One of the biggest selling points about Thunderbolts*is how it tries to keep its scale to a smaller and more intimate level, to the point that one trailer purported it to be in the tradition of A24 (to the disdain of indie film fans). Marvel is trying to get its lick back after multiple disappointments in a row, and it’s a smart pivot to try and get back in touch with the raw humanity of their characters. Having now seen the film, what jumped out to me the most in that regard is how it portrays mental health to a nuanced degree that I wasn’t expecting. On paper, this seemed like a dicey prospect, as Marvel has barely touched on serious discussion of mental health—except for Moon Knight—and I feared their approach would be ham-fisted and reductive. But the approach Thunderbolts* takes is refreshing in its lack of pop psychology platitudes, best exemplified in how it explores Yelena’s (Florence Pugh) private mental struggles and how her efforts to work through them affect her teammates.