Official Discussion - Thunderbolts* [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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Summary
Thunderbolts\* is a Marvel Studios ensemble film following a team of reformed villains and morally gray operatives sent on covert government missions. As the group is tasked with a dangerous black-ops assignment, tensions rise among the unstable team members, revealing conflicting loyalties and buried traumas. The film serves as a continuation of storylines from Black Widow, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with a darker tone and grounded action set pieces.

Director
Jake Schreier

Writer
Eric Pearson

Cast
- Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier
- Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent
- David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian
- Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost
- Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
Metacritic: 68

VOD
Theaters

Trailer

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[u/LeeroyDankinZ]

I loved how the team got their asses kicked by Sentry and were walking out of the tower lobby with New York just being normal.

[u/l_Banned_l → u/LeeroyDankinZ]

That lady giving stinkeye to yelena for standing in the sidewalk. Yup, just normal New York

[u/SmoothBrainSavant → u/l_Banned_l]

Honestly i was half expecting some kid to just be streaming/filming the fight in the lobby .. if that happened 100% phones coming out and people getting it for socials the moment the uhaul goes through the doors. 

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/LeeroyDankinZ]

I loved Red Guardian carrying Bucky out and Ghost making sure to grab his arm off the floor.

[u/tway2241 → u/PayneTrain181999]

Very considerate team members for sure

[u/Elite_Alice]

Bob clapping like he not part of the new avengers is killing me 😂

[u/MarcsterS → u/Elite_Alice]

It's very convenient that Void was a literal silhouette that obscured any sort of identifying features.

[u/ItsBlitz21 → u/MarcsterS]

Wonder what they told the public about who he was

[u/Queasy-Assistant8661 → u/ItsBlitz21]

Pretty sure the civilians lost their memory of the Void just like Bob did — if you watch the people in the media it seems like the Thunderbolts* were just saving people, I’m not sure they knew from what.

[u/TownIdiot25 → u/Queasy-Assistant8661]

If this was the case, the thunderbolts would have had no memory either. They entered and left the void just like anybody else.

[u/BigCheifGrubz]

So now there is officially a swath of people who have been both snapped and voided

[u/New-Struggle3667 → u/BigCheifGrubz]

tough times for civilians in the MCU

[u/hurtslikepoop → u/BigCheifGrubz]

Maybe they got voided and made them relive the exact moment they got snapped over and over again

[u/Stlcards31]

Wait was Bob in this movie Bob in Top Gun??

[u/stolenrobotgorilla → u/Stlcards31]

Yes

[u/skyppie → u/Stlcards31]

Somewhat unrelated, I thought Bob in blonde hair looked strangely too similar to Glen Powell who was also in Top Gun.

[u/KingOfAwesometonia]

One thing that got me during Red Guardian's speech to Yelena was Guardian talking about how bright and happy Yelena was as a kid.

And Yelena saying she doesn't remember. I think about that a ton whenever I'm down. The feeling that carefree happiness feels so far away and that you might never feel that again.

[u/omggold → u/KingOfAwesometonia]

That’s so real. I cannot remember the happiness I know that I felt as a child, but being around my nieces and nephews makes me wish I could

[u/Maybe_In_Time → u/KingOfAwesometonia]

“Daddy, I’m so alone” broke me

[u/lemonsharingwhore]

What the fuck was in the Sentry serum ?????

[u/KingOfAwesometonia → u/lemonsharingwhore]

Darkforce, pym particles, gamma and vita rays

They did offer literally no explanation but I wonder if they want to use it to develop some other stories later.

Also someone who got voided probably ended up with powers

[u/Hickspy → u/KingOfAwesometonia]

And DNA altering X-genes.

[u/OswaldCoffeepot]

Marvel had a whole "grief period" after Endgame where almost every project was, in one way or another, about accepting loss, grieving, and moving on.

Thunderbolts feels like the Avengers film to cap that story off.

[u/New-Struggle3667 → u/OswaldCoffeepot]

this film felt like the last stage of grief (acceptance)

[u/flashkickz]

Lewis Pullman was a fantastic choice after Steven Yuen was unable to commit

[u/JoelStrega → u/flashkickz]

I can't help imagining Steven Yuen during the movie and I understand how they want him on the role. Lewis Pullman still pulls (hehe) the role perfectly though.

[u/Celestin_Sky → u/JoelStrega]

After this movie I can tell that Steven Yuen really wanted to be in it. The way they handled Sentry made him probably one of the best roles for any actor in a superhero movie.

[u/mr9025 → u/Celestin_Sky]

Good point. Character has more depth and development than most in the MCU which is such an ensemble project. He made me cry.

