Redemption with a Shield: Thunderbolts* Turns Brokenness into Power

Everybody loves an underdog, but what happens when the underdogs are so emotionally damaged and hopelessly outgunned they have zero chance of winning? That's essentially the premise of Thunderbolts*, the latest superhero adventure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I found it just about irresistible. I had no idea how this rag-tag band of B-listers was going to overcome their inner struggles and defeat their seemingly unstoppable foe, but I knew one thing for sure–I couldn't wait to find out.

Thunderbolts* was directed by Jake Schreier, and it stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. In the film, five former supporting MCU characters–Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, and John Walker–finally get their time to shine.

When Ghost, Yelena, and Walker are sent on separate but intertwining suicide missions by corrupt CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, they unwittingly awaken the Sentry, a godlike, nearly omnipotent superhuman created by de Fontaine’s team of scientists. At first, the Sentry seems like he’ll be earth’s mightiest hero, but he quickly breaks bad, forcing the trio who unleashed him to team up with Bucky and Red Guardian to save the day.

As you can probably guess from the premise, Thunderbolts* is a very character-centric movie. Sure, it has the jokes and action we’ve all come to expect from the MCU, but like any good superhero team-up, it stands or falls largely on the strength of its five protagonists. If they don’t work, the film will almost certainly fail, and thankfully, they’re an absolute blast…well, mostly.

The first half of Thunderbolts* focuses primarily on that initial trio–Ghost, Yelena, and Walker–plus the Sentry (known only as Bob at this point in the story), and their dynamic is a bit hit or miss. In particular, the comedic chemistry between the arrogantly overconfident John Walker and the more competent assassins Yelena and Ghost is pretty entertaining, but a lot of the jokes fall flat as well. At times it almost feels like it’s an even 50/50 split, so despite a number of great moments, the humor here doesn’t quite have the special sauce that’s made the MCU such a joy to watch for nearly two decades.

In contrast, Bob is an absolute revelation. Actor Lewis Pullman plays the role with a sympathetic vulnerability that’s instantly magnetic, so from the moment we first meet this guy, we can’t help but love him. In fact, I’d even say the character is at his best when he’s not wielding his insane powers. He becomes a bit stiff once he transforms into the Sentry, but when he’s just a regular guy, he’s a joy to watch every time he’s on screen.

Around the midway point or so, Bucky and Red Guardian join the titular team, and once they come to the fore, Thunderbolts* runs on all cylinders. Bucky enters the superheroic fray with a Winter Soldier-esque action scene that reminds us why he’s such a great character, and actor Sebastian Stan doesn’t lose a step until the credits begin to roll.

But as great as he is, the real star of this show is Red Guardian. Just like in Black Widow, he’s here primarily for comic relief, and he provides the secret ingredient the first half of Thunderbolts* was missing. He brings a special brand of comedic confidence that’s almost childlike in its innocence, so whenever this guy opens his mouth, you just know he’s at least going to bring a big smile to your face.

Those great characters are the heart and soul of Thunderbolts*, but they’re not the only thing this movie has going for it. It also features a whole bunch of really fun action, and when Sentry’s dark side rears its ugly head, he’s genuinely terrifying. The guy looks like he was ripped right out of a horror flick, and he goes about his business with the kind of easy, serene calmness that’s somehow all the more chilling for its lack of effort.

He just might be the darkest villain the MCU has ever put on screen, and that darkness is reflected in the film’s themes as well. Most obviously, everybody in this movie has a grisly past. To take just a couple of examples, Bucky was a mind-controlled Hydra assassin for decades, and John Walker once used the Captain America shield to publicly murder a man in brutal fashion.

These are far from the squeaky-clean superheroes we often get from Marvel, so at its core Thunderbolts* is primarily about redemption. It gives its characters a chance to reject their sinful pasts (without, of course, using the language of sin) and start over by using their abilities and skills for good, and if you’re a Christian, you can’t help but see that as a powerful point of contact with the Gospel.

Going even darker, Thunderbolts* also deals with themes of loneliness and depression, but the movie never becomes overly glum. It tackles these grim ideas only to shine a hopeful light on them, so if you’ve ever experienced similar afflictions yourself, you’ll be sure to appreciate the way our titular heroes overcome their mental health struggles by finding love and acceptance in this crazy new family.

In case you couldn’t tell, I really enjoyed Thunderbolts*. Sure, it’s not quite top-tier Marvel, but it’s pretty good. The film ultimately overcomes its first-half flaws and ends up having all the heart, humor, and action moviegoers have come to expect from the MCU, so if you’re a fan of the long-running superhero franchise, I recommend checking out this latest entry. You won’t be disappointed.