Thunderbolts* / The New Avengers

You are your own enemy.

Thunderbolts* (as I’ve been writing it—they received a new title The New Avengers) is exactly what Marvel movies have lacked for the last few years: simplicity. The routine-like simplicity, like a coffee or a McDonald's order—you know what you want, you get it and always feel fulfilled. 

Every time I've watched a new MCU flick, I’ve been trying to figure out the pretentious and complex multiverse world they were trying to build rather than enjoying it. But here we are, and we may be back on track. 

The film follows, already known to the audience, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and her routine as an assassin, still going through grief after her sister’s death, and old ghosts of the past that bring the desire to change the future.

Thunderbolts* starts with a genre-appropriate pompous monologue by Yelena, and this won’t be a surprise, Florence Pugh is the film's highlight. She has been on the radar for quite some time and we already saw Pugh in multiple different genres, and yet, in Thunderbolts*, she graciously carries the weight of a lead in a blockbuster by a franchise that had too many ups and downs for the last 4 years, since Spider-Man: No Way Home release. Flo does everything—from jumping off the second-highest building in the world to being the most vulnerable “anti-hero”. On her last mission for Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as the killer, Yelena meets the rest of the “B-sided” anti-heroes, who, according to Valentina’s plan, had to dismiss one another, but they didn’t. Why? Sympathy. They are made for that, so where did it come from? The sympathy: another thing Marvel and many other comic adaptations miss out on including. Thunderbolts bonded over a mutual feeling of being left out, but they twist the knife and use it as their superpower.

Audience is used to clichéd perfect superheroes who love what they do, not giving in to their fears and bottle it all up, always perfect, confident, and anti-heroes who are lost in their evil beliefs. You can’t relate to that. Pugh perfectly embodies Belova and all her insecurities and strengths; she’s present in every scene, and Yelena is the character the spectator understands. She maintains a strong dynamic with her co-stars throughout the movie. Many known faces make their come back, as well as universes’ oldie—Sebastian Stan (who never disappoints), and more recents—David Harbour as Alexei with ridiculously amusing jokes, and the key to Belova’s heart. Their father-daughter relationship was thrilling and relatable: even if you are not as close as you used to, barely see each other, you can’t help but still aspire and love them unconditionally. Also introduced to a newbie—Lewis Pullman as Robert Reynolds, Marvel’s Superman crossed with Homelander. He represents anxiety and power. Good and bad sides. Pullman did a sensational debut in the MCU, keeping you on the edge of your seat, one worth paying attention to. Thunderbolts* is cathartic, it’s fresh, and makes an easy-to-read take on the importance of mental health for a young audience (believe me, I haven’t seen that many excited 10-12 year-olds in a while), how you won’t escape your past, cause it will all eventually blow up. There are no enemies, there’s only a fight between the past and the present.

Compared to the previous few pictures, Thunderbolts* is flawless with its action scenes and VFX, besides, not to mention the comeback of silly Marvel jokes.  

The film became unintentionally meta to real life and the company’s last 5 years. Marvel was going in circles, with no end, trying to make something multi-layered, but the problem is…the multiverse of madness was too mad an idea, so they lost the plot and people’s attention. Ambitions killed them. MCU was a go-to for something quick and pleasing, and with Thunderbolts,* they brought it back. The best movie to reconnect with yourself from the past and feel free, cause there’s no need to hate Marvel. It’s out of trend again.

So, the easiest way out of the never-ending circle was to take a step back and get back to the roots. That made Thunderbolts* the best MCU movie this decade. 

7/10