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Warning, this article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts*’svery essence makes a comparison to the DC analog, 2021’sThe Suicide Squad, all but inevitable (we’re just going to straight up ignore 2016’sSuicide Squad). Both films revolve around teams of morally ambiguous misfits conscripted by morally dubious government handlers; both feature city-leveling threats; and both teams are puppeteered by cold, manipulative women in power—Valentina Allegra de Fontaine for Marvel, Amanda Waller for DC.
It may be in the running for the MCU’s best post-Avengers: Endgamefilm with the review scores to show, butThunderbolts*falls short in nearly every area when stacked againstThe Suicide Squad… bar commercial performance.
In an ensemble, chemistry is the glue. Having multiple characters in the forefront and getting them right is a feat any filmmaker will be proud to pull off. In this regard, Jake Schreier does admirably inThunderbolts*. But if “admirable” fits that film, then “masterful” would be the word to describeThe Suicide Squad.
Whether it’s with Yelena orJohn Walker/U.S. Agent,Thunderbolts*’!s strongest characterchemistry is strongest when it involves one figure: Bob. Beyond him, there’s really no excelling dynamic between any character, even between Yelena and her father (for viewers who aren’t privy to their relationship inBlack Widow). They do pool together their abilities in difficult situations, but in actual combat (against Sentry and The Void, for instance), the synergy dips; there are no assist kills or combined power-ups.
The Suicide Squadticks all these boxes. Bloodsport and Peacemaker share a memorable, tension-filled rivalry, but that’s just the start. Bloodsport’s protective bond with Ratcatcher 2,Harley Quinn’s unpredictable rapportwith nearly everyone, and the squad’s synchronized chaos—especially during the resistance camp massacre and the climactic fight against Starro—showcase a team that not only fights together but also connects well on-screen. In other words, they pass the eye test.
Other MCU Films And TV Shows Need A Watch To Fully Appreciate Some Characters inThunderbolts*
A thirty-three-film-and-twelve-series franchise like the MCU is a double-edged sword. Sure, it gathers an unprecedented audience with each movie, but it also means that newer audiences will have a reason to steer clear to avoid all the prior context issues. It’s a similar issue thatRick and MortySeason 8 will have to correct.
InThunderbolts*, the full power of the MCU’s past entries is at play. Somehow, viewers are meant to quickly grab what led to Bucky ditching Winter Soldier-ing for a seat in Congress and who Taskmaster is. It doesn’t hurt these characters much, but it sure does John Walker’s story and the love he deserves from the audience. Besides a thirty-second-or-so flashback and a remark from Bucky, nothing concrete is tendered as evidence of why Walker is the way he is. InThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Walker is disgraced after publicly murdering a terrorist with Captain America’s shield. Stripped of his title and humiliated, he was recruited by Valentina de Fontaine to become a black-ops enforcer.
IfThunderbolts*’s writers presumed that each and every viewer would be privy to the Disney+ series, they presumed wrong.
The Suicide Squad, despite being a part-sequel-part-reboot, does well in making itself contained. Amanda Waller, Harley Quinn, and Rick Flag are back, but first-time viewers won’t notice that. All that needs to be known is that there is Task Force X, and it’s the government’s black-ops team.
The clue is in the name.The Suicide Squaddoesn’t just suggest danger, however, it delivers and details it. What shocked audiences wasn’t just who died, but how. Armed with an R-rating and zero sentimentality, James Gunn pulls no punches. Within the first ten minutes, Blackguard eats a large-caliber bullet in the face, Captain Boomerang is skewered by splinters and shards after a crashing helicopter’s rotors make short work of nearby trees ,and Waller blows Savant’s brain for fleeing the scene. Down the line, more painful deaths occur: Rick Flag is stabbed in the heart with a broken tile, and Polka-Dot Man is squashed by Starro’s giant foot.
InThunderbolts*,only Taskmaster doesn’t finish, dying a rather pointless death apparently after the writers gave up trying to make sense of her character sinceBlack Widow. A character like Red Guardian not making it to the end (say crushed to death under a falling high-rise or accidentally killed by Sentry) would no doubt have a tearful impact.
They say it’s easier to acquire a new taste than to erase a bad one. James Gunn had the difficult task of doing the latter.David Ayer’sSuicide Squadmay have been a commercial darling—inevitable given the film’s star power both in cast and characters—but it was nowhere near lovable. The 2016 ensemble was panned on all fronts, including the acting by Jared Leto (his Joker is among the worst-ranked to this day). Thus, the idea of a soft-reboot with C-list characters didn’t sound like a good strategy to win back the audience. But Gunn pulled it off. He erased the memories of a bad predecessor.
Thunderbolts*At Least Has The Upper Hand In Its Attempts At Humor
Few films are loaded with poorly landing jokes likeThe Suicide Squad.An excuse could be made for Peacemaker,since he’s goofy by nature, but most of the film’s humor is cringeworthy and included to force a laugh out of the audience.Thunderbolts*makes no such mistake. John Walker, Bob, and Red Guardian’s comic relief moments were some of the most natural in the MCU—and that’s huge for a franchise known for needless humor.
At the end of the day, bothThunderbolts*andThe Suicide Squadare in the upper echelon of recent superhero films. In terms of lasting impact, though, James Gunn’s 2021 film certainly takes the cake.
