The summer blockbuster season has arrived and I’ve said this to a number of friends. In the post-Endgame era, reactions have been “ok” and “it’s alright.” Maybe it was just Spider-Man: No Way Home that compelled me to go to the cinemas for multiple viewings. (Multiple meaning 5 or more in Jiggy standards) Let’s be honest, the bar was just set way too high by Avengers Endgame and many of us have been spoiled by Marvel Studios with the superior storytelling in an interconnected universe.
Today is April 30 and THUNDERBOLTS* from Marvel Studios debuts in Philippine cinemas. I was fortunate to have seen the movie at the Philippine premiere last night and with no BS, this movie has surpassed my expectations and I will definitely see this at least 5 times in the cinemas. That’s the minimum.
I like to give “Baseball lingo” for MCU entries. I think it's better to describe the Marvel movies in that sense versus a scale of 1-10. So please indulge me. Imagine that Avengers Endgame is like Game 7 of the World Series. The final game of the season. It’s the bottom of the ninth. Home team is down 3 runs with 3 men on base and 2 outs. It’s a full count and the player on deck hits a grand slam to win it all! A walk-off! It can't get any better than that right? (Wink wink Avengers Doomsday and Avengers Secret Wars) So what is my baseball take on Thunderbolts*? The 36th entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a walk-off grand slam to secure a spot in the wild card playoffs. Think of it as a team that hasn’t been in the playoffs for years and this delivered a much needed boost to a city of loyal fans who have been supportive throughout the years.
I’ll be honest, this was the movie I was looking forward to the most in 2025 and boy oh boy did it deliver beyond my expectations!
The success of the movie comes from the ensemble cast. From Actor A down to Actor Z, everyone delivers. Florence Pugh who plays former Red Room assassin Yelena Belova (the new and current Black Widow) is definitely deserving of headlining the cast. I would argue hat she is the best actor in the MCU. She can wrench your heart, make you laugh, and make you feel a lot of things! I first encountered Florence Pugh in the WWE movie / true story Fighting with my family and that movie made me cry! I knew from that point on that Florence Pugh was an A-LIST star! She triumphs at every scene and delivers one of the most human and heartfelt performances for a Marvel Character. Lewis Pullman who plays Bob / Robert Reynolds shines in every scene he is in. What a great addition to the MCU! As a comic book fan / Marvel Zombie / True Believer, I’m very happy how Bob was portrayed! Check out and read THE SENTRY by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee on Marvel Unlimited if you can! Sebastian Stan returns as James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes. Now a US Congressman, he is also the de facto leader of the team. Bucky is the only character in the MCU to have appeared in all 5 Phases mind you. Yes, he is still very cool! My surprise favorite of the movie was Wyatt Russell who plays John Walker aka The US Agent / “The dime store Captain America.” The MCU needed a lovable a-hole and I’m happy that he was given an important role in this movie. Rounding up the Thunderbolts are David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Olga Kurylenko who return to the MCU as Red Guardian, Ghost, and Taskmaster respectively. Geraldine Viswanathan (who I loved in TBS' Miracle Workers) joins the MCU as Mel, the assistant to the character of multiple Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine / Val. Talk about an amazing ensemble cast right? You will love, hate, and adore Valentina because how can you not like Julia Louis-Dreyfus!? She’s the best! I’m so happy she has more screen time!
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said at the press conference that his favorite part about these movies are the incredible actors who have never met before on screen meeting for the first time and interacting in ways they’ve never interacted before. He's right! I truly believe that these interactions what make the Marvel movies so entertaining to watch and rewatch all over again.
Thunderbolts* is arguably Marvel Studios’ “darkest” entry to date as it deals with mental health issues like loneliness and depression. It’s a topic that has not yet been explored in the MCU until now. I commend them for tackling it. We all have those days wherein we feel we are not enough. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all gloom and doom. It’s far from it. Marvel Studios perfectly balances the comedy, action, and the little tear jerkers that come out of nowhere. Sure, you can say that there WAS “superhero fatigue” in the last few years but here we are now. Marvel Studios sticks firmly to their core principles in storytelling showcasing HEROISM, HUMANITY, and HEART. It’s because of stories like these that we keep coming back to the movies. In life, we all deal with problems here and there. No one is exempt. At times, we need that spark to pick us up again to get back on track.
So this weekend, go out with your friends! Take your significant someone! Bring your family! Go watch Thunderbolts* which was made to be seen on the big screen! Please, with all due respect, do not be one of those lazy and stubborn people who will wait for it on streaming. You’ll miss half the fun! Seriously. See it in the way it was made! To be seated in a dark room full of strangers united under a wonderful fandom!
I won’t spoil what the asterisk is for. Don’t spoil it for others too!
Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* is now showing in Philippine Cinemas.
See it in IMAX if possible! You won’t regret it!
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