(**1/2)
When will the Marvel Universe stop feeding on its own? Never. But at least this time, they’re on to something.
The Avengers are out to lunch. Those that have the power are drafting a C-Team, a group of misfits that aren’t as showy as the real A-Team. Nor as cool and socially conscious as the X-Men. Nor as frisky and furry as Guardians of the Galaxy. These are outcasts, also-rans, losers in most people’s minds. Hence their angst and low-self-esteem feels unique.
That’s the hope of screenwriters Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo. Assemble a bunch of bickering, mistrusting, barely controllable and dysfunctional misfits. Set them up for defeat and destruction by the cruel mastermindValentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and watch them squirm.
For the first half of this 2h 6m (editors Angela M. Catanzaro and Harry Yoon) action hero film it seems like the director Jake Schreier is on auto pilot. His background in music videos (Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco: Younger and Hotter Than Me) and TV (Beef) might lead audiences to believe he likes fluid filmmaking and might be great with movement. The opposite is true. Initially, the film goes from camera setup to camera setup and fight to fight without a coherent, eye-catching visual style (cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo, The Green Knight). Don’t expect a profound art piece like The Dark Knight, the footage isn’t beautiful. Or the funky innovation of Deadpool, nothing looks dazzlingly depraved. Or the magnitude of Black Panther, social messaging is minimal at best. So why watch any of it?
Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh, Oppenheimer), an assassin, is on a mission. So are John Walker aka The Agent (Wyatt Russell, 22 Jump Street), a Captain America knock off, Ava Star aka Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen, Game of Thrones) who can phase through objects and Antonia Dreykov, aka Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko, Hitman) who can mimic opponents’ fighting styles. They all turn up at a fortress/lab on a hill at the command of Valentina. She’s the head of the CIA, quite devious and plays them against each other.
After skirmishing and exchanging, punches, kicks and hits, the combatants are baffled as they discover they’re in danger. Out of nowhere, a weird dweeb of a dude named Bob (Lewis Pullman, Top Gun: Maverick) appears. They next thing you know they’re all fighting for their lives—and then humanity. They’re joined later by the Russian super solider Alexei Shostakov, aka Red Guardian (David Harbour, Stranger Things) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice) aka Winter Soldier. Barnes watches as Valentina is under investigation for her devious schemes by a congressional committee headed by Congressman Gary (Wendell Pierce, Burning Cane). Valentina plans to snare the antiheroes and avoid prosecution. Who can stop her?
The beginning is slow, burdened by exposition, excessive talking, inert bodies and a lack of stunning action scenes. It will be hard for viewers to suppress their yawns. The fighters have middling to ho-hum superpowers. The dialogue is never really clever, minus one guffaw, “The light inside you is dim—even by Eastern European standards.” You get the gist of the plotline, but nothing occurs for the longest time that seems captivating. Certainly not the generic sets (Grace Yun, Beef), costumes (Sanja Milkovic, Captain Marvel) or music (Son Lux, Everything All At Once). None of it awful. None of it great. So why not head for the exits or the fridge for an ice cream break?
During the movie’s second half, a heady, dreamlike realty, which was hinted at earlier, takes on a greater measure. A character who seemed the most boring becomes more mysterious and significant. Discovering this transformation and following where it leads pulls this venture out of the disaster arena into a thoughtful, multidimensional head space. As it becomes necessary for this hodgepodge of superheroes to save the day, what ensues become increasingly fascinating. It stretches the imagination and requires the losers to take their rightful place in the Marvel universe. They must come together for the good of one and ultimately for the good of all. In their darkest hour, Yelena gives words of hope, “You are not alone.” Credit the script for the thoughtful character development and getting deeper just when you think it never would. Also, for those who’ve never seen a Marvel film before, this movie is so cohesive it even works as a standalone.
Schreier’s direction is decent, not genius. It parallels the script, which is alternately ineffective and effective. Achieving any unique greatness is the real test. A test that nets the filmmaking a C+. The fights, chases, attacks and rescues are never as kinetic as they could be. The subterfuge, scheming and confrontations, are just OK. What directors like Christopher Nolan, Ryan Coogler, Patty Jenkins and Tim Miller accomplished with their innovative takes on comic book movies was not an easy lift. There’s no substitute for style. You have it or you don’t. In this case, the iffy direction is rescued by the heartfelt feelings that surfaces in the final act.
Whatever Florence Pugh was paid for her lead role was not enough. She should get double! She holds weak scenes together, expresses rage, fear, sadness and gladness well. Scenes when she verbally spars with her surrogate dad Red Guardian are priceless. Pullman as Bob the nerd underplays all his big moments, as he metamorphoses and gains a gravitas. There is something very sneaky about Bucky Barnes that Sebastian Stan wallows in. Pierce plays politics well as the congressman questioning Valentina. Dreyfus seems miscast as the villain, due to her background in comedy. In the back of your mind, you’re waiting for her to crack a joke. She doesn’t.
Don’t be put off by the first half, which is a snore. Know that Thunderbolts* will find its footing, eventually. Not with a cliché “stop the world from exploding” ending. But with an emotional reckoning that’s a wonderful surprise. One that keeps the Marvel Universe alive long enough to fight another day.
Photo by Chuck Zlotnick
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sAOWhvheK8
Visit Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.