"The Thunderbolts*" is a brand new Marvel movie that connects all the loose ends of the Marvel universe and it all culminates into a thought-provoking and emotionally gripping thriller. Trigger warning, though, this film -- and by extension this review -- includes discussion of issues like depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.

OK, back to it.

The film stars Florence Pugh ("Oppenheimer") as Yelena Belova -- a.k.a the new Black Widow -- as she puts together a task force of unlikely heroes. They are tapped to go up against a new unstable superhero said to be stronger than all the first six Avengers rolled into one.

I was not excited for this movie going in. On the surface, it looked like a cash grab that was promotion for Marvel's Disney+ content.

But, when you peel back the layers of this sweet onion, it reveals a complex identity that deals with strong, touchy topics. I was truly not expecting for this movie to have such a chokehold of emotions and heavy, powerful performances.

Pugh is the standout of the film, and she is the heart and soul of the team. The most relatable character of the movie, she is going through a deep depression over the loss of her mom and sister, and is struggling with continuing to live. There are multiple instances in the film where she has some close calls with death, and to see her seemingly want to die and accept her fate was absolutely heart-wrenching.

The movie also goes deep into her time in the Red Room and learning to become a Russian spy, which was both tragic and intriguing to watch.

The rest of the cast also did a stand-up job at keeping up with Pugh.

Sebastian Stan ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier") returns as Bucky Barns a/k/a The Winter Soldier, and his character goes through a lot of changes in the film. From Congressman, to assassin to Thunderbolt* it was exhilarating to watch.

David Harbour ("Stranger Things") gets to shine as The Red Guardian once again, and is the comedic character of the group. The writing for his comedy is bright but also cast in shadow. Guardian realizes he's a parody of himself, and to break down such a non-serious character was engaging as hell.

Lewis Pullman ("Salem's Lot") was great as Marvel's newest character, Bob. He was a fun and exciting addition to the cast, and his character is way more than meets the eye.

Jake Schreier ("Paper Towns") did an excellent job directing the movie. The action scenes are shot beautifully, and I loved how he moved the camera durning Yelena's nightmares. He was able to make her movements move in tandem with the camera; it was an absolute thrill to watch.

Eric Pearson's ("Thor: Ragnarok") script was well-written and entertaining, but it doesn't leave out any serious moments when things get real.

I don't have many negatives about the movie, just the fact that you have to do some Disney+ homework to understand some of the characters better. I highly suggest you watch "Black Widow," "Hawkeye" and "Ant-Man and The Wasp" in order to have a full understanding of the characters during your viewing experience.

Oh, and don't forget to stay through all of the credits. Yu'll thank me later!

Overall, "The Thunderbolts*" is a great rebound for the Marvel universe, just in time to build hype for "Fantastic Four" and "Avengers: Doomsday." This a great film to see in theaters and good time with friends and family alike. I'd give "The Thunderbolts*" a 9/10.