Thunderbolts* Movie Review (2025)
A visually stunning and incredibly funny Marvel movie, Thunderbolts* has hidden depth and explores psychological aspects not seen in previous films. Definitely worth a watch!
As MCU and DC movies go, things have been getting kind of tiring. There are so many superhero vehicles out there that they all start to look the same. I have seen many (although I’ll admit, I basically lost interest and stopped) and I haven’t really been looking to see another. After weeks of watching advertisements and being nudged by friends and family, though, I decided to try another one.
Thunderbolts* takes place in the Marvel universe, where various “free agents” are working individually as operatives for the government (or whoever will pay them). Yelena Belova (from the Black Widow series) is one of these agents. Bucky Barnes (from the Captain America series) is in congress and Yelena’s father, Alexei, who hasn’t talked to her in a year, is a down-on-his-luck limo driver. When employer and CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine hires Yelena to do one last job, she finds that she and several other operatives have been sent to kill each other. Quickly adopting a random man named Bob (found where they are to kill each other), these operatives try to team up in order to keep themselves alive.
This movie is very funny. It is sarcastic and dry with lots of wit and a constant sense of people ragging on each other. Dialogue moves quickly and characters are extremely likeable even though they aren’t particularly winners. They all have tragic pasts, have done some awful things, and carry a lot of pain.
Because of this, Thunderbolts* has much more depth than other superhero movies of late. Tragic pasts are fairly typical in this world, but characters are meant to bear the weight alone. One of the main themes of this film is trying to build bridges and create a support system. It is about creating a family where you might least expect it. And it’s not comfortable, it isn’t something that anyone knows how to do, or even wants to do, but maybe it’s necessary.
In addition to some incredible fight scenes, there are some stunning visuals and story ideas that mesmerize the eyes. There is a sequence where characters are moving from perceived “room to room” – but the rooms aren’t on the same plane. Some doors have you walking through and falling from the ceiling, and others are turned 90 degrees, much like an Escher painting.
Lastly, Florence Pugh is magical. My son likes to say that she can do no wrong, and I’m starting to climb onto that bandwagon as well. Everyone in the film does an excellent job – and you are welcomed into the film from the perspective of Yelena, so there is a little bias built in – but you really can’t stop watching her. She is a major reason to take a chance on this film if you weren’t planning to otherwise.
All in all, I enjoyed Thunderbolts* so much more than I thought I would. It is extremely funny, has a storyline that flows naturally, and is visually stunning. There are a few things that you might want to know before watching, so I highly encourage you to view this 4 minute video. It has everything you need to introduce you to the characters before going in. Enjoy!
Runtime: 126 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English and a little Russian with English subtitles
Should You Watch It? Yes, it’s a lot of fun
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Available: Currently in theaters
