Thunderbolts*

I was not expecting much going into the theater. A mid-to-low rated cliche superhero movie that would be sent to Netflix before it could finish. I was starkly mistaken. This movie was hillarious, and still manage to deal with darker topics with such grace that you would never even think it was a comedy. This was made for the characters to be psychoanalyzed; and is extremely deserving of it. It really does feel like the creators care about their characters. I could go on and on about how each of their actions made so much sense but I would lose my sanity. While there were a few jokes that went on too long, I must admit, this film was brilliant. Exactly what the people of today’s age need, executed incredibly well. The way Bob is portrayed as a whole is genius. The man manages to be a lovable comic relief in the beginning, showcasing just enough past to be intriguing and has this amazing development into Void. The concept of Void in itself is genius. Showcasing depression not as an opposing force but as a parasite that takes over your mind, makes you re-experience the worst moments over and over. So simple yet executed so well. Even the concept that saves him being “friendship” sounds childish but is often just what a person needs. His mannerisms and personality all are played off as “funny awkward guy” and slowly turn into this crushing realization as to why hes built up these defenses.  Yelena is also done so well. She really does feel like a real person, especially during the third act low point. Everything she says hits the audience so hard because of the time spent developing her as this steely assassin. Her relationship with her dad is also done very well, and both sides of it are so understandable. Florence Pugh does a brilliant job, I adore her in this film. The other characters can sometimes fall into the background at times; but still manage to have depth. Which is not easy to balance especially with the limited runtime. I applaud the creators and am excited to see more like this.