Marvel Studios’ antihero team-up ditches cosmic shenanigans for a brass tacks approach, deploying genre mainstays Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and a magnetic Florence Pugh in a romp that packs a crucial, if not overly quippy, punch.
It’s been a rough few years for Marvel Studios. Ever since Steve Rogers passed down the iconic shield in Avengers: Endgame, and Iron Man sacrificed himself with a snap of the Infinity Gauntlet, the most successful film franchise in history has grappled with an identity crisis. Where to go after the end?
The past, it appears, is the answer. From its gloomy opening fanfare, to its proud display of practical stunts and close-quarters brawls (Pugh really does careen off the world’s second tallest building), it’s clear that Thunderbolts* is trying to be different.
There are no multiversal hijinks or cameos this time, yet the mile-a-minute, rat-a-tat dialogue of Marvel past persists, and writer Eric Pearson clings to the DNA of 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier for dear life. The result is a Marvel reborn, but not without some caveats.
Unlike her superhero sister Black Widow, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) is no hero. She’s a cut-throat assassin nursing a troubled conscience, slowly murdering and bone-cracking her way to an empty and unfulfilled life.
When her shady boss, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (an overblown Julia Louis Dreyfus), faces impeachment and the threat of prison, Yelena is dispatched to tie up loose ends inside a mountain base straight from You Only Live Twice, one kill away from freedom.
It just so happens that rival spies U.S Agent (Wyatt Russell), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) share the same mission: each assassin is tasked with killing the other.
It’s all quite ham-fisted, and not for a second does director Jake Schreier try to veer away from the squabble, fight, assemble formula that worked so well in The Avengers. It’s recycled verbatim here, the effects of which amount to superhero déjà vu.
Originality comes, however, in the form of timid test subject Bob (Lewis Pullman), who queasily emerges from a freezing chamber (completely dry), becoming literal baggage for a Yelena to deal with. He’s utterly farcical, an appropriate Clark Kent type against his eventual blossom into Marvel Superman.
The brightest spark here is Pugh herself. She’s a true force, a movie star with natural charm and likeability; she’s a thrill to watch. It’s only when her father, the affable Red Guardian (David Harbour), bumbles into the fray that her best-in-class comedic flair kicks in, and we’re off to the races.
Here, Thunderbolts* discovers its identity. Harbour is unfiltered, loud, and brash inside a comedy that’s trying very hard to be a thriller. His prickly dynamic with Yelena drips with substance and heft, elevating the fun-loving moments to fantastic new heights.
The experience ticks along quite nicely until newbie Congressman Bucky Barns (Sebastian Stan) decides to stick his Vibranium arm into the mix. He’s got a long history in this universe, a role played in the shadow of various Captain Americas.
Now he’s relegated to true backseat status. The only true ‘wow’ moment is his Terminator 2 inspired introduction, complete with shotgun, shades, and motorcycle. Backed by Son Lux’s rousing score, this is top-tier Marvel. But how he fits into the overall story isn’t.
With a wealth of quality Disney+ shows like Daredevil: Born Again gracing our TV’s, this outing feels small in comparison. It’s a condensed experience, almost like Marvel has lost the knack for making these team-ups feel special.
For the most part, it’s a great popcorn-munching Saturday night movie. It’s pulpy, lovable and silly, and the team certainly have their high points. Their childlike spats and fits of comic book violence hark back to the playful Marvel of old – but that’s the problem.
Thunderbolts* is trying so hard to blend new and old that fails on truly becoming anything of its own. Its messages on mental health are a fantastic new addition, something I hope Marvel gets comfortable with. This might be the bolt of lightning Marvel needs to get back on top.
Thunderbolts* is in cinemas now.
