Thunderbolts* – Review
I have been losing excitement over the Marvel Cinematic Universe in recent years. I rarely see the movies in the theatre unless it is a major event. I was intrigued by the concept of Thunderbolts* but waited until it was available on Disney Plus.
In a number of recent Marvel series, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has been recruiting various Marvel characters of questionable morality. De Fontaine tops them all with her lack of morals.
Without spoiling how, the various agents find themselves working together for their own safety. Along the way, they encounter Bob, an seemingly average guy.
Not surprisingly, there is more to Bob than meets the eye. He ends up taking on the identity of Sentinel, marketed by de Fontaine. Sentinel is basically a Marvel version of Superman.
That would be bad enough, but there is still more to Bob, something much more dangerous and terrifying.
I actually really enjoyed Thunderbolts*. There was a danger that it would fall into the typical Marvel model of just tying together the various series and movies, especially because it brings together characters from different Marvel projects.
This movie really did focus on telling a story rather than just universe building. Each of the characters have something in common: they are broken. They feel like losers and definitely don’t feel heroic.
Surprisingly, it is Bob that helps them to face their individual trauma, just as they will eventually help Bob.
In many ways, the story is about the temptation to embrace hopelessness and despair in the face of trauma. It is so easy to give in to the darkness and we do not have the strength to do it ourselves.
I did not anticipate that Red Guardian would provide the key to returning to hope. In fact, I liked the way they used him for humour but also made him more than a joke. There was actual character development.
There are many Marvel projects that all I got out of it was some fun fight scenes. There is some good storytelling in Thunderbolts*.
In case you are wondering what the asterisk after Thunderbolts is about, it is about the new name they are given at the end of the movie. I would also encourage you to watch the final post-credits scene as it is important.
If you have been wondering whether or not to see Thunderbolts*, my recommendation is that it is worth watching.
