It may seem like Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer can do anything. In Thunder Force,
they actually can — if they can get out of their own way first. In this new superhero
comedy, McCarthy and Spencer play Lydia and Emily, estranged childhood friends who get
powers when a high-tech experiment goes wrong.
Thunder Force mixes super-powered slapstick with high-energy action-comedy to offer a
satirical look at the day-to-day lives of superheroes. If you're yearning for some kryptonite
to counter all of those oh-so-serious superhero epics, Thunder Force is exactly what you're
looking for.
In Thunder Force, a new dynamic duo is taking the superhero world by storm. Sure, Melissa
McCarthy and Octavia Spencer may seem like an unusual pairing. McCarthy is mostly known
for her fearless comedic performances, while Spencer is most often celebrated for her dramatic
work. And yet, odd-couple pairings are the lifeblood of both comedy and superhero team-ups.
Naturally, with Thunder Force, McCarthy is in her element. It doesn't matter if she's
blasting wayward spirits in Ghostbusters, going undercover with Jason Statham and Jude
Law in Spy, or teaming with Sandra Bullock's hotshot FBI agent to bring down bad guys in
The Heat. McCarthy has a long history of playing seemingly average women who prove their mettle
when placed in over-the-top situations. There's no reason to think that Lydia, who bumbles
her way into gaining superpowers, will be any different. Get ready for some big laughs,
with some unexpected heart as well.
And as for Octavia Spencer, it's easy to see why she was cast in Thunder Force. As a top-tier
scientist and the head of her own research company, Emily needs to have poise, confidence,
and a whole lot of smarts. Who better to bring her to life than the Oscar-winner best known
for The Help, Hidden Figures, and The Shape of Water? As her filmography proves, Spencer
has nearly unparalleled range.
"She's good at this stuff. Whoo. That a girl."
Neither Spencer nor McCarthy have prior big-screen superheroing experience, but the same isn't
true of some of their Thunder Force co-stars. You may not recognize her without her make-up,
but before Thunder Force, French actress Pom Klementieff faced off against no less than
Thanos himself as Mantis. Similarly, Brockmire star Tyrel Jackson Williams burst onto the
scene as Leo Dooley in Disney's Lab Rats, in which he played a teen who discovers he's
part of a super-powered family after his mom remarries.
Meanwhile, Jason Bateman isn't a superhero, but he may as well be to comedy fans. Any
comedian would be proud to have projects like Horrible Bosses and Game Night on their filmography.
Besides, Bateman already has proven chemistry with one-half of Thunder Force. In 2013, the
Ozark star squared off with McCarthy in Identity Thief for director Seth Gordon.
Similarly, show business veteran Bobby Cannavale has a long history with McCarthy — he appeared
in Spy, and played her love interest in Superintelligence. Not only that, he racked up appearances in
projects as varied as Will & Grace — which won him an Emmy — The Station Agent, and
The Irishman.
"You like steak? I do. I deliver steak. Do ya? Good steak. I could deliver you steak.
Could ya?"
He's even had a brush with the super-powered before: In Ant-Man and its sequel, Cannavale
plays Scott Lang's ex-wife's fiance, a role that allowed him to flex his improvisation
and comedy muscles. As Thunder Force's resident big bad, expect nothing less than excellence.
"What's that smell? It's the suits; we can't wash them."
Sure, solo adventures are great, but superhero fans know that big team-ups are where the
real action is. Thankfully, Thunder Force gives you not one, but two. In front of the
camera, you have Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer. Behind it, you'll find McCarthy and
her long-time collaborator Ben Falcone, who wrote and directed the movie.
Falcone had a small part in Bridesmaids, which was McCarthy's big breakout role, and he's
directed her in five different films. In addition to Thunder Force, Falcone is also the man
behind Tammy, The Boss, Life of the Party, and Superintelligence. Their relationship
is deeper than that, though. Not only does Falcone share co-writing credits with McCarthy
on many of his movies, but the pair have been married for over 15 years.
In addition, Falcone has plenty of history with Thunder Force's other co-stars — as
an actor, he appeared in Bad Words, which was directed by Jason Bateman, and has worked
with both Bateman and Bobby Cannavale a number of times. If anyone can get the most out of
Thunder Force's super-powered premise, Falcone is the man to do it.
Thanks for watching. Click the links in our video to watch more from Netflix Film Club.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the latest exclusive videos. Plus hit the bell
so you don’t miss a single one.