Last weekend, Andrea and I absconded from the Fortress of Ineptitude to see the latest release from Marvel Cinematic Universe. To be honest, the bloom has been off this particular rose for awhile now.
But something spoke to me that Thunderbolts* might be something I really want to see. I expected something that could be a kindred spirit to Guardians of the Galaxy, a collection of minor Marvel characters assembled as a unlikely team with an unconventional style.
What I got in Thunderbolts* was a movie in that spirit but also something a bit darker, a bit more unexpectedly serious than I anticipated.
Yelena Belova, "sister" of Black Widow Natasha Romanoff, is out on missions to clean up loose ends connecting CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to the O.X.E. Group's "Sentry" superhuman project. Valentina is facing impeachment for her work with O.X.E.
Unfortunately for Yelena, one of the loose ends that needs to be cleaned up is herself as Valentina has arranged for a crossfire to take out her operatives.
Yelena convinces these murderous agents to do something crazy and actually compare notes.
John Walker aka U.S.Agent formerly was Captain America for 5 minutes. (We met him in Falcon & the Winter Soldier)
Ava Starr, the Ghost. She can phase through solid matter and turn invisible. (see Ant-Man & the Wasp).
And Bob. Bob was a lab rat for the Sentry project, presumed a failure and dead.
Also joining this group of misfits is Alexei Shostakov, Yelena's "dad" and former Soviet era Russian super hero Red Guardian.
And Bucky Barnes is now a Congressman but suits up as the Winter Soldier to get in on the fun.
Due to a childhood memory of Yelena being on a soccer team as a child, this group of really messed up people adopt the sobriquet of Thunderbolts.
The Thunderbolts contend with various armed to the teeth para military units that Valentina command while she gets her hands on Bob who is exhibiting powers like unto a god.
Valentina thinks she can control Bob aka The Sentry.
What she fails to comprehend is that Bob is not alone in his noggin. Bob shares space with... the Void.
The Void is a living darkness devoid of any compassion, mercy or restraint. When the Void assumes control over the Sentry, New York City turns black and people vanish, leaving only a black afterimage.
The Avengers ain't coming. The Avengers do not exist.
It's up to the Thunderbolts to stop him.
So...
Yeah, we're all fucked.
Following Yelena's lead, the Thunderbolts deliberately throw themselves into the Void as they find themselves confronted with their own unique corners of hell.
Spoiler: the day is saved.
What drives this movie is Florence Pugh as Yelena. Yelena employs violence with an ascerbic wit and a practiced non chalance but she is not well. Mentally and emotionally, she is broken. She wants to be better but is unsure how to do that and if she even deserves to be better.
David Harbour steals the show with his bombastic performance as Alexei who throws himself into the role of Red Guardian with gusto but yeah, like Yelena, he's broken too.
And Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is a stone cold evil bitch. Her unchecked narcissism and lust for power makes her very dangerous and reprehensible.
And Valentina is able to wiggle her way out of any consequences for all the chaos she unleashed by taking credit for the Thunderbolts, rebranding them as....
SPOILERS!
The New Avengers!
What the hell?
So what did critics have to say about this latest MCU entry?
NPR critic Bob Mondello described Thunderbolts* as a "a decently effective blend of misfit mercenaries and pop psychology".
Jake Coyle of the Associated Press said "All the assembled parts here, including an especially high-quality cast work together seamlessly in a way that Marvel hasn't in some time. Most of all, Pugh commands every bit of the movie."
I will concur with Jake that Florence Pugh is the captivating core of Thunderbolts*. I've enjoyed Pugh as Yelena in Black Widow and the Disney+ series Hawkeye. In Thunderbolts*, Yelena is progressing, recognizing her psycological pain.
I don't want oversell this movie but Thunderbolts* feels more like an actual movie and less like a required MCU homework assignment.
A Marvel movie for people tired of Marvel movies.
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