Thunderbolts* Review - Marvel’s Darkest Ensemble Delivers a Chaoticly Bright Triumph
- Kevin Fenix
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* is everything the name implies and more: loud, unpredictable, electrifying, and dangerous. Unlike any previous team-up in the MCU, Thunderbolts* is a masterclass in controlled chaos—a high-stakes, high-voltage adventure that dives deep into trauma, redemption, and found family. It’s darker than its predecessors, but paradoxically, it may also be the funniest. This is Marvel’s rogue’s gallery turned into a rehab group, and the results are riveting.
Where previous MCU outings focused on clear-cut heroism or multiversal spectacle, Thunderbolts* drills down to street-level pain and personal consequence. The tone is darker, the themes more adult, but the wit is razor-sharp, and the chemistry? Off the charts.
Raw Chemistry and Character-Driven Brilliance
At the heart of Thunderbolts* is Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, who once again proves she's one of the best additions to the MCU in recent memory. She carries the team with acerbic wit and genuine emotional vulnerability, anchoring scenes with a balance of comic timing and dramatic heft.
Every character is given time to shine, even those previously sidelined in their respective titles. David Harbour’s Red Guardian continues his lovable aging-super-soldier routine, while Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster is granted a much-needed character expansion. Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes still simmers with haunted gravitas, and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost delivers chilling nuance.
But a special note must be given to Wyatt Russell’s John Walker—perhaps the most hated character in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, now slowly and masterfully peeled open to reveal depth, guilt, and humanity. This ragtag crew doesn’t just bicker, they battle personal demons in ways that make their alliances feel earned, rather than convenient.
Dark Subject Matter with a Laugh-Out-Loud Edge
What sets Thunderbolts* apart is how well it walks a tonal tightrope. The subject matter is heavy—murder, betrayal, manipulation, regret—but the humor flows naturally and never undermines the stakes. These aren't heroes cracking jokes after a city has fallen; they're deeply damaged people using laughter as armor, and it lands every single time.
The banter between Yelena and Red Guardian is particularly pitch-perfect, blending dry sarcasm with emotional subtext. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, steals scenes with her biting delivery and Machiavellian maneuvering, injecting dark levity with a sharp stiletto smile.
Action That Redefines the MCU’s Standard
If you thought Marvel’s action was getting stale, Thunderbolts* throws down a fresh gauntlet. This film doesn’t just feature combat—it crafts it. The action sequences are kinetic, visceral, and beautifully choreographed. Every punch feels like it matters because it’s tied to character and consequence. No CGI bloat, no weightless battles—just grounded, gritty action that elevates the emotional stakes.
One particular mid-film raid sequence is so intricately executed and emotionally resonant, it could rival the best of The Winter Soldier. The final act’s climax, meanwhile, packs some of the most shocking moments in Marvel history—moments that elicited audible gasps across our screening.
A Human Story Hidden in Superhuman Skin
Beneath the bruises, explosions, and biting quips lies Thunderbolts’ strongest asset: its humanity. This film is about broken people trying to put themselves back together—not through cosmic stones or magical realms, but through confrontation, accountability, and reluctant camaraderie. Even with arguably the most powerful character in the Marvel universe lurking in the background, the real battles are internal.
One of the most compelling emotional threads is how Thunderbolts* tackles the idea of glory—not just as an external reward, but as a deeply human desire. These aren’t superheroes cloaked in humility; they’re people who want recognition, who want to matter. And the film doesn’t demonize that. It treats the yearning to be seen as valid—even when it leads characters down questionable paths. There’s a vulnerability in admitting that you want to be the one holding the shield, getting the credit, hearing the applause. And by laying that bare, Thunderbolts* becomes something more honest and relatable than many of its predecessors.
Final Charge: A Jolt of Raw Emotion and Real Stakes
Thunderbolts* may not have the cosmic scale or multiversal stakes of some MCU counterparts, but that’s exactly what makes it so refreshing—and so powerful. This is a film about trauma, about loyalty, about self-worth, and yes, about violence and vengeance. But above all, it’s about people. Flawed, complex, occasionally funny, deeply damaged people who want to make things right—even if they’re still figuring out how.
Director Jake Schreier and writers Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo build a story rooted in pain and possibility. It’s a redemption arc that doesn’t guarantee forgiveness. It’s abou t whether monsters can become more than their scars—and whether we let them.
Thunderbolts* thrives on character, elevates action to meaningful heights, and dares to ask uncomfortable questions without offering easy answers. Between the outstanding performances, pitch-perfect tone, and shockingly emotional depth, Thunderbolts* isn’t just a great Marvel movie—it’s a great movie, period. Which is why I give it
9/10
Thunderbolts* electrifies U.S. theaters on May 2, 2025.
About Thunderbolts*
Release Date: May 2, 2025 Director: Jake Schreier
Story by: Eric Pearson
Screenplay by: Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo
Producer: Kevin Feige
Executive Producers: Louis D’Esposito, Brian Chapek, Jason Tamez
Cast: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, with David Harbour, with Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis- Dreyfus
SYNOPSIS
In “Thunderbolts*” Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
Are you ready to see Marvel’s most unlikely team step into the spotlight? Which character are you most excited to see get a deeper arc? Do you think the MCU should continue exploring darker, more grounded stories like this? Let me know what you think in the comments or @me.