"Thunderbolts*" is a huge, pleasant surprise. A fun, yet mature Marvel movie, a rare superhero movie that actually has something to say, with an emotional gut punch of a story about mental health. Ever since "Avengers: Endgame," the Marvel Cinematic Universe has felt aimless, like DC after "Justice League" but without as much experimentation. Sure, the TV shows did explore different tones with varying degrees of success, but the movies started to feel more cookie-cutter than ever (with a couple of exceptions).

This is why "Thunderbolts*" feels so refreshing, because it looks back at what has always worked best with Marvel movies, namely the team dynamics, while trying something new like having the third act essentially pull a "Neon Genesis Evangelion" finale by trading a fisticuff climax for an introspective therapy session inside a depressed character's head (while the outside world faces annihilation).

This is not to say that "Thunderbolts...