Is it really possible, after 36 films, to do something
new and interesting in the MCU?
How about a hilarious and action-packed look into
depression, isolation, self-worth, mental health, and conquering the wounds
that deeply cut our insides?
Matt Neal said in his review, “It's not totally new -
at some point there will be punching and explosions - but the latest MCU
team-up goes out of its way to do the unexpected, and not rely on the superhero
subgenre's touchstones as much as its predecessors.”
The film is about an unlikely variety of heroes
brought together for a mission that isn’t what it looks like. Something else
that’s unexpected is Bob, played by Bill Pullman’s son, Lewis Pullman, a
strange man they meet along the way.
Neal said, “It's not a new approach - the grab-bag
roster of loser-heroes is basically Marvel-does-Suicide Squad or another take
on the cosmic underdog team-up that was Guardians Of The Galaxy. The only
difference here is the subtext. Thematically, this is about mental health and
what we all have to do to get through the day, ignoring our darkness and shame
along the way. It's not your standard superhero fare.”
It’s also a relief that the film does its best to
avoid all the violence as much as it can, and still give us a relatable story
with tension and drama. Neal said, “The narrative is so wonderfully entrenched
in its character arcs and their excess baggage that even though the finale is
wildly different to any other Marvel movie, it works.”
Neal continued, “For the hardcore Marvel-heads, this
is a strong next chapter for some of the franchise's more interesting B
characters.” The new Black Widow Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh, is the
protagonist, and in top shape. She is the film’s main depressed person, but is helped
by an equally torn one-time Captain America, John Walker, played by Kurt
Russell and Goldie Hawn’s son, Wyatt Russell. Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) is again
given the short end of the stick and is a little more than her superpower, but
Red Guardian (David Harbour) is a very welcome addition to the group.
Neal credited, “But the real stand-out is Bob
(Pullman), who digs deep to give his character plenty of layers, bringing to
life one of Marvel's most mercurial and mysterious yet maligned players in a
fantastic way.” Credit to the script from Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, who
make everything work, but Pullman is perfectly cast in an unexpected role.
It goes without saying that so many people must have
seen all of the MCU films up to this point, especially when looking at the box
office numbers, but this film is the most inventive and interesting Marvel film
in a while. This is one of the most thematically interesting films of the franchise,
if not the most interesting. We also have Sebastian Stan back as Bucky Barnes
and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
Spoiler alert: there is a hilarious mid-credit scene
with Red Guardian at the grocery store cereal aisle. The post-credits scene takes
place 14 months later. The Thunderbolts are discussing the issues they’re
having with Same Wilson while noticing the ongoing problem in outer space. They
get interrupted when the Watchtower says of an arrival of an alien spacecraft that
has a “4” on the side. That might have built-up to the “Fantastic Four” movie
that came out earlier this month.
This is one of the entertaining MCU films we have had
in a while. There are definitely the right comedic moments at the right time,
especially considering this is a group of misfits, and everyone is not wrong
when they say this is MCU’s version of “Suicide Squad.” On top of being entertaining,
there is some relatable moments about depression and anxiety that will hit a
lot of people. If you missed the chance to see this in the theaters, you should
see this on Disney+. As the last film in Phase Five, they did a good job at
ending that phase.
Thank you for joining in on this review tonight. Stay tuned
this Friday for the conclusion of “Michael Douglas Month.”
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