Marvel’s newest installment in their interconnected universe, Thunderbolts*, adds new layers of emotion to the world of these films. Dealing with topics like depression, loneliness, finding community and accepting your past but longing for a better future are all key plot points for the characters throughout the film, bringing them together and creating a new team of likable characters for audiences to root for in upcoming installments of the franchise.
The story follows Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh), as she faces the traumas of her past, while also having to work with a group of equally problematic characters struggling with internal conflicts, as they figure out a solution to stop the terrifying threat, The Void (played by Lewis Pullman). The story may sound predictable, feeling similar to the 2021 DC film, “The Suicide Squad”, a film also about a group of unqualified misfits that have to take on a powerhouse bigger than themselves, yet the difference between the two films is the depth of each character’s past.
The unique take that Thunderbolts* brings is a group of characters audiences have already met and bonded with in the past installments. Characters like Red Guardian (played by David Harbour) U.S. Agent (played by Wyatt Russell) Ghost (played by Hannah John-Kamen) Winter Soldier (played by Sebastian Stan) and Taskmaster (played by Olga Kurylenko) the story fleshes out and expands upon these already established characters, connecting each in a way similar to past marvel team-up movies like The Avengers.
Marvel’s newest character introduced in the film, Sentry, is an insanely overpowered individual, staying true to his comic book counterpart. With a backstory that is not what the comics entail, the writers took their time to develop the emotions that came with this character, being one that many viewers may be able to relate to on some level. But the flowers here have to be given to Lewis Pullman, he gave an outstanding performance truly allowing this character to be the emotional wreck he was intended to be.
Pullman doesn’t just play a single character here, he technically portrays three in one, making him perhaps the most dynamic of all the characters. He plays the charismatic lovable Bob, the arrogant power-hungry Sentry, and the ominous malicious villain Void. Pullman really does the best here and it shows, being one of the most interesting characters introduced in recent films, and becoming one of the most anticipated characters to return in future marvel movies.
“I think this film did a really good job at making these smaller parts feel way more important,” said drama student and junior Sullivan Small.
Marvel seems to be heading in a hopeful direction, with their next film, Fantastic Four: First Steps, coming out in July, they have a bright future ahead of them. Over a month ago, Marvel excitingly announced that many of the cast from The Thunderbolts*, including Sentry, will be involved in the 2026 film Avengers: Doomsday, the beginning of the closing act for Marvel’s multiverse saga.
