The plot: Ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes — Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker — embarks on a dangerous mission that forces them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
The thunderbolts movie was really good.
Pros: I’m glad this film was taken more seriously than previous MCU offerings. I like how it addressed mental health & loneliness in the movie. The team dynamics did work well starts with 3 & slowly build into 5. I like how they used the sentry into a government project. Yelena Belova & Robert “BOB” Reynolds were the two best characters. Bucky had bit of a different role this time around. Good that Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost had evolved a lot from Ant-Man and the Wasp and how will edit this film was.
Cons: One character was tragically gets kill off (Which I won’t spoiler). The screen did get a bit darker to see at times. That Congressman Gary didn’t add much & How they were not name the thunderbolts at the end.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama
Directed by Jake Schreier
Produced by Kevin Feige
Screenplay by Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
Story by Eric Pearson
Based on Marvel Comics
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen & Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Edited by Angela Catanzaro, Harry Yoon
Cinematography: Andrew Droz Palermo
Music by Son Lux
Production companies: Marvel Studios
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Cast:
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova:
A member of the Thunderbolts who was trained in the Red Room as a Black Widow assassin. Pugh said the character has been affected by the traumatic events of recent Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects, including the death of her adoptive sister Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in the film Avengers: Endgame (2019). - Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes:
An enhanced super soldier with a cybernetic arm who is the de facto leader of the Thunderbolts. Presumed killed in action during World War II, he reemerged in the present day as a brainwashed assassin before his programming was removed, and has since been elected as a member of the United States Congress. Stan compared Barnes to Jack Nicholson‘s character Randle McMurphy in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), saying they were both coming into a chaotic and degenerate group whose members need to be united. - Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent:
An enhanced super soldier and member of the Thunderbolts. He is a former decorated Captain of the U.S. Army Rangers who was chosen by the U.S. government to become Steve Rogers‘s successor as Captain America before receiving an other than honorable discharge in the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). - Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster:
An assassin with photographic reflexes that allow her to mimic opponents’ fighting styles. She was formerly controlled by her father, Dreykov, to complete missions for the Red Room before being freed by Romanoff in the film Black Widow (2021). - Lewis Pullman as Robert “Bob” Reynolds / Sentry / Void:
A superpowered individual suffering from amnesia who is believed to be stronger than all of the Avengers combined. As the Void, a version of Sentry completely shrouded in shadows, he is invincible, spreads darkness, and can turn people into shadows. - Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel Gold: Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s assistant The character wears a songbird necklace in the movie as a nod to her comic book counterpart.
- David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian:
A member of the Thunderbolts who is the Russian super soldier counterpart to Captain America and a father-figure to Belova. Harbour said the film further explores the complex relationship between Shostakov and Belova that was introduced in Black Widow. He noted that Belova cannot stand Shostakov, but she needs someone to help her feel complete and Shostakov is able to fill that role. - Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost:
A member of the Thunderbolts who can phase through objects. John-Kamen said the film shows a different side of the character following her introduction in the film Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), with Ghost no longer in a constant state of molecular disequilibrium and able to control her powers with calmness and decisiveness. - Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine:
A contessa and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who brings together the members of the Thunderbolts. The film establishes de Fontaine as the one who bought Avengers Tower, now referred to as “Watchtower”, from Tony Stark in the film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Louis-Dreyfus described de Fontaine as someone who is “after power, control, and just generally she wants to kick ass in the Marvel Universe”.
Additionally, Chris Bauer portrays Holt, while Wendell Pierce portrays Congressman Gary. Gabrielle Byndloss briefly reprises her role as Walker’s wife Olivia from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
I highly recommend watching this film in cinemas.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident film reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe