Film Critic Emilia Pittam reviews the new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts*, crediting its character development and focus on mental health
The most recent addition to Marvel’s ‘Cinematic Universe’, Thunderbolts*, centres a refreshingly grounded plot that reminds one of older Marvel projects like Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Audiences are reintroduced to a group of dysfunctional and morally grey ‘losers’ who appeared as characters in previous Marvel projects: Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Antonia Dreykov), and John Walker (Wyatt Russell). As well as this, we meet a new character, Bob (Lewis Pullman), who joins the group of anti-heroes and quickly became a personal favourite for me. Despite these ‘heroes’ being far more powerful than the average civilian, they remain relatable and human. A particular strength of Thunderbolts* is that the effect of each character’s past on their mental health is at the heart of the story and the film does not shy away from taking the experience of mental illness seriously.
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A convincing sense of the ‘found family’ bond
The cast of characters made Thunderbolts* worth it alone. It expertly places together a group of mainly side-characters within the cinematic universe, allowing the audience to watch them clash, bicker, and bond as a team regardless of their differences. The group dynamic is a lot of fun to watch and feels authentic from their very first interaction, building a convincing sense of the ‘found family’ bond they develop – a bond which has been a staple of many of the most popular Marvel superhero groups such as the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
In a universe where polished superheroes are gradually becoming the norm, it was refreshing to watch a film featuring flawed characters who are not the ‘good guys’, needing to work through their feelings of inadequacy and trauma to become better people. Despite this, the film does a great job at making the audience love and root for the Thunderbolts team. It cultivates empathy even for characters such as John Walker – who played an antagonist role in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier – by displaying the mental struggles of each character due to events in their past and the support they provide each other.
One downside to the film’s use of pre-established characters is that, as with most films in Marvel’s expansive universe, enjoyment could be diminished when watching without the context from previous instalments, which established the backstory and emotional connection to the characters. With that being said, the film follows a focused storyline, meaning widespread knowledge on the Marvel universe is not necessary to enjoy and follow the plot. Its merit lies in the key themes of identity, trauma, and mental health which follow a down-to-earth plotline where the chemistry of the characters is the central focus. Despite being potentially overwhelming to new viewers, the overarching links to other stories and character arcs within Marvel projects is one of the main charms of the cinematic universe, and it was exciting to see mainly underrated characters shine in their own film.
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Quips from the bickering cast reinforced their familial bond and provided relief from the serious topics explored in the film
Serious moments addressing fears and trauma gave emotional weight to the characters and their journeys. Florence Pugh’s acting stands out, especially in emotionally charged scenes as she comes to terms with her past and the loss of her sister. These serious moments were balanced perfectly with moments of humour. Quips from the bickering cast reinforced their familial bond and provided relief from the serious topics explored in the film. The grounded mood of the film and fight scenes was also framed perfectly by its strong soundtrack from Oscar-nominated band, Son Lux. They provide a new theme for Bucky that is not tied to his identity as the Winter Soldier which reflects messages about redemption and healing from the past displayed throughout the film.
Yelena is a central figure throughout the movie, and whilst I was left wanting more screentime for some of the other cast, it was rewarding to continue development of such an interesting character through the film, setting up Yelena’s central role in future Marvel projects. Thunderbolts* only made one questionable character decision, which – avoiding spoilers – occurred towards the beginning of the film and was the only direction in the plot that personally disappointed me and left me wondering why it was necessary.
Nevertheless, Thunderbolts* is a fun yet raw, action-packed addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which I would recommend to anyone who enjoys superheroes or films which explore mental health and character growth. Through an engaging story about a group of anti-hero misfits, it displays the importance of leaning on the people around you to heal from trauma and avoid falling into the void which mental illness can become.
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