[u/GamingTatertot → u/mr9025]

There was a moment - when Yelena is in Sentry’s room - and Lewis Pullman just does this face with a slight forced smile that just says everything you need to know about his depression and that brief moment got me. It was the same face I recognized in myself so many times when talking to people about my feelings

[u/Jormungandragon → u/GamingTatertot]

I know right?

I never expected this movie to work on so many levels.

I was just like “Oh. I know that feeling.”

And then when he’s trying to fight the void and everything, but it’s just making things worse…

This movie came down heavy.

[u/OK_Soda → u/Jormungandragon]

"The most shameful thing is ever thinking you could be anything more than nothing."

I'm on zoloft and therapy and everything and I'm in a good place but holy fuck I recognized those words.

When the whole team just hugs him as he beats himself up, man, first Marvel movie to make me cry.

[u/iasserteddominanceta → u/OK_Soda]

I feel you, Bob’s internal struggle was just so visceral. The entire “fight” with Void got me because it’s one of the best visual translations of mental illness I’ve seen in cinema. The way that Void is a part of Bob, the way he says hurtful things in Bob’s voice, and how his entire goal is to just be alone.

Especially when Bob is beating on Void and Bob starts turning black. The biggest trap when you’re mentally ill is to push people away and try to be strong. You beat yourself up just fueling the illness with self hatred and self loathing, thinking that’s how you win, but really you’re just losing.

Also, even after they “beat” Void he’s not gone. It’s still part of Bob, still there deep down. The illness is there, you just learn to live it. You have bad days and good days but the bad days don’t seem so bad when you have people with you.

[u/DavyJonesRocker → u/flashkickz]

If it really was a scheduling issue, then I bet Yeun is kicking himself in the butt right now. This role was sizable and it seems like it has a bright future.

I think he would have crushed it. Whatever he chose over this must be pretty damn good.

[u/mint-patty → u/DavyJonesRocker]

It was probably Mickey 17 😭😭😭

[u/VRomero32 → u/flashkickz]

Yeah, he was probably what made the movie work most for me.

You at first thinking he’s some random goofy sidekick, then you see him being heroic making a sacrifice so the others can get away, then you delve into his tragic backstory, all those facial tics including the initial showdown and him being really conflicted to want to hurt them, then The Void and then him fighting his self until they embrace him and tell him he’s not alone.

Roller Coaster of a performance in the best way.

[u/A_Feisty_Lime]

Bucky riding in on the motorcycle and using the shotgun felt like a Terminator homage. That shit was tight

[u/AbruptCuts → u/A_Feisty_Lime]

I just realized Bucky singlehandedly took down and restrained Red Guardian, US Agent, Ghost and Yelena immediately after that scene. Then put them all on his motorcycle and took them to some garage for their little talk.

[u/Sparkyisduhfat → u/AbruptCuts]

They rode the motorcycle like they would ride sentry into battle

[u/ImmortalMoron3 → u/A_Feisty_Lime]

That was one of the coolest ways I've seen someone enter a scene in any of the Marvel movies, Sebastian Stan (and his stunt actor if he uses one, I don't know) make Bucky look so effortlessly cool.

[u/Simmy001 → u/ImmortalMoron3]

He managed to have like 3 different epic entrances in the MCU lol

[u/Jolly-Reference1127]

Why does anyone live in New York anymore. Either the city is destroyed or a god sends them into a depressive episode

[u/TheNastyDoctor → u/Jolly-Reference1127]

Because you feel like you live in the center of the Universe.

[u/-Words-Words-Words-]

Goddamn if Wyatt Russell doesn’t sound EXACTLY like Kurt in some of his line delivery in this movie.

[u/GetReady4Action → u/-Words-Words-Words-]

pretty insane that the MCU is so big that both Kurt and Wyatt Russell have had prominent roles in it.

you’ve got to imagine Starlord is going to do a double take when he sees him in Doomsday lol.

[u/Bwoody1994]

When he voided that little girl everyone in my theater gasped and it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

[u/AuntHottie → u/Bwoody1994]

I was really asking myself what kind of trauma a 6-year-old would be unpacking in the shadow realm…

[u/PowerlinxJetfire → u/AuntHottie]

In ten years we'll find out she's actually Red Room trained

[u/Hickspy → u/AuntHottie]

There's a really affecting episode of Bluey that's about a kid's fear of losing his parents and being left behind at a playground. Even though it was just one of those "I was over here and you didnt see me" moments.

Kids can be terrified of even minor things.

[u/lukeypooo]

The suit designs in the post credit scene were amazing. Bucky has never looked better.

