As of this year, there have been 36 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since 2008’s Iron Man, Disney has been pumping out superhero movies like Marvel Comics releases their individual comic titles: a steady deluge of content for those who love to consume it. Unlike the funny books, however, blockbuster feature films are of a medium that exists much more squarely in the public eye, and is therefore subject to public scrutiny. After the box office magic that was the so-called “Infinity Saga” and the one-two punch of critical and commercial successes known as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, there were those who had claimed the age of the superhero movie was over. The follow-up films had seen far less success, with some, like The Marvels, veering precipitously close to full-on “flop” territory.
Thunderbolts*
Directed By: Jake Schreier
Written By: Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Some called it formulaic screen-writing, some called it visual laziness, others simply referred to it as “superhero fatigue.” Whatever it was, it seemed like the MCU was delving towards the lowest ends of its popularity spectrum, where even a big-name Captain America movie in Brave New World wasn’t able to really bring back the crowds Marvel likely wanted to see.
And then came the Thunderbolts*.
It’s a meta-story almost as unlikely as the coagulation of the titular hero team – in a world where the crowds are already primed and ready for big-name powerhouse heroes and larger-than-life spectacle, how could a film featuring a rag-tag group of what could best be called anti-heroes, with power sets largely repeating each other’s, actually stand on its own two legs to be the kind of movie that could bring people back into the Marvel fold? And yet, much like these not-so-plucky not-so-do-gooders, somehow it all manages to work just right.
A Smart, Funny, and Even Poignant Script
I’ll be honest – I’ve pretty well always been a fan of the way most Marvel movies are written. There’s a lot of criticisms that have been leveraged against the writing of these films as of late, some worthwhile, others not so much. The snappy, quippy dialogue is usually a prime target of ire, and though it is true to its source material, I can respect that, especially as of late, many of these movies have relied largely on the entertainment of fun dialogue and the chemistry of their lead actors to sell tickets. Quantumania, Brave New World, and to a lesser extent, The Marvels all had this issue, that they lacked a true emotional core or a thematic through-line to actually chew on during or after the movie.
Thunderbolts*, meanwhile, manages to dodge this bullet with super-soldier reflexes. The dialogue is still quippy, in a classic comic book sort of way, but there is more to reflect on during the course of the runtime than just the next step in the plot and the team’s jabs at each other. The movie opens with Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), who largely serves as the central focus of the ensemble, opining about the emptiness she feels and her inability to cope with it. It’s quickly brushed off in favor of a big fun action scene, of course, but that lingering seed of sorrow permeates the entire movie, not only meta-textually but also directly within the events of the plot. Thunderbolts* gives us a cast of characters that are each weighed down by their mistakes, whose faults cling to their psyches and refuse to let go. Every character deals with this in their own unique way, usually creating the friction that keeps them from congealing into the so-called team that the movie’s title teases. In this way, every little joke and cruel barb serves a double purpose, not just as an amusing moment or tension breaker, but as another building block in the walls that these characters build up around themselves, and another obstacle to overcome as the story progresses.
A Colorful Cast Shares the Spotlight
Though Belova is pretty clearly the POV character of the film, Thunderbolts* remains an ensemble cast all the same. Pugh is, as always, a fantastic actor, giving her all for even something as silly as a superhero movie, but another surprising turn for me was Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick, Bad Times at the El Royale) as Bob. Bob is the film’s wild card, a character you want to watch throughout just to see what happens next with them. Pullman proves his ability to stand out from his father’s shadow here, being funny, vulnerable, and even intimidating in equal parts. It’s hard to decide where you want to stand with regards to Bob as the movie progresses, and much of it is due to the commendable effort from Pullman throughout.
All that said, however, it’s hard to deny how David Harbour (Stranger Things) steals the show. Harbour, reprising his role as Alexei “The Red Guardian” Shostakov from 2021’s Black Widow, runs around in an ill-fitting costume and a huge, mangy beard, which is essential for catching all the crumbs from the scenery he chews to pieces every time he’s on screen. Harbour’s clearly having the time of his life playing the washed-up Soviet superhero, and his antics are so manic that you’d think he wouldn’t be capable of also delivering his part in one of the most emotionally-charged scenes in the movie.
The rest of the main cast pull their weight as you’d expect, too. Sebastian Stan’s had enough time as Bucky Barnes to perfectly assimilate into the role, nailing that “tired old man in a young man’s body” shtick that he’d developed during the events of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Speaking of, Wyatt Russell (22 Jump Street, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) also performs admirably in his return to the shoes of John Walker, playing off the other characters’ quests for redemption and meaning with a prickly and sanctimonious self-righteousness that perfectly serves as a foil to drive them all towards a better resolution.
Lastly, Hannah John-Kamen’s turn as Ava “Ghost” Starr feels a bit undercooked, though it’s nothing I would put at the feet of the actor. Despite having a power-set that’s infinitely more interesting than the other members of her would-be team, there never seems like there’s much for John-Kamen to do that stands her out from the others. She mostly just seems like she’s there to do some cool stuff with her phasing power occasionally and also fill out the roster. John-Kamen does the best with what she’s given, however. Even if her star doesn’t seem to shine quite as brightly, in no way would I say she drags the film down as a result.
A Score Made for a Marvel Movie
If there was one thing I think I walked away from Thunderbolts* with a less-than-positive opinion on, it was the score and overall sound design. This is perhaps one of the MCU’s greatest failings in any movie not directed by James Gunn, so I was unsurprised to leave the theater without any strong recollection of the musical backing or how it contributed to the scenes, if it ever even did. Not every movie needs a needle drop (unless it’s directed by James Gunn) but there were times when I thought that this one, with its frenetic action sequences and attempts to pull something frolicky and fun out of a dark storyline, could have used a stronger tension breaking device than what we ever got, musically.
Apart from that, there were a few times where the stunts and fight choreography didn’t quite land for me. In particular, during a very poignant moment near the end of the film, the parkour traversal across a dangerous landscape is so exaggerated that you can almost see the wires. There’s also the much-maligned issue of MCU CGI, of which much hay has already been made. I am always quick to dismiss those criticisms, however, considering how little time, money, and direction Disney tends to give these studios despite how much they make off of their services. It’s only ever noticeably odd in a scant few scenes here, thankfully, and only really during the first third of the movie or so.
Final Thoughts
Thunderbolts* really comes out of the gate swinging, with Florence Pugh leaping off the world’s second-tallest building in the opening scene to the emotionally-charged final act that dares you to keep your eyes dry. In a surprising turn from a lot of fistfight-heavy superhero flicks lately, the greatest enemy of the team isn’t (just) some all-powerful supervillain, but also the seemingly-insurmountable internal struggles with depression and mental health. The characters are funny, flawed, and trying to do their best in a world that shows time and time again that it doesn’t care whether they succeed or fail. There’s something real written into this movie, something that everyone can relate to on some level. I had expected to have a nice fun time watching another silly superhero movie, but what Thunderbolts* gave me was something I’ll be thinking about for a while.
