Transformed Marvel's Thunderbolts (2025): Journey of Zeroes Turned Heroes
Thunderbolts: A Marvel Phenomenon Without the Kapow!
In a breath of fresh air for Marvel fans, the movie Thunderbolts delivers a dash of fun alongside its action.
(For this critique, we'll skip the asterisk in the title—it just feels goofy.)
It's been awhile since Marvel enthusiasts have savored a focused, entertaining addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This film, marking the opening salvo for summer blockbusters, ought to please the critics.
With a simple premise—bringing together a motley crew with mediocre superpowers (if at all)—Thunderbolts sets the stage and does it with flair.
Although audiences may not recognize these leading characters (Winter Soldier, Yelena, Red Guardian, U.S. Agent, Ghost, Bob, and more), they'll manage to empathize with these run-of-the-mill people by film's end, understanding that unity can achieve greatness—even if only a fraction of what super-powered characters can accomplish.
Typically, eye-popping superheroes are absent, but Thunderbolts brings forth fully developed regular folks in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, feeling remarkably small amidst the franchise's grandeur.
Actress Florence Pugh ("Yelena") manages to avoid irritating the audience as the movie's lead.
Lewis Pullman, known for his role as the son of the President in Independence Day, crafts a relatable character in the MCU with equal parts benefits and threats to society—a combination that surprisingly works.
And the sheriff from Stranger Things serves up a boisterous, eccentric performance (laughs may vary).
The Avengers, Captain America, and other shining comic book heroes opt to stay home this time around.
However, we're rewarded with a compelling film that eschews excessive world-building, giving new Marvel movies a fragmented feel.
Kudos to director Jake Schreier for maintaining a grounded tone, although the dialogue occasionally muddies the message.
Since we're dealing with a B-team of heroes, the movie doesn't hold back, peppering in plenty of cuss words and gruesome violence, reflecting their unorthodox code of ethics.
Nevertheless, heroic moments arise, such as when the Thunderbolts band together to save lives from debris or join forces in an attempt to fight the big bad.
But Thunderbolts remains steadfast in its commitment to being the underdog.
Marcel films often face scorn from critics, but for those yearning for a reason to visit the theater, the new MCU vehicle, Thunderbolts, delivers pleasing entertainment for those who appreciative, for instance, the "Ocean's" series.
And it eschews any politically correct agenda (whatever that entails these days).
Verdict: Watch; 7.5/10.
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- At San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2024, anticipation for Marvel's movies-and-TV entertainment will undoubtedly latch on to the debut of 'Thunderbolts,' a film that delivered unexpected kudos in the genre.
- If you're looking for Marvel's superheroes in 2024, you might be disappointed, but the grounded tone of Thunderbolts, set amidst the franchise's grandeur, is a welcome change in the landscape of Marvel entertainment.
- Marvel's Thunderbolts, instead of focusing on eye-popping superheroes, introduced fully developed regular folks into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making it an entertaining addition to the movies-and-TV spectrum worth acknowledging at SDCC 2024.
