Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour 

Director: Jake Schreier

Year: 2025


Runtime: 2h 07m


Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thunderbolts* is the latest comic book blockbuster from Marvel.

It stars Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Soldier and David Harbour as the mighty Red Guardian.

On the surface it looks like just another MCU team-up movie, but with characters you’ve never heard of before.

Earth’s mightiest heroes they are not. And given Marvel’s troubles of late, was it wise to pin the future of the franchise on an unknown band of antiheroes? Or do the Thunderbolts really have what it takes to become the new Avengers? 

(I Don’t Want) No Skrulls

No doubt you’ve heard the hype. Marvel is back. Well, mostly back.

Back with a brand new superteam of characters you probably never heard of, ready to tick all those wisecracking-mismatched-misfits-turn-it-around-and-finally-learn-to-work-together-and-team-up-to-save-the-day-from-the-CGI-baddie boxes.

Marvel’s heroes have faced all manner of adversaries in recent years, and I don’t mean villains like Thanos and Ultron and more like Kang the Kancellist.

Fortunately for them, the Thunderbolts* (can I drop the asterisk now?) don’t face anything like the threats their Marvel predecessors had to contend with.

No pandemics, no shareholder battles, no real world battles in key locations, no problematic characters best left in the 60s due to an ongoing genocide, no cancelled actors, no tragic loss of tentpole actors, no writer strikes, no reshoots, no mid-shooting reboots, revamps, recasts or recalls.

No excuses whatsoever.

Marvel finally has an opportunity to return to what it does best – assembling a bunch of B-tier superheroes nobody gives a shit about, making us give a shit about them through character growth, before assembling them in Manhattan to battle a terrifying threat and save the world in time for shawarma.

Can Team Feige hold it together for the runtime or will the story unravel along the way?

Given how disjointed the MCU has been of late, I went in with low expectations.

The Blunderbolts

So yeah, let’s start by stating the obvious; this is a Marvel movie, a term which carries certain expectations, not to mention a lot of recent baggage.

In other words, don’t go into this expecting an original and inventive cinematic experience.

The good news, Marvel’s post-Endgame baggage is mostly gone. (Though you’ll note that “mostly” is a recurring keyword in this review.)

The MCU hit rock bottom in 2023 with The Marvels and Secret Invasion. Fan backlash was severe, forcing the studio to course correct.

Deadpool and Wolverine was the first glimmer of hope, with a movie that was big on laughs, albeit taking place in a narrative void. (I enjoyed it at the time, but now the novelty cameos have worn off, I’ve no intention of watching it again.)

The last Captain America movie was a similarly disjointed affair, a formless chimera of poorly stitched reshoots whose only saving grace was Harrison Ford’s commitment to the role and the novelty of watching him Hulk out while I scarfed down popcorn.

Daredevil: Born Again, though of much higher quality, was also a mishmash of reshoots, as Marvel pivoted hard, hoping to emulate the original Netflix series. The reshot material was then hastily bolted on to the existing scenes, where were originally shot with a family-friendly Disney+ audience in mind.

While I won’t go so far as to call Thunderbolts a coherent movie (it’s a Marvel movie after all) it nonetheless feels as though the studio has at last flushed the Secret Invasion syndrome out of its system.

So, for the first time in years, we have a Marvel movie with no disjointed reshoots, no massive tone shifts, no multiverse, no speed-running comic book story arcs, no getting elbowed in the ribs with cameos, no bullshit easter eggs or references to other movies, or to characters we’ll never get to see on screen again. (Prove me wrong Blade!)

Plus we have an interesting ending and a nuanced main villain for a change.

The third act is more introspective than expected, or at least it’s aiming to be. And though clunky in execution, it’s preferable to the usual CGI-bukkakefest at the end of most superhero movies, which seemingly relish in splattering our retinas with neon skybeams, shaky jump cuts and graphical-sweatshop glitter.

Oh! And a post-credits scene worth staying for. One that makes you excited for future movies – remember those?

Most people in the cinema didn’t.  

They mostly walked out – but unlike with Harrison Hulk, they were mostly smiling.

Another notable departure from recent Marvel fare is the look and feel of the movie.

Instead of lurid, over-saturated sets full of garish CGI superheroes and ropey green screen work, we get real humans getting dirty in a charcoal-blackened smudgiverse.

No doubt this aesthetic choice was meant to reflect the nature of the characters themselves, dark, brooding, tarnished but ultimately redeemable and genuinely relatable.

Florence Pugh is the heart of this movie. She plays Yelena Belova, the estranged half-sister of Black Widow (the OG Avenger played by Scarlett Johansson).

Belova made her debut in the lacklustre Black Widow spinoff movie from 2021, where the two “sisters” battle the bet365 guy doing the worst Russian accent in movie history.

Pugh’s character was the best thing about that movie. (And the best MCU character in years.)

At a close second was David Harbour as the Red Guardian, the forgotten Soviet supersoldier nostalgic for his glory days as the Buran to Captain America’s space shuttle.

Harbour reprises his role in Thunderbolts, initially as comic relief though he eventually becomes the emotional fulcrum of the movie.

