Thunderbolts* – REVIEW

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Will Thunderbolts, with its ominous tone like the lyrics by rock legend Freddie Mercury, scare audiences away after Marvel’s recent less-than-stellar films? The presence of Florence Pugh as Yelena, the troubled sister of the late Black Widow, is a promising sign. In this film, she grapples with her life’s meaning on a skyscraper’s edge before leaping into action for another mission. This time, she plunges into chaos and ruthlessly eliminates a corridor of enemies.

In this ongoing series of seemingly aimless operations, CIA director Valentin Allegra de Fontaine (an outstanding portrayal by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) tasks Yelena and a less successful John Walker, who fancies himself Captain America (Wyatt Russell), along with Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko, not Greg Davies as previously mentioned), and the enigmatic Bob (Lewis Pullman). The latter character shares a similar state of disillusionment with Yelena. It is revealed that they have been ensnared in a plot to eliminate them all, and their attempt to break free is both comical and enjoyable due to their battles against each other’s egos as much as the challenging predicament they find themselves in.

In a surprising turn of events, Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) and Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena’s adoptive father who brings the humor, later join the motley crew of superheroes. Instead of the usual CGI-heavy action we’re accustomed to in Marvel movies, they engage in a thrilling live-action sequence filled with real stunts. Due to circumstances, this diverse group, each dealing with their own doubts and issues, reluctantly band together for a common cause, forming an unlikely alliance.

In this storyline, an ensemble of ‘characters’ with their individual flaws are grappling with suppressed feelings and conflicts, often arguing amongst themselves. While some of these characters’ pasts have been delved into through various TV shows, this script stands on its own, requiring no prior knowledge of those series to understand the plot, as indicated by the asterisk in the title.

“Thunderbolts marks a comeback for Marvel, following a string of recent disappointments, and Florence Pugh’s captivating performance on-screen effectively counters the notion of superhero burnout.”

This version maintains the original meaning while using more natural language and improving readability.

Here’s the Thunderbolts* trailer……

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2025-04-30 12:23