fun team-up will certainly win you over and leave you chuckling.
Thunderbolts
Pros
- Great Direction
- Outstanding Plot
- Great performances
- Unusual unintended team up
Cons
- Lack of Content towards the end
- Sentinel's and Void's limited screentime
- Ending feels rushed
