A bunch of mercenaries - and one civilian - find themselves working together after they are all betrayed by the same person. It’s a journey that forces them to examine their own misdeeds as much as those of the people they’re going after. They just have to stay alive long enough to expose this major conspiracy, and convince the powers that be that, on this occasion, they’re not the bad guys.
On the face of it, Thunderbolts* is a typical Marvel team-up movie. A bunch of super people, who don't get along, are forced to team up in order to save the world, or at least New York. Only this time the super people aren't exactly the cream of the crop. They're not even the B team. In fact, they're probably the last people you'd want to call, unless you're planning something illegal, that is. And even then you wouldn't want them working together. These lone wolves certainly don't play well with others. Which makes it all the more hilarious to watch them try. Yes, this is the type of thing that Marvel do best, and Thunderbolts* is no exception.
Director Jake Schreier and his team have taken some of the more troubled and less appreciated characters in the MCU, thrown them together, and given them a mission. At times this can be like a calamitous team-building exercise, as they bicker their way past almost every obstacle. A trail of destruction left in their wake that would almost give the Hulk a run for his money. Which presents an interesting challenge for Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), as he's forced to try and wrangle this wayward band. Understandably, given all that has happened to him, Bucky has tried to avoid positions of leadership and responsibility up to now, and Stan does a truly magnificent job of showing us why... as Bucky throws himself in at the deep end.
This is the brilliance of Thunderbolts*. It is a big, brash, and very funny comic book movie. The action is bold and chaotic, and most importantly; great fun. Making it everything you know and love about the MCU. But the way it addresses and normalises mental health issues is perfectly grounded. It is all about compassion. We're seeing these superpowered or super-able people, from a multitude of different backgrounds, and with a wide variety of different experiences, who are all struggling. They are strong, and yet they are also broken, and the movie shows that to be ok. It's ok to not be ok. And seeing this group gradually come together, becoming both a team and a support group of sorts, can be quite encouraging. A step in the right direction, if you will.
All of the performances are fantastic. Each one showing us these characters in a very different light. But Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman, and David Harbour are the standouts. Pugh's 'Yelena' is stuck in a rut throughout, caught up in this vicious cycle and struggling to find a way out. All of which culminates in this beautifully emotional speech, as she finally lets it all out. You can see in that moment, thanks to Pugh's incredible performance, just how important a step Yelena has taken. While Pullman perfectly portrays the multiple sides of newcomer 'Bob', as he almost wallows in his own tragedy, and his attempts to escape it. And as for Alexei Shostakov, AKA the Red Guardian, well his powers of compensation through a larger than life personality and his love for his glory days are well known. But Harbour is able to build on that as we learn what has become of Alexei since being freed from a Russian prison.
All of this builds towards a two-pronged finale. There's the action-packed battle that leaves New York and the former Avengers Tower needing yet another facelift, as another all powerful being is unleashed - it's a bit complicated. This is all typically Marvel; crazy destruction and well-choreographed fights, but Schreier leaves you wondering how the Thunderbolts* are going to tackle this new threat. Which is where things get interesting, as the team are forced to do something a little different. The result is actually quite heartfelt, as they not only have to face their own demons, they have to help each other to do the same. And yet, even in those darkest moments, that all important sense of humour isn't lost.
A Marvel team-up movie with a difference. It is both an action-packed road trip with some of the MCU's more troubled super-people, and a heartfelt approach to addressing mental health issues.
9/10
What did you think of Thunderbolts*? Leave a comment below or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads. You can also email us at moviemoustache@gmail.com.
Comments
Post a Comment