And speaking of supersoldiers and Captain America knock-offs, we have Wyatt Russell reprising his role as John Walker.

Walker was first introduced in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the best Marvel Disney+ show you never saw. It was also a much better Captain America outing than this year’s actual Captain America movie.

Also returning from Falcon and the Winter Soldier is Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier – you do remember him, right?

Well, you’ll know him when you see him. And now he’s a US senator now for some reason. (It’s never explained why.)

Next is Hannah John-Kamen returning as Ghost from that Antman sequel. You remember that Antman sequel, right? Lawrence Fishburne was in it. …No?

Despite the fact that lacking substance is her literal superpower Ghost’s character manages to be more amorphous than ever in Thunderbolts, except she’s now developed an acute case of Marvel sass.

Less amorphic, yet equally mysterious, is the character known as Bob, who appears to have something dark lurking beneath the surface…

Last and certainly least, let’s not forget Taskmaster, another reformed brainwashed killer and daughter of  Betinov 365, the forgettable baddie from the Black Widow movie.

Ever the fan favourite, Taskmaster’s scene lasts 20 seconds before catching a bullet to the brain… oh sorry spoiler alert?

With Taskmaster dispatched, the core cast must work together to escape from an underground bunker. This allows them to build a rapport while their characters get fleshed out just enough to make their heroes’ journey credible.

Thunderbolts mashes up Marvel’s best-winning formulas; combining a Guardians style band of misfits with Avengers assembly heroics.  

No doubt studio execs, worried about box office performance and set a quota of gags per minute, though at least it’s not as egregious as previous MCU fare.

So, although the tonality tug of war is still palpable it’s nowhere near as chaotic as the last Thor movie, to use a particularly offensive example.

Instead, Thunderbolts goes introspective in a way I’ve not seen Marvel go before.

So, rather than the obligatory scenery-chewing villain with an army of CGI henchmen the main enemy of Thunderbolts is depression.

Yes, you read that right – depression.

It’s handled with all the subtlety you expect from a Marvel movie, though it least it makes for an interesting third act for a change.

The scene in question divided critics. But then critics are not the MCU’s target audience.

Critics are literally paid for their critical thinking and nuanced opinions. But kids and young teenagers haven’t quite developed those skills yet.

I’ve no doubt the final act of Thunderbolts would have struck more a chord had I seen it aged 14. As an adult, or a close proximity thereof, blundering with incredulity through an age of digital propaganda and mental health apps, I applaud the effort.

I wasn’t expecting a commentary on mental health in a Marvel movie but it works.

It works because the acting is solid, and it works because the core characters win you over.

Pugh and Harbour’s performances, in particular, elevate the movie above the usual superhero schlock, with one scene between them hitting harder than expected.

Together they help Thunderbolts to shine.

It’s not top-tier Marvel by any means though it is the most consistent and coherent movie we’ve seen in a while, possibly since Endgame.

The characters have genuine growth, the exposition, while obvious, is forgivable.

Sure, we get a few cheesy flashback scenes but they have sufficient emotional depth to bolster the overall narrative.

Once we get past the introductions to little-known characters (ok he’s the Temu version Captain America, she’s Black Widow’s adopted sister, etc.) the show finally outshines the tell.

The standard Marvel-style sass is still in abundance though not as flagrant as previous outings. The script feels like it was managed by writers who took time to give it a proper polish instead of a rush job edited by committee.

The fight scenes, set pieces and special effects are noteworthy in their subtlety, blending with live action and conveying a specific mood, thus making the movie feel more grounded and relatable.

Rather than working their SFX teams to death, Thunderbolts puts greater emphasis on old skool stunt work and practical effects, the best example of which is the mid-movie set piece featuring the arrival of the Winter Solder.

Likewise, the characters look dirty and grimy, their costumes, rather than being clean and unblemished, look lived in, and when the camera fades, the scars from each battle carry over to subsequent scenes.

With Thunderbolts, it feels as though we’ve reached the point where the MCU has gotten past the myriad structural/logistical issues which have plagued it since Endgame. Which means Feige and co. finally have time to address critical issues like pacing, characterisation, tonal shifts and clunky dialogue.

That’s not to say they’ve fixed everything but they’ve put the work in at least, focussing on the areas that matter.    

Overall, it’s the most solid and entertaining Marvel movie in years which bodes well for the release of The Fantastic Four.

That will be the true test for Marvel Studios. Given the Fantastic Four’s central position in Marvel lore, they can’t afford to mess it up.

Thus far we’ve had two botched attempts from Fox, plus an unreleased Roger Corman movie (a story for another day) – none of which managed to capture the spirit of Marvel’s first family. (Though Corman came closest.)

If, come July, audiences feel they’re seeing the Fantastic Four properly realised on the big screen for the first time it will signal, once and for all, that the MCU has put its problems behind it. (Though I don’t think I’ll ever be down with Downey Doom.)

Until then I’m going to be cautiously optimistic. 

Which is to say I’m still an MCU fan, albeit a bruised and cynical one. Not too unlike the Thunderbolts, actually.  