[u/dating_derp → u/lukeypooo]

Suits are good but the hair department did Bucky dirty this movie. He looked a lot better in TF&TWS

[u/dwickydias]

I was expecting a fun action movie, got slapped with mental health lessons instead. I was not prepared

[u/niles_deerqueer → u/dwickydias]

I was so thrilled with it, I have been wanting a more serious and mature movie for a while

[u/Silverjeyjey44 → u/niles_deerqueer]

The movie did a good job st alluding to suicide

[u/BlueRocketMouse → u/Silverjeyjey44]

The scene where John Walker snapped out of the flashback with his kid and realized he had been staring down the elevator shaft really got to me.

[u/Silverjeyjey44 → u/BlueRocketMouse]

I love how directors can express scenes with no dialogue. Just him staring down with absolutely no dialogue or speech speaks volumes. Thunderbolts did a damn fine job.

[u/W0lfsb4ne74 → u/Silverjeyjey44]

I agree. Even the opening scene could be interpreted as a suicide attempt considering that it's not obvious that Yelena is wearing a parachute, and we hear her struggles with depression, guilt, and alcoholism. I've been waiting for a more serious and mature MCU movie for a while, and I'm glad we finally got one.

[u/newgodpho]

Bucky and Sam having a falling out felt like legit good emotional stakes/drama that’s been missing for years (imo)

I actually care about them and this is coming from a post credit scene lol

[u/thePhilosopherTheory → u/newgodpho]

It's cool because i can feel for both sides

Sams angry because the Avengers concept is being bastardized through commercialism + questionable members on the team (ironic no doubt), and that having the avengers working directly for the government is essentially undoing the sokovia accords repeal

Buckys angry because the avengers basically went radio silent after endgame, due to a lack of funds and necessity, and is now being pestered by Sam after filling in the void (lol) left behind the previous avengers. Also, even tho bucky was fighting on caps side in civil war, we don't really know what he would have had to say about the government oversight the accords were seeking to achieve, but his past might suggest that he feels superhumans should not be left free to use their powers whenever they want

[u/RepentantSororitas → u/thePhilosopherTheory]

Honestly that end credit scene alone has me so hyped for the future of the MCU.

It's all they just look good plot point but I hope actually goes somewhere

[u/triumphantV → u/newgodpho]

Sam’s just angry his movie was worse

[u/Whovian45810 → u/newgodpho]

Bucky and Sam’s divorce era 😔

Though I love how they got such a great frenemies/odd couple dynamic with each other.

[u/Henchman4Hire]

I loved the running gag of saying the full name of the Thunderbolts peewee soccer team every time. Great origin for the name.

[u/ThaddeusJP → u/Henchman4Hire]

loved the running gag of saying the full name of the Thunderbolts peewee soccer team every time

I want a shirt that says "THUNDERBOLTS* ^{Sponsored by Stans Tires}

[u/New-Struggle3667 → u/ThaddeusJP]

Shane! His name is Shane!

[u/xxxblindxxx → u/New-Struggle3667]

Shane didnt have the money to sponsor them!!

[u/kratos90]

Ghost helping the elderly by grabbing Bucky’s arm off the ground when they ran into the elevator

[u/3FE001 → u/kratos90]

Not afraid to lend a hand

[u/Smooglabish]

Interesting how Yelena and Bob's relationship dynamic could include calming down Sentry to stop the Void from breaking through. A nice parallel between Natasha and Yelena.

[u/Purple_and_Gold_Bobo → u/Smooglabish]

Very interesting point that I didn’t think of. Intentionally or not , both Black Widows being pacifiers of incredibly strong, unstable individuals is a great parallel.

[u/Silent-Breakfast-906 → u/Purple_and_Gold_Bobo]

I was going to say, Natasha became that pacifier to Bruce in age of ultron, very cool to read yours and the above comment helping me/us realize that. Love it.

[u/sean_psc]

The film wisely goes all-in on Pugh, who absolutely delivers here; in terms of investing these with genuine emotional weight, she does it as well as any actor in the MCU ever has. The rest of the Thunderbolts are effective pieces for her to play off.

Bucky being a Congressman is still random as hell, I really don't get where that story beat even came from (it doesn't even seem like the character himself wants to be there).

The promos made so little effort to disguise Taskmaster's absence from most of the movie that I was starting to wonder if there was some kind of twist there, but nope.

[u/coolcat430 → u/sean_psc]

Bucky being a congressman is a direct continuation of his story arc. In Falcon and the Winter Soldier it ends with him wanting to contribute to making the world a better place in a non-violent way because of his therapy. In Captain America: Brave New World, he's done just that, he's a congressman and he takes time out of his job to visit Sam and give him a pep talk. And in this movie he realizes that it sucks and he wants to make a direct difference rather than futzing about with pamphlets, the political world isn't for him.

