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“Thunderbolts*” is exactly what the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been missing.

Director Jake Schreier delivers one of the best Marvel movies in years with “Thunderbolts*” — a stripped down, character-driven story that isn’t bogged down by multiversal madness. Instead, this film leans into topics of mental health, found family, and existential dread. The result is a superhero blockbuster that feels raw, intimate, and pleasantly human.

At its core, “Thunderbolts*” is a movie about belonging. In 2021, we first met the central protagonist Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) in the MCU’s “Black Widow.” Since then, Yelena has been working for shady CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). However, covert missions and constant isolation have left her feeling empty and trapped in what she fittingly describes as “a void.”

When a mission goes awry, Yelena finds herself teaming up with a group of similarly exploited misfits. John Walker (Wyatt Russell), the disgraced former Captain America turned U.S. Agent, brings his trademark snark and arrogance. Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) makes her first appearance since 2018’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp.” Even Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), also a largely forgotten Marvel villain, gets a feature.

These antiheroes are then joined by Yelena’s “father,” Alexei, a.k.a. Red Guardian (David Harbour), who plays the aging Soviet supersoldier to comedic perfection. Viewers also get an understated but satisfying performance from MCU veteran Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes — who we discover was somehow elected to be a U.S. congressman.

With Bob, a.k.a. Sentry (Lewis Pullman), viewers get one of the most powerful figures yet introduced to the MCU. Pullman plays the role with fantastic nuance — igniting both sympathy and fear. His presence spurs the film’s sentimentality, especially in scenes opposite Pugh.

Tonally, this is one of the darkest MCU entries. Dead bodies are shown. Human experimentation is front and center. Psychological breakdowns, abuse, and murder are all on display. At times, the film echoes the bleak satire of “The Boys,” stripping away glossy heroism in favor of moral rot and corporate manipulation. The real villain is nihilism — this image of the void, a darkness that threatens to consume every character.

Interestingly, “Thunderbolts*” marketed itself like an A24 indie project. Even the creative team behind the film is heavily tied to the studio. The script was created by the writers and director of “Beef,” and the soundtrack was composed by experimental band Son Lux, which notably scored “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” This all sets up a moody, off-kilter tone to the film, which works in its favor.

Louis-Dreyfus delivers a standout antagonistic performance as Valentina, undoubtedly channeling her six time Emmy-winning performance as Selina Meyers in “Veep.” The movie takes a refreshingly satiric approach to Marvel politics and exposes the exploitative machinery behind the Earth’s mightiest heroes.

“Thunderbolts*” also takes specific advantage of old-MCU nostalgia. Taking place in New York City, plenty of references to 2012’s “The Avengers” and the Battle of New York are strewn in the film. The iconic Avengers Tower makes its first appearance in years, still under construction. The Earth is longing for new heroes to protect it, but what it gets is quite unexpected.

Though the film is packed with sharp humor and banter, the emotional stakes are strikingly high. At the crux is the connection between Yelena and Bob. The mentally unstable Bob seeks out compassion and understanding, and Yelena is the one who provides it — making “Thunderbolts*” a surprisingly empathetic film, one about damaged souls saving each other rather than saving the world.

Perhaps that is why Bucky, ever the outsider, fits in so well. The formerly brainwashed assassin is able to relate to this new group of misfits and is the one who finally calls them to action: “Look, I’ve been where you are. The past doesn’t go away. So you can either live with it forever, or do something about it.”

Though it may not save the MCU, “Thunderbolts*” is a welcome introduction of the new faces of the franchise — making the future of this universe feel a little less empty.

—Staff writer Capri S. Wayne can be reached at capri.wayne@thecrimson.com.