“Thunder Force” Review
“Thunder Force” is a superhero-comedic movie that comes with big names in Hollywood. However, this movie has faced harsh backlash on reviews.
Directed by Ben Falcone, who is known for movies like “Tammy,” “Super Intelligence” and “Life of the Party,” he has created a piece that is so cringy and so unentertaining, this could go down as one of the most unsuccessful films in history.
Still, one of the first comedies in 2021, “Thunder Force” has failed miserably. With big names like Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as the main characters, this movie had to bring in many viewers hoping for a fantastic story and great acting but did not fulfill their hopes.
Unlike the loved superhero movie, “Justice League,” “Thunder Force” has goofy villains who don’t even pose a threat to Chicago, where the film takes place. The movie can barely keep an interesting storyline without McCarthy who practically carried the film herself.
The film is about these two friends, Lydia (McCarthy) and Emily (Spencer) who gain superpowers from years of scientific research done by Emily. They are set to protect the city of Chicago from “miscreants” which are human-like beings who are trying to destroy the world.
The King, played by Bobby Cannavale, is a miscreant who is running for mayor while killing anyone who stands in his way. No back story for characters causes audiences to have absolutely no interest in them, and that’s what The King lacks.
The movie needs to thrive on jokes given by expert timing and acting. Quite frankly, McCarthy was not on her game during the making of this film.
Many jokes don’t hit like they should, and if a movie is trying to get as many laughs as they can, Octavia Spencer is not the actress for that job.
Spencer is not known for her comedy like McCarthy is. These actresses are completely different and watching them together is difficult.
They clash with the characters. Many paired jokes aren’t funny; in fact, they are cringy.
Casting did seem a bit random. Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy did work well together.
They were able to bounce energy off of each other, and it was very easy for the audience to see that. Yet Spencer just seemed out of place, especially in a superhero movie.
These actors and actresses are not to blame for this mistake of a film. They are simply reading what’s written in their scripts.
Many jokes are just not funny. The characters aren’t deep. And the sentimental parts are ruined with cringe-worthy lines.
A specific part is when a character is called a “nerd.” Emily and her daughter often respond with “she’s not a nerd. She’s smart. There’s a difference.” That line is repeated throughout the film way too much.
The writers should not have tried to incorporate this line as many times as possible, rather improving the whole script and create a successful movie.
A plus side for the movie was the CGI with all the superpowers. They looked flawless and very realistic.
The way the editors made Emily’s invisibility appear was very impressive. Costuming was also great for the superheroes.
Other than those good features, the movie does not rank high in 2021’s list so far. This could also have a bad impact on Melissa McCarthy’s career.
Lately, the films she has started in have been rated fairly low. Hopefully, this doesn’t dampen her name.
Altogether, the film alone will not go far or be voted for many awards. This movie is a hot mess and is not a good film.
It had so much potential but failed miserably. There was high hope, but unfortunately, it was a crash and burn.
Rating: 1/5
Cade Miller is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email cam7095@psu.edu.
