I was pulling hard for Thunder Force because of my great love for both Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer. Both of these women are powerhouse actresses and I thought this type of high concept comedy was something they could both really nail. I’m pleased to say that I really enjoyed this film!
Now let’s be clear, this is not the best Melissa McCarthy comedy, but it definitely satisfies. I was laughing hard all throughout this thing! Not only is there a lot of great comedy within the script, but also this cast is just fantastic. If you’re in need of some hardy laughs and just an overall fun time watching a movie, this fits the bill.
Thunder Force has no shortage of good comedy that’s for sure, I actually had to pause the film a few times due to my laughter. The script is of course in part to thank for the comedy being as good as it is, but the main reason this film is as funny as it is is because of the wonderfully gifted Melissa McCarthy. McCarthy just IS a natural born comedienne PERIOD. She really brings all she’s got in her performance here and as always, delivers very well.
McCarthy’s partner in (fighting) crime is one of my favorites, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer. Spencer hasn’t done a whole lot of comedic work in her film career but I sure would love to see her do more because she is in fine form here. She proves to be a worthy partner to McCarthy and is not only funny but also makes her character very heartwarming and endearing.
These two women also have electric chemistry that is so contagious! You really do buy that they’re great friends who care about one another, none of that comes off as overly forced.
The script does a good job with that too; it makes sure to remember to prioritize their friendship. I want to be clear, this isn’t the best script in the world and it could’ve used a little polishing. With that being said, I really had a good time with this and the main goal of this kind of film is to make you laugh and put a smile on your face and this did that.
The only real critique I have of the script is that I would’ve appreciated a little more development of the heroes vs. villains plot. Thunder Force excels at making you laugh and at making these two women’s friendship seem authentic, but it’s not as good at creating a worthy superhero type plot summary. If there would have been a little more attention on that end then this film would have gone from good to great.
I do have to also praise another member of the cast… Taylor Mosby. This is the first I’ve seen from her but I’m sure it will not be the last as she’s ever talented. She makes for a delightful, endearing, and powerful supporting character. Her and Spencer have good mother-daughter chemistry too, comes off as very natural. McCarthy, Spencer, and Mosby make for a lovely little family.
I also need to give a big thumbs up to Pom Klementieff who plays one of the main villains here. Her performance has just the right amount of camp and she really pulls off the deliciously over the top villain vibe. Jason Bateman is fine but to be honest he’s kind of overshadowed because everyone else is so great. Bobby Cannavale is also fine, but I’ve seen him play the bad guy so much in recent years that that effect has really worn off.
I must say that the fights are actually pretty fun. They have a good bit of fun with the superpowers and they come up with some cool fight moves for the ladies to dish out. The action isn’t really Thunder Force’s calling card but when it goes down, it’s pretty satisfying.
Thunder Force is an hour and forty five minutes of pure fun. I laughed from start to finish and loved seeing McCarthy and Spencer have a great time with each other. Give this one a shot.
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