The Good

Earned Emotional Payoff: Yep. It’s another blockbuster movie hitting you over the head with the “we’re family” stick, but y’know what? It works. Pugh and Harbour’s onscreen chemistry ensures the daddy/daughter stuff between Yelena and Red Guardian feels genuine.

Showdown With Sentry: In terms of scale there are bigger set pieces in the movie, but watching the team get demolished by Sentry was the highlight for me.

Pacing & Consistency: In a Marvel movie?! No I’m serious!

At no point did I feel like this movie was dragged out or that it swung too far in tone, unlike every other Marvel movie from the past half-decade.

The Bad

What’s The Deal With That?: You can tell Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the main antagonist Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is having a lot of fun playing the role.

Unfortunately those of us in the audience weren’t having anything near as much fun watching her. <Cue Seinfeld-style slap bass interlude music.>

The Pointless

Side Characters: The 2021 MCU debut of Taskmaster resulted in severe backlash with fans reacting negatively to how the character was portrayed on screen.

Word on the street is Taskmaster was meant to have more of a role in this movie and even a redemption arc, having formed a bond with Ghost.

Instead Marvel caved, Taskmaster was edited out of subsequent promotional artwork and got bumped off early in the movie, along with the bulk of Ghost’s story arc.

Memorable Moments

• The flashback of John Walker wallowing in misery. Wish we had more scenes like this to flesh out the characters more – maybe they exist. I’d so watch a director’s cut.  
• The Sentry fight. Pay attention DC, this is how it’s done right. (No slo-mo Snyder shite either.)
• Red Guardian’s daddy-daughter speech – no I’m not crying I just rubbed some salty popcorn butter in my eye by accident, ok?
• The final team-up – Maybe these Thunderbolts are heroes after all! (It’s shawarman time!)

Bottom Line

This is by no means the best Marvel movie.

But it is the best Marvel movie since Endgame.

It’s a lot more consistent in its execution, tone and pacing than anything Marvel has put out since 2019, plus there’s none of that multiverse bollocks.

Thunderbolts manages a delicate balance. It sticks to the formula for the most part yet deviates from it enough to keep things interesting.

Overall it’s a welcome return to form delivering unapologetic popcorn entertainment with just the right amount of heart, soul and superhero schlock.

Also Worth Watching

One movie, two series, three in a row from 2021, what are the odds?

The Suicide Squad: (2021) 2016’s Suicide Squad was a mess of a movie, with a flimsy storyline, super-clunky exposition, messy reshoots and Jared Leto.

I’m glad DC tried again because James Gunn’s 2021 movie, The Suicide Squad, is a superior movie in every way. It’s dark, twisted, stuffed with oddball characters and the kind of gallows humour you don’t expect in a comic book movie.   

Gunn wisely retained the best things from the first movie (namely Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn) while stuffing the new roster with lesser-known characters.

These included John Cena as Peacemaker (who got his own spin-off series, which I also recommend) and a giant walking shark who bites heads off (voiced by Sylvester Stallone).

And for the grand finale, we get the big screen debut of Starro the Conqueror, an intergalactic DC comics villain I never thought I’d see in live action.

Black Widow (2021): This is a problematic movie for numerous reasons.

Set during the events of Captain America Civil War, but released at the tail end of the pandemic in 2021, it also confused audiences since Scarlett Johansson’s character was killed off two years prior.

The movie’s cardboard cut-out baddie, Dreykov, and his daughter/henchman Taskmaster, are two of the worst in a long history of terrible MCU villains.

Dreykov is played by gambling geeza Ray Winstone, with an accent even less Russian-sounding than Sean Connery in Red October.

So, despite living in a flying cloud fortress (he must have won big on the gee-gees), his performance manages to be the least convincing thing about the movie.

Natasha and Yelena’s Super Mario-style stomp around the sky palace, meanwhile, is the most ridiculous third act of any Marvel movie to date.

In other words, Black Widow suffers from Marvelitis more than any other MCU movie thusfar, whereby CGI set pieces are prioritised before the need for a script is even acknowledged.

And it’s such a shame too, because the journey getting there is thoroughly enjoyable.

We get to see Black Widow on the lamb from authorities. We get more of her backstory as one of two orphans in a secret infiltration mission, alongside her “sister” Yelena.

We’re introduced to Red Guardian, the USSR’s answer to Captain America, who was revered for a time and then summarily discarded, banished to a Siberian prison.

The result is two-thirds of a good movie with a steaming bowl of digitally regurgitated borscht for the final act.

However, if you enjoyed Thunderbolts, or want to do some prep-work before seeing it, this one’s still worth a watch.

Falcon & The Winter Soldier (2021): Sam Wilson’s big screen debut as the new Captain America was underwhelming (and ultimately unnecessary). Mainly because the Disney+ series Falcon & The Winter Soldier already told that story – and better.

It sees Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes reluctantly team up to stop a terrorist group while coming to terms with the passing of Steve Rogers, the original Captain America.

Meanwhile, the US government launches a new rebranded Captain America, former elite soldier named John Walker, who’s struggling with demons of his own.

We also get the return of Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo, one of the more nuanced and interesting antagonists of the MCU, and we even get to watch him bust moves in Madripor.