Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), previously seen trying to kill Hawkeye to avenge her sister’s death, grows bored with her clean-up duties for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). She tells Valentina that she is ready for a more public-facing role. Valentina, who is facing potential impeachment due to her involvement in the O.X.E. Group’s Sentry superhuman project, agrees—but only on the condition that Yelena undertakes one last mission: to go to a top-secret O.X.E. facility and stop a rogue operative from stealing valuable assets.
Upon entering the facility, Yelena encounters US Agent John Walker (Wyatt Russell), who Valentina has secretly sent to kill her. To make matters worse, Valentina has also dispatched Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) under the guise of a covert mission, though their true purpose is to eliminate Yelena and each other. Realizing they have been set up, this group of morally ambiguous characters must work together to escape the facility before they are killed. Complicating the situation is a confused patient named Bob (Lewis Pullman), who doesn’t remember how he ended up there.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited to see a Marvel film in theaters. The oversaturation of Marvel films and television shows has led to real MCU burnout. However, among all the content released in recent years, I’ve found myself drawn more to the stories of the antiheroes than those of the traditional heroes. With Thunderbolts*, Marvel is bringing these characters together in one emotionally complex package, which I find thrilling!
Thunderbolts* offers a refreshing change from the usual blockbuster spectacle, focusing instead on a character-driven story. It strikes a solid balance between familiar action sequences and more intimate moments of introspection. This approach allows the characters to grow and become relatable while still providing audiences with the exciting fight scenes they’ve come to expect from Marvel.
Valentina is a formidable antagonist, and aren’t all politicians the best villains? Julia Louis-Dreyfus seems to tap into her inner Selina Meyer in this role; the two characters feel almost interchangeable at this point. Valentina is manipulative and cunning, and you can see the recalibration of strategy in her face as New York embraces these new “heroes” who are trying to save the city from Void – a.k.a. Sentry, a.k.a. Bob. How will she exploit this to her advantage?
Each member of the Thunderbolts wrestles with a troubled past. They carry blood on their hands and face a crisis of identity and sense of purpose. Yelena, in particular, feels isolated after losing her sister and experiencing a year of abandonment by her “dad,” Alexei. John Walker grapples with the fallout of his fall from grace, having once been Captain America’s replacement. Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), now a Congressman, is still haunted by his past as the Winter Soldier and is working to make amends by trying to take down Valentina. Joined by Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Ghost, this nuanced ensemble is filled with sarcastic wit, uncertainty, and a weight of emotional complexity that is hard to find in other MCU films.
While I haven’t been particularly impressed with the Multiverse angle thus far, Thunderbolts* takes a step back from it to present a simpler, more cohesive story. The character of Void, depicted as a metaphorical realm where individuals confront their deepest regrets and shame, is one of the more intriguing elements of the movie. It fosters character development while also serving as an unsettling symbol of depression and isolation. Although there is nothing comparable to the Battle of New York in Thunderbolts*, it’s not necessary—the battle here is internal and quieter, yet no less destructive.
That said, some parts of the movie drag on longer than necessary, particularly the sequences within the Void, and a couple of characters feel sidelined, which I wish hadn’t happened. I can understand how some viewers might walk away wanting more. Overall, I believe Thunderbolts* is an emotionally resonant and successful addition to the MCU that excites me for what’s to come.
