Don’t Worry. ‘Thunderbolts*’ Is Great. Here’s Our Review.
I’m about to provide a review of Thunderbolts*, the newest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But I can save you some trouble right now. If you promise to scroll down and read a couple of ads, I’ll just tell you all you need to know.
AMC Theater in Disney Springs
The movie is phenomenal. I left the theater feeling the same way that I did after Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
If you’ve ever read any of my writing on MarvelBlog or here, you may recall that Winter Soldier is my favorite standalone Marvel movie.
Photo: Marvel
So, yeah. Thunderbolts* won’t break your heart. If anything, it may become your go-to action flick. Here’s my review.
About the Cast of ‘Thunderbolts*’
In case the trailers haven’t given it away, Thunderbolts* belongs to Florence Pugh.
Marvel producers know a star when they see one, and they give Pugh the keys to the kingdom here.
Photo: Marvel
The actress returns as Yelena Belova, whom we last watched playfighting with her future BFF, Kate Bishop. Remember how magical they were?
Now, Pugh anchors the cast of Thunderbolts*, a group of antiheroes and other broken souls of the MCU.
This team is very much a batch of refugees from the Island of Misfit Toys, including Yelena’s father, the Red Guardian.
Yes, David Harbour returns as the oafish Russian filled with that country’s equivalent of Super Soldier Serum.
Photo: Marvel
This man, Alexei Shostakov, has fallen on hard times and now lives in the United States, where his life is…quite sad.
That’s a recurring theme for these characters, which the plot deftly weaponizes.
Photo: MCU
As proof, Sebastian Stan returns as Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier. If anyone understands Yelena’s burden, it’s him.
Remember that Bucky behaved as the villain for parts of Captain America 2 and 3. He literally killed Tony Stark’s mother. Now, he must live with that.
Photo: Marvel
The last time we saw Bucky – not counting Captain America: Brave New World – he was battling the fake Captain America, John Walker.
Sure enough, Wyatt Russell returns as the fallen hero, who you may remember murdered someone in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Photo: Marvel
That’s another running storyline in Thunderbolts*. They’re all killers.
For this reason, Olga Kurylenko returns as Taskmaster (Black Widow), and Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp) is back as Ghost.
About the Story of ‘Thunderbolts*’
MCU fans already know the commonality here, but if you’re new to the story, that’s fine, too.
You don’t really need to know any of this to enjoy the story of Thunderbolts*, which functions as a standalone film.
Photo: Marvel
At various points, the characters either explain their history and motivations, or they play out during flashbacks.
The symmetry of their tragic backstories connects them in ways that feel organic and authentic.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and she provides the connective tissue.
She’s got a thing for mercenaries with nowhere else to turn. So, she has used most of these characters to do her dirty work.
Photo: Marvel
Then, the Thunderbolts meet during one final mission and ultimately work together.
I won’t spoil the why of it, but I doubt it’s a surprise to anyone. That’s not to say that the film is unsurprising, though.
Photo: Marvel
A character named Bob appears, and he’s new. When I say new, I mean that the MCU has never seen anything like him.
Actor Lewis Pullman, the son of Bill Pullman, plays Bob. For anyone who watched a lot of Bill Pullman’s 1990s movies, you may do a double-take at times.
Photo: THR
As much as this film belongs to Pugh, it’s Pullman whose character carries the emotional heft.
Bob felt like life was hopeless at one point and tried something out of desperation. His decision…proved impactful.
AMC Theatres
Much of the story of Thunderbolts* centers on the mystery of Bob and the exploration of what he can do.
About the Marvel Parts of ‘Thunderbolts*’
Along the way, director Jake Schreier (Beef) deftly mines Bob’s inscrutable behavior to set up later plot beats. This is VERY clever film.
Schreier really impressed me in that making a Marvel movie comes with certain expectations.
Photo op in Disney Springs
The story needs plenty of hot fighting scenes and more than a few one-liners.
At this point, the MCU borders on being its own genre, and we all think we know what’s going to happen.
Photo: Marvel
Schreier uses that comfort against the viewer. You won’t realize it until after the fact – and maybe not even then – but each fight serves a purpose.
Similarly, some of the quips from earlier in Thunderbolts* factor into the plot later. I was in awe of the story’s efficiency. Nothing feels wasted.
Photo: Marvel
Sometimes, a director was just made for the MCU, as was the case with the Russo Brothers and Jon Watts.
The same statement applies to Schreier as well. He casually demonstrates an innate understanding of what viewers want.
Photo: Den Of Geek
Once the story draws us in, Schreier uses it against us to heighten the stakes and cause genuine trepidation.
To an extent, this is the same thing Marvel tried with Thor: Love & Thunder and specifically the character of Gorr.
Photo: Marvel
That part of the story didn’t work well because it felt atonal for the rest of the film and the character of Thor in general.
Conversely, Schreier rips off every Thunderbolt’s Band-Aid and forces them to cauterize their deeply ingrained emotional wounds.
Photo: Marvel
I realize you weren’t expecting any of this from a Marvel movie, which is what makes it so stunningly great.
Like I Said, ‘Thunderbolts*’ Is Grrreat!
By raising the stakes via several spiritual sucker punches, the story persuades us to do the one thing that feels unnatural.
We start to root for these disheveled, disavowed assassins even though we know we shouldn’t.
Photo: Marvel
That’s the goal, the purpose, and the achievement of Thunderbolts*.
These seemingly disparate individuals with nothing in common but one LinkedIn connection and a lifetime of misery grow closer.
Photo: Marvel
Every step of the way, we want it to happen, almost pleading for that outcome.
With Marvel’s The Avengers, the characters came together due to Loki being a jerk. That’s, like, the entire plot.
Photo: Marvel
In the 13 years that have followed, Thunderbolts* exemplifies just how much the MCU has expanded and how much more it’s capable of being.
Without spoiling anything, the story provides a treatise on isolation, insecurity, desolation, and personal loss.
Photo: Marvel
My wife’s secondary gig at her job involves Mental Wellness, and I realized while watching the film that she can use Thunderbolts* as a reference.
Like, if someone you know is suffering through a pain you cannot understand, a Marvel movie could help them move forward.
Photo: Marvel
How amazing is that?! I can’t believe I’m saying this, but there’s a real chance that Thunderbolts* lasts the year as my favorite film of 2025.
Literally the only nitpick I have in the entire movie is about one brief moment where Ghost uses her powers while driving a truck when she probably shouldn’t.
AMC Theater in Disney Springs
That’s it! And I’m a notoriously hypercritical person. I’m blown away by the quality of Thunderbolts* and cannot wait to watch it again.
A few years from now, we may look back at Thunderbolts* as the title that saved the MCU. It’s that great.
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