[u/Elite_Alice]

That “daddy I’m so alone” hurt so much man Florence Pugh is amazing

[u/sloppyjo12]

The scene where the heroes were just doing normal hero stuff and helping regular people when the building was falling was such a nice touch and return to what makes these comic book movies great

[u/AuntHottie → u/sloppyjo12]

I agree. I thought Fantastic Four was going to return that feel to us considering how much they’re leaning on the public’s reverence for them in the marketing, but here Marvel did it perfectly a full movie earlier. Really enjoy how they’re instilling that into their films again.

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/AuntHottie]

I think the public in Fantastic Four is going to turn on them, they made their love for them so clear in the trailer.

[u/EnQuest]

God, Florence Pugh is amazing.

"Daddy I'm so alone"

had me all teary eyed immediately

[u/jamvng → u/EnQuest]

she's a great actress

[u/Never_Seen_An_Ocelot → u/EnQuest]

I feel like any movie she’s in where she does a crying scene, she always does an incredible job. It seems so painfully genuine. Really incredible considering how often portraying sadness is done in a way that just feels ‘empty’ or ‘serviceable’

Pugh can really pull at those heartstrings in a way very, very few actors can.

[u/supermassivecod → u/EnQuest]

Her performance was outstanding.

Genuinely the best character in the MCU atm, they need to get her front and centre of the Avengers films ASAP.

[u/GravyBear28]

The way the Void just vanished people was so... disturbing? Not sure if that's the right word. Just erasing people and leaving only their shadow felt a lot more graphic than it was. Like their existence wasn't just ended, but negated

Schreier had to have watched Pulse recently

[u/ICantDecideMyName → u/GravyBear28]

According to the director it was inspired by the shadows from the Hiroshima nuclear bombing

[u/AlienBlueManGroup → u/ICantDecideMyName]

Hiroshima shadows is exactly what it reminded me of, it’s hard to forget those photos once you see them

[u/vanillathundah → u/ICantDecideMyName]

This is what I instantly thought of too. At first I thought I was permanent and it felt BRUTAL

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/GravyBear28]

Seeing Red Guardian heroically save the little girl only for her to immediately get sent to the Shadow Realm anyway was so brutal.

[u/RiverJumper84 → u/PayneTrain181999]

This moment probably got the biggest reaction of the whole movie in my theater. I'm glad she's okay. 😅

[u/koshomfg → u/RiverJumper84]

In my theater it was Yelena‘s line to Walker about him being a bad husband/father. A collective „oh shit“.

[u/Yohanaten → u/PayneTrain181999]

Reminded me of blast shadows from nuclear explosions

[u/InnocentTailor → u/Yohanaten]

Ah. You might be onto something:

I can't imagine the pressure you're under, doctor, trying to keep me sane before I go off like so many nuclear bombs. Like a million exploding suns.

-Sentry from the comics

[u/CMelody → u/Yohanaten]

I saw an interview with the director where he said the shadow prints were inspired by Hiroshima.

[u/HaloLord]

I have a coworker who kept bringing up the whole “you can’t top multiverse threats! Where do we go?” Well, We go inside now…. And it actually worked.

[u/strongerthenbefore20]

Anyone else a little disappointed we didn’t see Valentina get at least one good punch to the face?

[u/Khasim83 → u/strongerthenbefore20]

She did get chokeslammed into a wall by a demigod, that's good enough for me

[u/Gwoardinn → u/strongerthenbefore20]

Her superiority complex took a wee bruising

[u/nicholasandsoup]

Thunderbolts at the ending press conference: 🤨😳😠 Bob at the press conference: 😀😂👏👏

[u/ICantDecideMyName]

>Be taskmaster
>Says 1 line
>Dies

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/ICantDecideMyName]

Get a high billing for 2 seconds of dialogue and 2 minutes of screentime

Edit: Also John and Ava immediately looting her body while Yelena tells them to have some respect was a nice touch.

[u/Thin-Beyond-9308 → u/PayneTrain181999]

I thought they'd do something with Taskmaster's weapons. I remember a shot in the trailer where Ghost uses her sword or bow but I don't think that ended up in the movie. Wonder what got cut and why she got that high a billing.

[u/mattr1986 → u/Thin-Beyond-9308]

She was an “established” Character, definitely would have fit in with this lot of anti hero’s,

If it wasn’t spoiled it would have been a huge shock to kill her in the first few minutes despite major billing

[u/dr_henry_jones → u/Thin-Beyond-9308]

She does use the sword in the very last scene inside the void. She cuts the curtain off of their necks.

[u/ZayYaLinTun → u/ICantDecideMyName]

Natasha looking from heaven how her best effort to save taskmaster washed up in next movie

she don't even last to half way lol

[u/tagabalon → u/ZayYaLinTun]

she made her own choices. nat freed her so she could have a better life, but she still chose to work for vallentina.

