The Real Villain of Thunderbolts*? Phones!

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After years of buzz, excitement, and predictions, the newest Marvel Studios production, “Thunderbolts“, has finally graced the silver screen. As the thirty-sixth film in the MCU, it’s brimming with surprises, turns, and unforeseen disclosures within its duration. However, among the most startling of these is a more subdued, thought-provoking revelation. Despite the film boasting menacing villains plucked directly from the comics like The Void and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the true main antagonist in “Thunderbolts” proves to be an unexpected one: cell phones.

Director Jake Schreier’s upcoming movie, Thunderbolts*, brings together disparate characters from various years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This team of outcasts grapples with personal issues such as self-doubt, solitude, and isolation. Notably, these distressing themes are linked to excessive phone use in the film, creating a striking commentary on phone usage in today’s post-COVID society from the MCU perspective.

Thunderbolts* Is The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Most Human Movie In Years

This Marvel movie, Thunderbolts*, stands out as one of the most relatable films they’ve made in a while due to its blend of real-life elements and deep character development. Unlike some previous productions, it features actual actors performing practical stunts on physical sets, creating a tangible, authentic feel. Furthermore, it delves into the personal lives and relationships of its characters, an aspect that has been somewhat neglected in the MCU as it gained popularity over the years.

This movie delves deeply into the complex lives of characters such as Yelena, Red Guardian, John Walker, Ghost, and Bob. Each character grapples with personal issues that ultimately lead them into perilous situations throughout the film. The film subtly mirrors current societal themes by highlighting their widespread feelings of melancholy and lack of purpose. However, it doesn’t stop there; the movie also explicitly links these emotions to excessive phone usage, as demonstrated in scenes like John Walker neglecting his infant son to read negative articles about himself on his phone, or Yelena admitting that her life feels empty because she works, comes home, and spends her evenings mindlessly scrolling through her phone until she falls asleep.

Thunderbolts, unlike many other recent films, stands out for its convincing argument against excessive phone usage. Remarkably, even as a Marvel movie, it manages to express this message effectively. In essence, this film appears to be one of the first contemporary, topical productions that Marvel Studios has released in quite some time.

Marvel Studios Has A Lackluster History With Topical And/Or Political Content

In 2008, I found myself watching the groundbreaking Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut, Iron Man. Directed by Jon Favreau, this film was strikingly political, weaving its story in a contemporary context that made Afghanistan’s war-torn landscape the setting for Tony Stark’s origin story, a departure from his comic book roots. However, as Marvel embarked on their ambitious venture to create a shared cinematic universe and was subsequently acquired by Disney, the political undertones gradually faded, giving way to themes of fantasy, nostalgia, or a blend of both in most subsequent films, with exceptions like Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther series.

Since the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, the Marvel franchise has struggled to adapt to the changing world. Despite significant global shifts, many of the Marvel films have appeared outdated, either literally or symbolically speaking. A recent example is Captain America: Brave New World, which was marketed as a political thriller but seemed more focused on being politically correct that it smoothed over any rough edges in its content.

In the last month, there have been significant shifts regarding that topic. The new streaming series “Daredevil: Born Again” addresses pressing and current issues like police brutality and corruption in a direct and sharp manner. Additionally, the latest “Thunderbolts” series marks a change for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as it now directly engages with contemporary audiences, something the franchise has struggled to do for quite some time.

How Thunderbolts* Speaks To A Modern Audience

Following the release of “Avengers: Endgame” in the previous year, global events took an unexpected turn with the widespread lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, Marvel Studios decided to take a break and did not release any projects in 2020. When they returned in 2021, they found themselves in a unique situation where they could symbolically address the impact of the pandemic within their narratives due to the ‘blip’ fallout from “Infinity War”. While it appeared that some of their projects like “WandaVision” or “Hawkeye” might delve into these themes, they did not quite go there. However, with the upcoming release of “Thunderbolts”, Marvel Studios is now addressing contemporary issues without leaning on nostalgia and instead engaging directly with audiences in the present day.

*Note: Thunderbolts is a fictional team in the Marvel Universe that has not yet been confirmed for an upcoming film or series.

In the movie Thunderbolts, seclusion is the real antagonist, leading to its climax where the main characters understand that they require genuine human interaction and connection to achieve contentment. This realization is emphasized by the film’s direct comparison with the impersonal digital communication methods portrayed earlier in the film, as characters become disconnected when engrossed in their phones.

In a unique contrast to Marvel’s recent cinematic releases, the film “Thunderbolts” stands out as both entertaining and thought-provoking, offering commentary on contemporary times that seems somewhat at odds with other big-screen Marvel productions like “The Marvels” or “Deadpool & Wolverine.” While series such as “Daredevil: Born Again” and “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” mirror current political struggles, theatrical presentations like these often appear devoid of political undertones. In essence, “Thunderbolts” succeeds in being an enjoyable film with a meaningful message.

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2025-05-06 01:06