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Review: ‘Thunderbolts*’ is a Funny, Thrilling and Totally Relatable Exploration of Grief, Trauma and Loneliness, as Only Marvel Studios Can Do
April 29, 2025Ben MK
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Movies about misfit superheroes are nothing new. And while blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy may have solidified their popularity, it's films like Mystery Men and The Losers that the genre was built on. Whether it's tales about a rag-tag team of intergalactic adventurers or a group of supervillains recruited to do the government's dirty work, audiences can't help but root for these underdogs. And with Thunderbolts*, director Jake Schreier is adding what's sure to be a new fan favorite to that list, in this story of what happens when some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most morally conflicted anti-heroes are forced to band together against a common enemy. Set after the events of Captain America: Brave New World, Marvel Studios' 36th feature finds embattled CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) on the verge of impeachment, thanks to her involvement in O.X.E., a company whose super-soldier research has raised eyebrows, due to its unethical methods and shady business practices. Eager to scrub all evidence of O.X.E.'s Sentry program — a top-secret endeavor which saw the company conducting human experiments — Valentina enlists the help of her deadliest assets — Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen) and Antonia Dreykov (Olga Kurylenko) — to eliminate all incriminating research. However, when Valentina's plan to have these assets terminate each another goes awry, it leaves her vulnerable as the target of their revenge. Claiming Avengers Tower as her new headquarters, Valentina sets out to remake the Earth's Mightiest Heroes' former base of operations as her very own. But is she ready for the wrath that's coming her way? Enter Bob (Lewis Pullman), the only surviving test subject of Project Sentry and the wild card in the whole equation. After waking up in a highly secured vault located one mile beneath the surface of a covert O.X.E. research facility and surviving an attempted incineration, this mild-mannered amnesiac escapes with some of his newfound allies and soon finds himself recruited by Valentina to become America's newest superhero. Imbued with such powers as super strength, the ability to fly, and even nigh-invulnerability, Bob appears to be the perfect candidate to don the Sentry super suit and help Valentina prove to the world the fruits of her labor. What neither she nor any of the former assassins on her payroll could ever fathom, though, is just how dangerous Bob has the potential to be. And when Bob's traumatic past rises to the forefront — causing his ruthless, super-powered alter ego, Void, to take over — it's up to Yelena and her fellow assassins, as well as Yelena's dad, Red Guardian (David Harbour), and superhero-turned-senator Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), to stop him. More than just a rousing story about a bunch of misfits out to save the world, the result eschews the usual trappings of the comic book genre in favor of a more nuanced narrative that manages to tackle such serious topics as depression, mental health, and the emotional baggage we all come with as human beings. That said, despite Thunderbolts*' more somber themes, the movie still manages to offset its darker undertones, using the MCU's trademark humor and thrills to bring some much-needed levity and explosive action to key scenes. Whether it's a fist-to-fist and gun-to-gun showdown between our protagonists, a harrowing escape through a nightmarish dreamworld, or a high-speed chase down a desert highway, there's no shortage of crowd-pleasing moments to keep viewers entertained. What will resonate with audiences most, however, is the film's focus on its characters, which doesn't just revolve around them saving others, but also saving themselves. It all adds up to another high point for the MCU, which has been on a roller coaster ride of quality post-Endgame. Thankfully, Thunderbolts* has more in common with the critical and box-office hits of the franchise's earlier phases, rather than the misfires of its latter. Make no mistake, this is more than just Marvel's version of The Suicide Squad. And while that may not be enough to officially declare the MCU as back, it's certainly more than enough to warrant moviegoers' genuine excitement for what's to come. Thunderbolts* releases May 2nd, 2025 from Walt Disney Studios. The film has an MPAA rating of PG-13 for strong violence, language, thematic elements, and some suggestive and drug references. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 6 min. |
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