It’s no secret that Marvel Studios has had a rough time throughout the Multiverse Saga. Thunderbolts* marks the end of the films influenced by former Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, which is great news for Fantastic Four in July, but what does it mean for Thunderbolts*? It’s definitely not Marvel’s worst film, and it has a number of great moments, but overall it’s just an average Marvel film with a bit of setup for what’s coming next.
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The Plot: Marvel’s Suicide Squad
The Thunderbolts are the Marvel equivalent of the Suicide Squad. It’s a team of characters who have been villains or anti-heroes in the past, but must come together for the greater good. It’s been awhile since audiences have seen some of these characters, and that hurts how much an audience cares about what happens to them, but the film still holds plenty of Marvel charm.
While there are some great moments in the film, it takes a while to really get going. By the end of the proceedings, Thunderbolts* feels a bit like another Marvel filler movie; something you need to watch to get to the next phase in the overarching MCU story. There’s enough here to allow Thunderbolts* to stand on its own, but there’s no denying there’s some setup happening as Marvel begins to wrap up the Multiverse Saga.
Setup aside, even if you’re unfamiliar with these characters, you get enough information on each to at least understand who they are and where they come from. You don’t need to watch every movie referenced in Thunderbolts* to be able to follow the story. In fact, it’s fairly straightforward, which is both good and bad. Between Suicide Squad, The Suicide Squad, Creature Commandoes, and even some Marvel movies with similar relationship bonds, there’s very little that’s unique about Thunderbolts* outside of the Marvel characters themselves.
The Performances: Bob is the Key
If Marvel Studios is proof of anything, it’s that being unique is not a requirement for a good film. But what we’ve also learned from Marvel is that a good villain helps. Valentino Allegra de Fontaine is a force to be reckoned with in the comics, and while Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been entertaining to watch over the last four years, her character is nowhere near as threatening in the MCU as she is in the comics.
The movie is essentially carried by Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Robert Reynolds (Lewis Pullman), and Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour). Pullman is especially crucial, as most of the Thunderbolts play off of his acting in order to make each scene play well. Pullman does such a good job that it’s difficult to imagine Steven Yeun in the role (rumored to have dropped out last year, despite never being officially named by Marvel Studios).
The back and forth between Yelena and Alexei isn’t as charming as it was in Black Widow, or even in the Hawkeye series when Yelena was opposite Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). As a whole, the humor in Thunderbolts* isn’t amazing, but that’s more the fault of a script penned by Black Widow writer, Eric Pearson, before being touched up by TV writer/producer, Joanna Calo. Pearson’s resume is hit or miss, while Calo’s is solid, but TV generally has a large writers’ room, making it difficult to determine how much influence she had.
Wyatt Russell does deliver a compelling performance as John Walker (U.S. Agent). While he was good in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he channels more of the comic version of the character in Thunderbolts*, being just enough of a jerk to make him a thorn in everyone’s side throughout most of the film.
The Action: Bob is Still the Key
Thunderbolts* is not as action-packed as you might expect. There’s a fair amount of action, especially in the traditional final act of a Marvel film, but there’s also a lot of character development. The best action scenes revolve around Robert Reynolds, but every member of the Thunderbolts gets to shine at least once.
There are also a number of parallels between Thunderbolts* and other Marvel films. The action plays out in a similar fashion to Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Black Widow. This is mainly due to Yelena, Taskmaster, and Ghost all being more covert ops than raw action. However, the best action sequences in Thunderbolts* will have people questioning the hierarchy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even without the presence of Dwayne Johnson.
The Final Verdict: Average Filler Movie
Thunderbolts* is a fairly by-the-books Marvel movie. It’s far from the worst MCU film, but it’s also nowhere near the best. There are enough standout moments to get an audience excited, but at the end of the day, there’s also a fair amount of setup for what comes next. It would be surprising if we see the Thunderbolts together as a team again outside of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Still, the second of two credit scenes should get the fans excited, so there’s that.
About “Thunderbolts*”
Synopsis: After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Director: Jake Schreier
Writers: Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
Cast: Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, Geraldine Viswanathan
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 2 Hours, 6 Minutes
Releases: May 2, 2025
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