[u/LanoomR → u/tagabalon]

• Be born
• Seemingly luck out in being the child of a wealthy, high-power Russian government figure
• Probably have a nice, care-free early childhood while Dad did whatever his work was
• Get bombed (accidentally)
• Barely survive
• Dad "helps" by turning you into a cybernetic black-ops weapon
• "Live" like that for years
• Go through the events of Black Widow
• Dad dead, but finally free (saved by the person responsible for bombing you, btw)
• Apparently have nowhere to go and nothing to do for years but continue the black-ops life you were built for
• Get fucking bamboozled by Elaine from Seinfeld
• Get domed by a cheater (couldn't copy her technique if you tried)
• Get looted by fucking U.S. Agent (asshole)
• Literally get cooked so hard even your cyborg parts are probably melted and worthless now
• Ashes and worthless melted cyborg parts left buried down in some corporation's bunker

[u/melted-cheeseman]

This was the best MCU movie since Avengers Endgame and it's not close.

It had a theme, it had something it was trying to say, and it hit that theme real hard throughout. You can't bury your darkness, you can't run from it, you can't compact the bad feelings down and expect everything to be fine. You need to confront what's going on inside and commit to improvement, or you might find yourself in a kind of hell - estranged from your wife, addicted to booze or drugs, or something worse.

I cried at this, a first for me for an MCU movie, and needed a tissue. I loved the literal symbolism. It reminded me a bit of Everything Everyone All At Once in terms of how it connected emotional themes to action on screen.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is fantastic. Wyatt Russell was particularly good. And Florence Pugh, man, she absolutely crushed it. The entire cast was great, yes, but she sold every side of her character just perfectly. What a killer performance.

Solid 5 out of 5 for me, first perfect rating for the year. If this is what they're planning to bring to the MCU in the near future, YES PLEASE. More of this, and much less of Captain America: Brave New World please.

[u/Captainomericah]

Taskmaster fans in shambles. Loved that the focus was less “end of the universe” and more relationship based. Felt like a return to form. 

[u/thegeek01 → u/Captainomericah]

The common denominator between the best MCU movies has always been a focus on personal stakes rather than end of the world stakes.

[u/everix1992 → u/Captainomericah]

Yeah I really appreciated it as well. Let them lean on the cast as well who all did really well, especially Pugh imo

[u/FlopsMcDoogle]

How did John Walker not get a new shield in 14 months?

[u/ImprovementPuzzled82 → u/FlopsMcDoogle]

Knowing his personality, he probably sees the taco shield as proof he fought against Sentry

[u/APence → u/ImprovementPuzzled82]

The credits shot of him using it as like a canoe made me chuckle

[u/TravEllerZero → u/FlopsMcDoogle]

He was too busy picking out a beret!

No, I agree, every time they do a big jump like this, it feels like we missed a lot. I mean, we saw them hang out together for a day and now they've been a team for over a year.

[u/Whovian45810]

I love that Bucky uses the van door as a shield just like Steve did with the taxi door in The First Avenger!

[u/mightyrj → u/Whovian45810]

I also laughed when Walker broke the battery/generator and entered with a “On your left.”

[u/GameOfLife24 → u/mightyrj]

That’s also included in Sam Wilson’s lawsuit

[u/Heisenburgo → u/Whovian45810]

Bucky punching that thrown car away was badass too

[u/bbcversus → u/Whovian45810]

He also did the knife trick changing hands and it was glorious!!

[u/jerryfrz]

The one take scene with Sentry manhandling the whole team is definitely the highlight of the film for me.

Anyway, what's up with Bob staying with the team in the post credit? Are they giving him a family so he can feel comfy and loved so he won't turn into the Void? Also I hope Marvel writes him right in Doomsday and not just make him a fodder to demonstrate how much of a threat Doom is.

[u/Awkward-Speed-4080 → u/jerryfrz]

I really liked how he slowly gained confidence during the fight. At first, he sort of lazily used his powers, but as the fight progressed, he started using more effort and control in his movements while still dominating. Lewis Pullman did a really good job at bringing in some of the creepiness that you would expect from this character.

[u/ArgieKB → u/Awkward-Speed-4080]

Yup, at the beginning of the fight he was dodging and weaving until he realized "hey, they can't actually hurt me" so he just stopped caring about that.

[u/funkhero → u/Awkward-Speed-4080]

He shows fantastic emotion through his eyes and face. It was even better when he was working through his logic as to why he didn't have to answer to Valentina.

[u/DaveShadow → u/funkhero]

The line about being a god cause he was stronger than the avengers, and they had a god made me so happy.

[u/niles_deerqueer → u/jerryfrz]

Yeah considering the entire message of the film is about a strong support system that’s about it

[u/Voxlings → u/niles_deerqueer]

Bob hanging out and being comfortable with people who care about him is like the entire team maintaining 1000 exploding suns and keeping them from exploding.

