Thunderbolts: Movie Review
On May 2nd, Marvel released the highly anticipated film Thunderbolts. The movie stars Florence Pugh as Yelana Belova, who is the sister of Black Widow, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, and a handful of other characters who have shown up in past Marvel movies as villains or antagonists. Thunderbolts follows these characters as they try to save New York City from an all-powerful superhuman, who is really just a troubled individual like themselves. In all honesty, I did not have high hopes for this movie when it was first announced. Up until fairly recently, Marvel has been spiraling down a hole of one awful movie or unauthentic show after the next. It seemed to me that the Avengers movies of my childhood were a thing of the past, and I had pretty much given up trying to keep up with anything Marvel-related. This, however, has been changed with the release of Thunderbolts. Although the name might seem childish or silly, this movie has given audience members the nostalgia of the Marvel films of the mid to late 2010s while also bringing something completely new to the table.
One thing I loved about Thunderbolts was that it shines a much more realistic light on superheroes compared to the earlier Avengers movies. In the past, we have seen Captain America and Tony Stark fight battle after battle without so much as an emotional breakdown, which I find to be incredibly unlikely. Thunderbolts, however, each have their own set of problems, which are displayed on screen and react to situations differently according to their past traumas. I find this to be refreshing compared to a movie where the heroes fight some evil guy and then go about their day like nothing ever happened. Audiences want to be able to relate to the characters they see on the big screen, and having flawed heroes, quite like themselves, makes the movie much more enjoyable and engaging. Another trope that Marvel introduced during this movie was the idea of making the Anti-Heroes into the next superheroes. Every character in Thunderbolts is deeply flawed and has done some not-so-great things, whether by choice or just to stay alive. Turning these individuals into the next heroes of the Marvel franchise means deviating from the typical, perfect do-no-wrong hero we see throughout Marvel phases 1 through 3. This choice not only adds unseen variables as to what the next movies could look like but also promotes the idea of second chances.
Despite it being a superhero movie, many moments in Thunderbolts can be converted into real-life scenarios. The fact that each of these characters has been given a second chance and has chosen to do well with it prompts us humans to treat those who make mistakes with a little more grace and kindness. One of the main ideas of Thunderbolts that I enjoyed most was the focus and standpoint it held on those struggling or dealing with mental illness. The movie depicts characters who are struggling with mental illness accurately and also stresses how important it is to have a group of people who can support you when you are going through something. This choice from Marvel is incredibly impactful and comes at a time when the nation is suffering a mental health crisis, with youth struggling more than ever. Thunderbolts was, all in all, a fantastic movie that I would 100% recommend seeing. It brings back the vibes of the old Marvel days while also introducing a completely new plot line. This movie has restored my faith in Marvel’s ability to produce something that is more than halfway decent, and I am already excited to see what comes next in the new Avengers saga.