A ragtag team of sour and jaded misfits assembles in a movie at the smarter end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The official title of Marvel’s latest movie, Thunderbolts, includes an asterisk (a style choice that is explained by the film itself), and the same symbol could be incorporated into many of the first official reviews.

But Thunderbolts* feels like an MCU throwback in the best way, one that allows its characters and own story to be the main focus rather than wider concerns. Like James Gunn did with Guardians 3, director Jake Schreier has been able to put his own stamp on it.