Thunderbolts* (2025) - Film Review

Directed by Jake Schreier

Certificate: 12A

In Cinemas Now

When reports first emerged that Marvel Studios were developing a film based on Thunderbolts, traditionally a team of antiheroes and villains, my first thought was "Why?". Over on the other side at DC, they had already used a similar concept for their messy Suicide Squad (2016) and James Gunn's more accomplished soft reboot/sequel The Suicide Squad (2021). It felt like a rare example of Marvel playing catch-up, but then the first trailer released, and I realised that the answer to my earlier question was "Because I wanted to see it".

Florence Pugh stars as Yelena Belova, reprising her role from Black Widow and Hawkeye as a former assassin now lost without a purpose in life, feeling unfilled as she carries out the dirty work of CIA director Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (or "Val", as she dislikes being called, but I will anyway for brevity). When Val sends her on a mission that leads to confrontations with fellow black ops mercenaries Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen, reprising from Ant-Man and the Wasp) and John Walker (Wyatt Russell, returning from Falcon and the Winter Soldier), the disgraced former Captain America, the three realise that they've been set up, and sent there to die so Val can tie up any loose ends to prevent her impending impeachment. The three form a contentious alliance to escape, alongside Bob (Lewis Pullman), an amnesiac in a nursing gown who apparently just happens to be in a vault of state secrets. As it becomes clear that there's more to Bob than even he realises, the group of rogues end up joining the jovial former Soviet super-soldier and Yelena's sorta-Dad Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) and fan-favourite former killer turned congressman Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) to try and prove Val's wicked mechanisms.

Florence Pugh is the absolute highlight of Thunderbolts*, confidently showcasing that she can - and deserves to be - a leading actor. She stands out even alongside a cast with so much chemistry, which she shares in particular with newcomer Lewis Pullman, who plays an anxious mess that isn't without his charm. Even David Harbour, whose character I feared would quickly become annoying, became an emotional pillar who delivered some much-needed levity. Less convincing was Marvel veteran Sebastian Stan, who just came across as disinterested in the whole thing. Overall, though, it is the collective charisma and talent of the cast that really redeems what is otherwise a mess of a movie.

Thunderbolts* has a bit of an identity crisis. The film opens with a striking shot of Yelena contemplating her place in life before jumping from the world's second-tallest building - only for a parachute to reveal that it's the start of her first mission, not a suicide attempt. That scene establishes the thematic undercurrent and Yelena's narrative arc that is a consistent thread, but the story becomes muddled as it tries to do more. For example, why is Bucky a senator? A good chunk of the film's opening act is built around Val's impeachment trial with suggestions that Bucky is having difficulty adjusting to a life of following due process, while also trying to convince Val's assistant Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan) to testify against her boss. Neither plotline goes anywhere, and are quickly tossed aside once Bucky decides to just hop on a bike and throw hands like he was never an elected government official. This all leads to a conclusion that feels disjointed and not resolved as neatly as the film deserves.

While marketed more as a typical action romp with an abrasive cast, the film delves into some dark waters as an exploration of our past regrets and traumas, while taking visual motifs that wouldn't feel out of place in a horror movie. On the topic of regrets, in hindsight I wish that I had seen the film before taking my Mum along - she was really hyped to see Bucky in a Marvel movie again, but struggled with how intense those themes could be (don't worry, we still made a good night of it). However, even she agreed that it could have been a better film had it gone further - throwing away the mandate of being a 12A (or PG-13) certificate and embracing the psychological horror elements more. Saying that, I'm surprised that the film as-in managed to avoid a 15 certificate, given its general themes, references to abuse, substance abuse, and such.

Despite that plunge into the void of the human psyche, there are brilliant nuggets of comedy, and moments that really sell that these outcasts can be redeemed as heroes. One moment in particular, where the Thunderbolts instinctively jump in to save civilians from falling rubble reminded me of the first Avengers movie. The film also lays down the groundwork to make me more optimistic about the upcoming films on the horizon - Thunderbolts* feels like much-needed course correction, even if the road to get there was a bit rough. The Fantastic Four themed IMAX intro was a cute touch, too.

Thunderbolts* is released by Walt Disney Pictures and is showing in cinemas now.

★★★