Marvel Studios’ “Thunderbolts*” is out and it is so much more than the superhero films we have been getting lately. Are there typical tropes and gags that we see in every single movie? Yes, of course there are.
What this film does that is so different, however, is to raise the stakes from an emotional standpoint. It’s darker, deeper and focuses on mental health throughout the movie with every single character. It’s bordering on a flagpole for mental health, and it’s no coincidence that Marvel released this during May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month. It carries a ton of weight, and you watch and feel every character’s struggle within.
“Thunderbolts*” was a huge swing for Marvel, and they knocked it out of the park.
“Thunderbolts*” (2025) Review: Marvel Explores Darker Themes
Florence Pugh Leads the Way
There’s no question whatsoever that Florence Pugh is the heart and soul of this film. She’s the focus, the epicenter, the nucleus, one might say. The story focuses on Yelena (played by Florence Pugh) and her struggle with what her purpose truly is as the life of an assassin. Not only that, but her guilt, loneliness and suicidal feelings are due to all the awful things she’s done in her life. Pugh puts on a phenomenal performance and one of the best things Marvel did was bring her onto the team.
Sebastian Stan Continues His Development
Of course, that doesn’t mean that the rest of the cast isn’t great, because they are. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are no strangers to Bucky (Sebastian Stan) and this is the arc point in Bucky’s character development. He’s gone through the struggle. He knows the feelings they’re all feeling. So now he’s here to help them push through it and lead them out of those dark places. It’s a great new side of Bucky we haven’t seen, and Sebastian Stan continues to deliver and develop into a great actor.
David Harbour & Wyatt Russell Hold Their Own
David Harbour adds the comic relief back in his Red Guardian role. There are some pretty great one-liners from him, and there’s also a mix of cringeworthy quotes. But, he’s extremely likable, and definitely adds to the fire that’s inside Yelena during parts of this movie.
Wyatt Russell has taken his role as John Walker to the next step and continues to flourish. He’s is still a Grade A butthole, although that more is on the surface level and we finally get to see what is deep inside him and driving him to act that way.
Rounding out the core team, Ghost, played by Hannah John-Kamen, is honestly just kind of there. That’s not to take away from her performance; she does a good job, but her character’s loss and struggle were already put on display in “Ant-Man & The Wasp.” We don’t see her character develop a whole lot, so she almost just acts as an added write-off piece of the film.
Lewis Pullman Is a Star in the Making
The anchor, the diamond in the rough, the scene stealer. I can’t say enough great things about Lewis Pullman. The man came into the MCU and has me completely hook, line and sinker. Pullmn’s portrayal of Bob/Sentry/The Void was near perfection. His quirkiness, subtlety and emotionally-driven performance is one that I won’t forget. He was perfect and he honestly might be my new favorite Marvel character post-“Avengers: Endgame.”
Deeper Themes, Less Action
The action of “Thunderbolts*” isn’t anything to brag about. There are a few good pieces of hand-to-hand combat, but as mentioned, this is a more emotional film than action-driven. It’s far more about the battle within than the battle with The Void. “Thunderbolts*” will pull at your heartstrings more than once, and it’s great to see Marvel take this direction in a film. It’s so well done, and easily the second-best film they’ve put out since “Avengers: Endgame,” just behind “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”
“Look, I’ve been where you are. The past doesn’t go away. So you can either live with it forever, or do something about it.” – Bucky
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