Hey gang, Valkor here. Except for Ironheart, which premieres next month, the MCU's fifth phase is nearly complete. In the meantime, we have Thunderbolts*, the last movie in the phase. I'll admit, given the cast, the film's premise, plus my curiosity about the asterisk in the film's title, I wasn't too hyped about the film. But then I watched it. And I wasn't let down. The summer's must-see movie is Thunderbolts*, which is something different for the MCU yet and entertaining. Light spoilers ahead.
Thunderbolts* tells the story of a ragtag group of villains turned heroes that consists of Black Widow (Yelena Belova – Florence Pugh), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and US Agent (Wyatt Russell). Later, Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan - Captain America: Civil War) join the team. Initially, the group was sent to kill one another. However, events forced the group to cooperate in order to save not only their own lives but also the life of Bob aka Sentry (Lewis Pullman), a future member who was thrown into the mix. When Sentry comes into his powers, he becomes the film's main antagonist, transforming into another entity The Void. In the end, the team will primarily use their fist to escape their predicament. What will really save the day will be their hearts.
With any Marvel movie, you'll want to stay until the end. And Thunderbolts* has two endings – one mid and one post-credits. The mid-ending was just meh, but fun. However, the post-credit ending was worth it. And it's one of the best I've seen in a while. Plus it leads into the next Marvel film(s). But you wanna know if Thunderbolts* is worth the price admission. And it is, which I'll tell you all about in the TOV Breakdown!
The Good:
I saw an ad that said Thunderbolts* was better than Avengers: Endgame. And I know that's a lie because Endgame was too damn epic for most films to be better. *Thunderbolts* is still an entertaining film that fits in nicely with the MCU. It's one of the best comic-to-film adaptations I've watched recently, as it combines an amazing story with a ton of intense action. Storywise, I was with it as it stayed engaging from start to finish. Plus it balances each of the main characters, giving them just the right amount of screen time. However, I think Florence Pugh's Yelena got the most shine. And I totally dig it, as her character is the perfect person to carry the story. On the action side, Thunderbolts*, to me, sits slightly above Captain America: Brave New World (which I also loved). It was pretty tense and so much fun. The fight scenes were well-choreographed and edited. And it's spaced out so well that things never get boring. Finally, I have to give kudos all around for the performances. Maybe Harbour was a bit over the top. But my guess is he's supposed to be the comedic relief. And he does shine in that area. I had given Pugh credit previously, and again, she was truly remarkable—you could see both her sorrow and her determination to save Bob and support the team. Lastly, I gotta give props to Lewis Pullman as Sentry/The Void. He did a great job on the character(s). Honestly, I'm not the biggest Sentry fan. But I dig this film version of him and I can't wait to see how he's played out in future films. In the end, I had a lot of fun with Thunderbolts*. And I can't wait to see them in future films. And they will be back.
The Bad:
I don't have much to say in this area because much of it would be nitpicking. I did mention David Harbour as being over the top in some areas. But it's something I can ignore. My real gripe is the death of Taskmaster, who was one of my favorites. And lastly, given that much of the film took place in New York, I was expecting to see some cameos of other heroes. At least street-level heroes. And there are plenty that Marvel could have tossed into the mix.
The Ugly:
N/A
Thunderbolts*, as of this writing, is currently making the theatrical rounds with a soon-to-be release on the streaming platforms. However, if you're a fan of the MCU films and/or you're looking for a killer action film, then you'll definitely want to give this a go. Marvel has truly knocked this one out of the park. It's bold, adventurous, and highly entertaining. And out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving Thunderbolts* a solid 4.