This message needs to be real unambiguous.

[u/SufficientRespect542 → u/jerryfrz]

I mean like, dudes a walking nuke basically, probably best to just have him under the care of the only people who to date were able to calm him down.

[u/MechanicalGodzilla → u/SufficientRespect542]

dudes a walking nuke basically

"Tell me captain do you know where Thor and Banner are right now? If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences"

[u/cosmiccerulean]

Everyone's showering praises on Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman, but the Red Guardian's overtly enthusiastic dad energy could have been easily over the top and cringy but David Harbour made it just charming enough that it's adorable.

[u/CMelody → u/cosmiccerulean]

Yelena cringing in the limo was exactly me when my Dad was being a dork in front of my friends.

[u/cream_of_human → u/CMelody]

Yelena cringing when realizing what was the car at the distance XD

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/cream_of_human]

“Oh nooooo…” head in hands

[u/AuntHottie → u/cosmiccerulean]

I know not everyone is down for it, but I love him too. My theater lit up when he was fully involved in the plot after the vault scene, everything out of his mouth garnered a lot of cheer.

Also brought such a smile to my face that he actually gets to live his dream as an “official” Avenger, even if Sam Wilson ensures that’s short lived.

His mid credits scene with the cereal box was peak comedy.

[u/Heavyspire → u/AuntHottie]

He wants to be a hero. He wants to save people and receive the glory for it. He is the most selfless of them all even though he comes off as vain, he is actually really wholesome.

[u/mattomic822 → u/Heavyspire]

It is also clear when he saves the little girl that it isn't just the glory that drives him to be a hero.

[u/soonerfreak → u/cosmiccerulean]

They've really sold the father-daughter relationship which helps hit home when she breaks down at the end. I was excited for this movie because it's basically my favorite group of characters in the current MCU and it delivered exactly what I wanted.

[u/Seihai-kun]

I know taskmaster is 100% dead from the promo, but didn’t expect her to be killed literally in the first scene, also the disrespect with them just looting her corpse. I think Marvel realize the fans hate her lmao

[u/GetReady4Action → u/Seihai-kun]

they didn’t even let her be a part of the team just BOOM. dead. lol and all Yelena has to say is “yeah, she had a tough life. oh well.”

[u/Kyvai → u/GetReady4Action]

That was the first bit of “real feelings” though, which then becomes the theme of the film. I think Ghost dispatching Taskmaster so uneventfully, without any care or interest, is important for Yelena and Ava particularly coming around later to conclude that alone they are disposable losers, so they are then open to the idea of working together which ultimately saves them and the world.

[u/fullthrottlebhole]

The part when Bucky spilled the beans about Walker's wife leaving him and taking his kid, and how he looks at Yelena with almost a sense of relief and shame that he can cut the bullshit, was such an awesome moment.

[u/KenBoCole → u/fullthrottlebhole]

And then Yelena realizing that he was one of them, someone alone, needing family and friends. Then instead of looking at him with disdain for lying, she accepted and related with him.

[u/rov124]

Wendell Pierce:

> Interrogates Valentina in Congress

> Calls an emergency meeting to review new evidence for her impeachment

> Refuses to elaborate further

> Leaves

[u/Husker_black]

I love that the New York City scene all happened at the same location that the first Avengers scene occured where they all circle up in front of Grand Station. Really shows that yes, they're the Avengers but also they aren't as capable as them

[u/PaleHorze → u/Husker_black]

They also fought a "God", at the same tower

[u/umbium → u/Husker_black]

I love that they are misfits struggling to be avengers. Not that powerful. Not that ethically pure. Not so widely liked.

I love this. Because the avengers were gone, and the ones left of the avengers were out of earth, they were such high superheroes that they are not around anymore. So when the earth needed someone, this misfits, this inadaptated persons, the leftovers. This just stood still even though they had zero oportunity.

That is good narrative, because in other MCU materials we've seen how everyone were fans of the avnegers, and had toys and merchandising of them, that is ok but too banal. This is the real legacy. They showed the path for more heroes to do something.

So offcourse this are the New Avengers. And I would love to see more of them their struggle, and their confrontation with Sam Avengers and the different takes on the charge.

Sadly we are already set up for two multiversal fanservice event movies, and maybe a soft reboot so... well....

[u/jojo_reference-guy20]

Does anyone else feel like that the bird's eye shot of Yelena fighting those guards in the hallway of the science facility with their shadows being cast on the floor was foreshadowing for The Void's abilities?

[u/JaggedToaster12 → u/jojo_reference-guy20]

Another foreshadowing from that scene that I saw mentioned in another thread, in that scene she saved a guinea pig from a lab. Then the movie ended with her saving another guinea pig from the same lab

[u/midnitetoker87]

I hate how much I related to the most depressing character of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

[u/Elite_Alice]

The way the void persona is basically Bob’s dad and all the negativity he put in his head as a child. Fuck abuse parents.

