Review: Thunderbolts*

23 August, 2025 William Eguizabal 0 Comments 2 categories

Title: Thunderbolts*
MPA Rating: PG-13
Director: Jake Schreier
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Runtime: 2 hr 7 mins

What It Is: Yelena Belova (Pugh), also known as the White Widow, has found life after the Red Room to be a difficult one. She scrapes by, taking jobs here and there from Valentina (Louis-Dreyfus), haunted by the things she’s done. Now, she’s tasked with joining a team of misfit “heroes” to shed light on the darkest corners of both the world—and themselves. Along the way, they uncover that those they once trusted are not who they seemed to be.

What We Think: Marvel Studios has been in something of a slump lately, with recent projects failing to land the way they once did. This film feels different, though—it takes the time to truly examine its characters, something Marvel hasn’t often handled with particular skill. Themes of mental health, grief, and loneliness are woven throughout—and yes, we’re still talking about a Marvel film.

Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell all deliver strong performances, but it’s Lewis Pullman as Bob/Sentry who ultimately steals the show. Amid the reflections on various mental struggles, the film balances things with well-timed comedic moments. Of course, some of that signature Disney/Marvel “cheese” sneaks in, and those parts feel cringeworthy, taking away from the overall impact of the production.

Our Grade: B-, Marvel earned back a little bit of clout with me by finally making their characters feel like human beings—people with emotions, issues, and obstacles to overcome outside of just the villain. I’m not sure how closely Jake Schreier’s vision made it to the screen, since Marvel notoriously loves to interfere in the filmmaking process for some godforsaken reason.

That said, I enjoyed this one, and I think you will too. By this point in the year, the film has likely already made its way onto Disney+, so if this sounds like something you’d be interested in, check it out there.