Thunderbolts* Review (No-Spoilers) & Upcoming Releases

It's been 4 years since I last posted on this blog, so this one is mostly for me to just get back into the habit of writing, even if it's for the sake of just throwing something out there.

Thunderbolts* released last week to wonderful reviews from critics, and the Fantastic 4 trailer has everyone highly optimistic about the future of our new MCU. As a Marvel fan that has struggled with franchise fatigue over the last few years, these two releases have been my most highly anticipated movies of the summer. And I'm pleased to report that I absolutely LOVED Thunderbolts*.

Without spoiling the movie, I can say that it beautifully touches on mental health with no better protagonists than a group of former villains, anti-heroes, and Bob to truly encapsulate the breadth of human experiences that can drive us into our loneliest state. The movie also excellently intertwines conflicts from within the broader universe and depicts its main threat at a level appropriate for not only the scale of this movie but future movies that seek to further develop it. It didn't fall flat and no moment or character felt wasted. It felt foreboding in all of the ways that make us curious and eager to watch more, which has been deeply missed since the pre-Endgame slate. Only one character deeply confused me in terms of how the writers determined their execution, but I'll leave that open to discovery until a later day.

That being said, I'm still concerned about the haste with which Doomsday is being promoted without committing to much needed development for some of the MCU's newer members. We also have many unclosed loops with content that has released since Endgame, and several fans have since distanced themselves from the franchise with little incentive to catch up. Even with plans to weave these stories together, as hinted at in the few most recent releases, I wonder how this will impact fan loyalty going forward. Does Thunderbolts* have what it takes to bring everyone back? Or should we wait until July to see if Fantastic 4 is more than just promises and a fantastic trailer?

I want to be excited for Ironheart, which is set to release in June, but I've heard nothing about it with just under two months left. Keeping my expectations low, but newer content and characters desperately need the hype. Far too many people told me that they had never heard of Shang-Chi ahead of its release. This phenomenal movie deserved so much more than a "Marvel movies promote themselves" attitude from the studio, and I say this with the utmost respect to the marketing teams that have to function with low budgets, but I would hate to see that continue.

Outside of Marvel, I'm excited to see Sinners and The Wedding Banquet in theaters sometime this week. I always watch the new Lucasfilm releases with my dad, so Andor S2 will probably be my next watch but will have to wait until my next trip home.

I'm sure there's more, but I'll just leave this one at that. If you read this far, thank you for joining me while I rambled for the first time in a very long time. I hope this isn't the last.