THUNDER FORCE

US, 2021, 105 minutes, Colour.

Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, Jason Bateman, Bobby Cannavale, Pom Klementief, Melissa Leo, Taylor Mosby.

Directed by Ben Falcone.

Here is a spoof of superhero films. It is a star vehicle for Melissa McCarthy, once again working with her husband, Ben Falcone (super intelligence…). However, she is teamed with Octavia Spencer.

The play childhood friends. One becomes highly successful and an inventor, creating something which is enables others to have superpowers – especially her friend. There are some moments of rivalry, some moments of collaboration, and a uniting against the archvillain, The Kingdom, and there is Miscreants in the city.

It is meant to be a silly comedy and to appeal to the fans of the two stars. And there is a good supporting cast led by Jason Bateman, Melissa Leo and Bobby Cannavale.

1. The title? The superpowers? Superpowers confronting the Miscreants?
2. The work of Melissa Mc Carthy and her husband, Ben Falcone? Writing, directing, performing, the style of comedy, physical, verbal, parody?
3. Female central roles? Intelligence? Inventiveness? And the female assassin?
4. The comic style, Melissa Mc Carthy’s physical presence, size, jokes about this? Seeming slob? To be an action heroine? The contrast with Octavia Spencer, the intellectual, non-relaxation approach? Verbal comedy, situations, romance?
5. The focus on the two girls, at school, Emily, young, intellectual, answering the questions, the boy bully, the contrast with Lydia, asleep, friendly with Emily, punching the boy, into the garbage? The continued bonding? Into teenage? Their studies, Emily very serious, Lydia relaxing, the break between the two?
6. Emily, the early sequence with the creation of the Miscreants, the subway, the death of her parents? Their ambitions? Her wanting to fulfil their ambitions, study, her enterprise, building the enormous corporation? The story of her husband and his disappearance? Her daughter, taking after her mother?
7. Lydia, hard work, lifting crates? Relaxation? The school reunion, the discussion with the young man, the decision to find Emily, bring her to the reunion?
8. Lydia, overwhelmed by the enterprise, waiting for Emily, not to touch anything, touching things, the repercussions, the injections, her becoming the main example of the program? The buildup of the days and all the injections, her superpowers? The contrast with Emily, her being able to be invisible? The contribution of the daughter?
9. Allie, CIA, businesslike, running the practicalities? Deadpan humour? Working with Emily? The clashes with Lydia? Ultimately the revelation of her betrayal, contact with the Miscreants, The King? The daughter overcoming her?

• The mayoral race, The King and his campaign, personality, Miscreant, relying on the miscreants? His advisers, their weak characters, randomly killing them, overwhelming them, their advice?
• Laser, Miscreant, deadly assassin, seeing her at work, the confrontation with Emily and Lydia, the fight, the defeat?
• The miscreants, the explanations? Crab, his personality, Jason Bateman style of deadpan comedy, working with The King, the infatuation with Lydia, the date at the restaurant, the crowds, is clause…? With The

13. King, taking sides, supporting Lydia?

• The buildup to the battle, Lydia’s powers, strength, Emily becoming invisible? The clash with Laser? The clash with The King, the fight, taunts, his being blasted through the window?
• The new mayor, support of Thunder Force, their working for the city? Future?