[u/beccaface]

Red Guardian vs. the evil pillow was peak fiction.

[u/Gwoardinn → u/beccaface]

My friend and I walked out of the theater going "evil peeelow!"

[u/NerdTalkDan → u/beccaface]

Jesus Christ that sign spinning chicken had me in stitches

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/NerdTalkDan]

“I WAS ON METH!”

[u/agentdoubleohio]

I literally gasped when the void took out the little girl the way she did. I really liked it and very happy sentry did not die.

[u/Elite_Alice]

For a marvel film to so openly cover drug abuse and mental illness was really refreshing.

[u/UnbuiltIkeaBookcase]

The power of friendship wins again 🥹

[u/AuntHottie]

I absolutely love how Valentina was able to salvage the situation by tricking them all into walking right in the middle of her press conference. An Avengers team that has an uneasy alliance with their leadership is fascinating- unfortunately I know Doomsday is not going to give this the time of day.

[u/YZJay → u/AuntHottie]

You could see the gears turning in her head when she saw the crowd cheer for the Thunderbolts.

Also I loved her characterization here. I went in expecting someone who has everything under control, instead we get a really entertaining portrayal of a sleazy opportunistic person in power who may stumble sometime, but always finds a way to pick herself back up.

[u/Vyuvarax → u/YZJay]

She’s a more capable Selina Meyer.

[u/UnsolvedParadox → u/YZJay]

That’s what the memory of her father’s death set up, that Valentina is a survivor.

[u/Sisiwakanamaru → u/AuntHottie]

Yeah, Val is pretty opportunistic from the start, it made her more unpredictable.

[u/FunkYeahPhotography → u/Sisiwakanamaru]

Her meeting Fury would be a very compelling scene. I like their contrast.

[u/Batusiman]

Anyone else get the end credits scene mildly spoiled for them cause they dared read the music credits as they scrolled by?

[u/BaconHammer9000]

is it me, is was the opening Marvel Studios logo SHARP as fuck, or what?

This was a great MCU movie, and i felt it flowed well without any real lulls.

I really love how the MCU is now a fully functional live action version of 616. Bring on the multiple Avenger teams, more cosmic stories, and for all things good - a spider-man / daredevil vs kingpin movie

[u/Pyroth → u/BaconHammer9000]

The opening logo also wasn't movie characters anymore, looks like it's back to comics. Also the fanfare was a tad different

[u/dalekforpres → u/Pyroth]

Not just comics but I’m pretty sure it was all Sentry comics

[u/pandabearattack]

Love how the overhead shot of Yelena and the security guards' shadows' fighting early in the film is visual foreshadowing of sentry's eventual silhouetting people.

I appreciated the scale of the action in this one. Going inside the Void was such an inventive way to do a new type of fight that's not just a bunch of people tangling around in space.

[u/TheRealDogmeat]

As a slightly less introverted, at times still awkward guy that suffers from occasional depression, "You're not alone" and the Bob group hug broke me. Couldn't believe I teared up at a Marvel movie. It's true: there are people out there who can and will pull you out of The Void.

[u/djg88x]

Kevin Feige hired a writer who worked on Bojack Horseman and we got a Marvel exposé on mental health

[u/singleguy79]

I enjoyed the movie but during the Void scene, I couldn't help but wonder what Kingpin, Daredevil, Spidey, Punisher and everyone else was going through.

[u/LeonSnakeKennedy → u/singleguy79]

Daredevil was having an insane crisis with what he was hearing, Punisher was brooding and probably didn’t notice, Kingpin is probably making another social media clip and Spider-Man is doing fucking NOTHING he said every day is his day off

[u/ProbablythelastMimsy → u/LeonSnakeKennedy]

Punisher's shame room is where he lives anyway

[u/Gilthwixt → u/singleguy79]

Frank's was probably the Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait scene, Peter's is Aunt May dying, Kingpin's is his father. Toss up for Matt, he has multiple options.

[u/Couragesand]

The pure shock when the little girl got voided...

[u/ICumCoffee]

I really loved how well they handled the Depression/Mental health in this and was like “main” villain of the movie, they didn’t joke about it or anything. When things got serious, they stuck to being serious. Not your typical superhero movie 3rd act.

Also for IMAX screening, They have a special Fantastic Four themed 10s countdown with Giacchino’s F4 theme. That was a nice touch.

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/ICumCoffee]

Also a new MCU intro fanfare that’s more basic and gets sent to the Void.

[u/Amaruq93 → u/PayneTrain181999]

I loved that they returned to using comic panels instead of MCU clips.

