Thunderbolts Movie Review

Released: 2nd May 2025 (UK and US)

Length: 126 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Jake Schreier

Starring: Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss

Since the conclusion of the Infinity Saga in 2019, Marvel’s big screen-efforts have struggled to maintain the same quality. Many titles across phase four and five have fallen short and the interconnected focus is now on shaky ground. In the midst of this downturn, Thunderbolts is the anomaly; a rare release that lays out a new tonal roadmap for the franchise.

Sometime after losing her sister, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) is stuck in a samey routine of mercenary work for the conniving politician Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who has recently purchased the former Avengers tower in New York. Descending to the bottom level of a hidden research base, Yelena, the returning John Walker (Wyatt Russell) and Ava Star (Hannah John-Kamen) alongside a newcomer named Bob (Lewis Pullman) realise they have all been set up by Valentina and resolve to take down the high-ranking politician. They pick up Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Yelena’s father Red Guardian (David Harbour) along the way. The first act of Thunderbolts doesn’t make the best impression. One character is killed off quickly and others will be unfamiliar to audiences who haven’t followed recent films and TV shows. Thunderbolts is a combination of plot beats from Black Widow, Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Ant-Man and the Wasp. Several faces and their individual threads are mashed together in the early going; Thunderbolts doesn’t waste any time with the setup, but there is an unavoidable disconnect, one that also affected Spider-Man No Way Home back in 2022. However, as the film goes on and the unlikely team-up takes place, you’ll find some engaging ideas that the MCU has rarely tackled. The main conflict revolves around Sentry, a troubled man with extraordinary powers driven by his mental turmoil. Unable to beat him conventionally, the agents dive into a more psychological conflict, one that taps into the dangers of internal breakdown and emotional manipulation. It feels much more personal with every character confronting their inner demons. Mental health, alcoholism and other relatable challenges are a key focus here.

Promoted to a leading role, Florence Pugh is given much more material to work with and Yelena is all the better for it; her storyline is intertwined with Sentry’s, feeding directly into the climax as she argues with her father and teammates. Other characters like John Walker and Ghost find their own redemption as the story goes on, allowing the actors to create more detail. John comes to terms with his violent actions and Ghost stands for something greater. It’s a solid approach for a set of characters who sit far below the heroes of films past. In keeping with the grounded story, the comedic elements have been dialled back and the result is a script that flows more naturally. The action isn’t interrupted by quips this time around and thanks to David Harbour’s entertaining performance, the jokes from Red Guardian all land successfully. Everything is tied together by Lewis Pullman who delivers a nuanced and highly emotive persona; the details are best discovered on your own.

Right from the start of the opening credits, Thunderbolts marks itself as a darker entry in the series, both figuratively and literally. The aesthetics are greyer, drained of the colour that once defined the MCU; this creative choice ties in with the central conflict. At first Sentry wears a golden outfit, an idealistic image of superheroes, but he soon becomes wreathed in shadows, a key aesthetic choice that fuels the atmosphere. As darkness rolls into New York and people are blinked out of existence, a more sinister climax takes hold. This is backed up by a more understated soundtrack that moves away from the bombastic beats in the earlier acts. In line with previous efforts, the fight scenes rely less on high-flying stunts and more on hand-to-hand combat; thanks to each character’s individual style, these elements also work well.

Thunderbolts does have a problematic opening, asking its audience to pick up threads from multiple predecessors. But when you get into the meat and bones of the package, you’ll find the rejuvenation the MCU has been looking for. By going for a surprisingly subversive tone and more mature themes, it rises above many lacklustre efforts in the series.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)