Damn you Free Comic Book Day! This review for Thunderbolts* was delayed by the amazing day that comic fans look forward to every year. After reading this review, check out our YouTube. It will soon have a comic haul and review from this year’s Free Comic Book Day. But enough making excuses for this delay. What did we think about Thunderbolts*? This is the movie that the Marvel Cinematic Universe needed.

The nice thing about waiting to write this review, is the ability to sit with the film for a week. This strips away the possibility of recency bias. It warms my heart to say waiting to write this, made me enjoy the film even more so. There are scenes that are still living rent free in my mind. Did not expect a marvel film to remind me of Being John Malkovich. Characters that were once an afterthought that now need more time in the MCU. Thunderbolts* delivers where so many other Marvel films have failed. It makes us excited for the next phase and the future.

Originally, I had mixed feelings about the villain in the film. I wanted Marvel to hit us with an unforgettable villain. In recent years, The High Evolutionary in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 3 has been the best villain we’ve seen. The complexity of the character Bob makes the character stick out. Lewis Pullman was able to show off some range with the character having multiple personalities. Bob becomes the Sentry/The Void, a superhuman dealing with mental health issues. Which is the perfect counter to the team of the Thunderbolts. I liked the performance by Pullman. It took a few days to come around to The Void being a good villain for this film, in particular.

For much of the film, Bob appears to be a random person. He is stuck between a team forced to be together. Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr and Alexei Shostakov have to team up despite going through their own problems. Which makes Bob or The Void a perfect counter to the team. Yelena who is perfectly played by Florence Pugh is dealing with loss. Losing her sister and becoming numb to being a hired gun. Yelena is mentally lost. However, Yelena is not the only one lost.

John, Ava and Alexei are all lost as well, simply put they are lonely. This is what makes Thunderbolts*, the best MCU film in a while. In any other film, we would be talking about the action being top-notch. Its the acting and focus on mental health that makes this the most relatable Marvel project since Ms. Marvel, in my opinion. This movie will have you laughing out loud one minute and the next wiping away a tear. Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo’s scripts need some praise. As does the director Jake Schreier, who would do amazing things if picked to direct the X-men film.

Our last article, had us asking “Will Thunderbolts* really matter to the MCU?”. I guess the answer to that is yes! After Captain America: Brave New World underwhelmed, this was the shot in the arm that Marvel needed. Rarely does every character work in marvel film, however Thunderbolts* exposes the strength of every character on the team. It was nice to see Wyatt Russell and Hannah John-Kamen have an opportunity to further grow their characters. Wyatt turns John Walker from a one-note character to a character with layers that left us wanting more. Hannah John-Kamen will surely benefit from having more screen time. Her character as Ghost reminds me of Nebula, a character that would grow over time.

After the teased team up in What If?, it was hilarious to have a live action team up between Bucky and Alexei. Both Sebastian Stan and David Harbour have successfully made the characters their own. Although Bucky’s inclusion did feel random, it ended up working well for the film and the future of the MCU. If Deadpool does not show up in future Avengers films, that is okay, we have the Red Guardian.

Overall, Thunderbolts* over delivered. It is easily the most attainable film for those that feel lost with the current slate of MCU projects. We left the theater with smiles on our faces. This experience made us excited for the future of the MCU. Make sure to stay for two post-credit scenes, one is hilarious and the other is important to the overall story. The best use of post-credit scenes in a long time. Now, we anxiously await Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.