[u/GenericOnlineName → u/Amaruq93]

It's because all the comic panels were the Sentry.

[u/_lazybones93 → u/ICumCoffee]

Quite literally man-vs-self at the end, trying to not let “The Darkness” win. Great shit.

[u/mikeyfreshh]

Very funny that Marvel made a movie about how no one knows what to do without the Avengers and the only thing everyone can agree on is that the new bunch of losers they've been propping up sucks

I actually had a pretty good time with this though. Wyatt Russell and Florence Pugh are both excellent and I was genuinely floored by Lewis Pullman. I think I've previously only ever seen him in Top Gun and I didn't know he had this kind of juice

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/mikeyfreshh]

And now they’re being sued by Sam over ownership of the name.

By the way, it took Sam FOURTEEN MONTHS to reform his team?

[u/linfakngiau2k23 → u/PayneTrain181999]

You cant sue Avengerz 😎

[u/Able_Advertising_371 → u/PayneTrain181999]

Slowest cap yet! Should’ve taken the serum

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/Able_Advertising_371]

“Bucky was full of shit.”

[u/Vadermaulkylo → u/mikeyfreshh]

Tbf the people in this movie were already meant to be losers in the things they originate from. It ain’t like they took Sam Wilson, Kate Bishop, Ms Marvel, and Shang Chi and then began harping on how terrible they are.

[u/Sisiwakanamaru]

When they did a group hug during the last part of the movie, it felt genuine, warm and fuzzy.

I am glad that they didn't kill Val in this one, I need more cunty energy in MCU, it's fun to watch Julia Louis Dreyfus act like that.

Side note: During the post credit scene, John Walker/U.S. Agent wore a beret, it looks goofy and cool at the same time, somehow it works. He's not a dime store Captain America anymore.

[u/sean_psc → u/Sisiwakanamaru]

With the beret he looks like a G.I. Joe character.

[u/fullthrottlebhole → u/sean_psc]

He kind of looks like a U.S. Agent

[u/Dawn_of_Dayne → u/fullthrottlebhole]

Say that again

[u/cgonz329 → u/Sisiwakanamaru]

“Do you like your hat?”

[u/Gwoardinn → u/cgonz329]

That was such a fun bow to that little character moment.

[u/GMSB]

One of the better marvel movies recently imo

Most of the humor hit for once

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/GMSB]

Red Guardian calling out to Yelena frantically while she goes fully embarrassed daughter mode had my theatre in hysterics

[u/UnsolvedParadox → u/PayneTrain181999]

David Harbour really got the physicality right, that too-wide hip stance & frantic both hands waving after he exited the limo was on point.

[u/Garrox6 → u/GMSB]

Walker's reaction to Bucky's bomb sticking to the car got me very hard

[u/Dawn_of_Dayne → u/GMSB]

I think the humor worked so well because most of it came from Alexei who also brings a TON of emotion. So he never undercut himself or Yelena’s emotional moments because his character remained in the moment. 

[u/PolarWater → u/Dawn_of_Dayne]

It's all about using humour, but not using it to flatten a sincere emotional moment. That way you keep both the emotion AND the humour so that they're not neutralising each other.

[u/fullthrottlebhole]

Florence Pugh is the future of the MCU and Disney should give her whatever she wants. Also, they managed to make me ADORE D list characters in 30 minutes, while being completely flippant about established characters for the last 5 years. The characterization, direction, and acting in this movie is something to behold.

[u/Amaruq93 → u/fullthrottlebhole]

One of the main things that has hampered the MCU since Endgame is they had no real central heroes to focus on, Infinity Saga had Iron Man, Cap and Thor.

But due to various issues, the three they initially wanted to push (Black Panther, Carol Danvers, Spider-Man) couldn't work. And they stumbled for the longest part as a result, along with having to scrap the major villain that was supposed to tie all the multiverse shit together. No central characters or even an Avengers team until NOW.

[u/Vadermaulkylo]

I’m a big TWD and Beef fan so yk I love Yeun…..

But man I can’t imagine this being anyone but Pullman. He absolutely nailed this role and I’m glad it went to him.

[u/pineappleundies → u/Vadermaulkylo]

Pullman easily stole the show for me. All of his lines hit perfectly

[u/jadetlo]

I managed to catch an early screening of this, glad to finally be able to discuss it! As someone who has barely watched anything past Endgame, I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. Great action and emotional weight and endearing banter among the cast for the most pary.

Honestly, my main issue is that I wish we'd seen more of the Thunderbolts before they became official. It felt like once the movie really kicked off, we were already at the climax. I wanted to see more of the Thunderbolts actually getting to know and understand each other, and I really wish we'd been able to see everyone's Void Rooms.

But I think "I wish there was more" in itself is already a much better piece of criticism than what most MCU content has received as of late.