The article critiques the MCU's recent trajectory, suggesting that it prioritizes self-reflexivity and meta-commentary over engaging storytelling. As illustrated by 'Thunderbolts,' characters like Yelena Belova express feelings of emptiness that resonate with broader audience disillusionment. The franchise struggles to recapture the compelling action and emotional stakes that characterized earlier films post-'Avengers: Endgame.' While marketing attempts to revitalize excitementâsuch as promoting technical talentâthe article posits that fans may be left yearning for a clearer, more purposeful narrative direction.
"The MCU has cast itself in such a constant state of self-reflexivity that it's all but impossible not to see each installment as its own act of meta-commentary."
"When 'Thunderbolts' opens with Yelena Belova intoning that 'there's something wrong with me... an emptiness... a void,' not even Florence Pugh's accent is enough to hide the fact that the former child assassin is speaking for the entire multiverse."
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