Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ Delivers a Refreshing and Emotional Adventure
A new team of heroes has arrived, and who would’ve thought it’s an odd group of antiheroes who just coincidentally worked together to face a greater threat?
Marvel Studios released their second Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) theatrical release this year and despite the lukewarm reception to “Captain America: Brave New World,” this new adventure has received a wave of positive reviews from critics and moviegoers alike, earning an 88% rating from critics and 94% from verified audience on Rotten Tomatoes.
Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” brings together an unusual band of superhero rejects comprised of Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, David Harbour's Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost, and Wyatt Russell's John Walker. If you’re a fan of the MCU or have been keeping up with the films, you already probably know that these characters have been a thorn in the side of the Avengers one way or another and have done some pretty bad things.
At first glance, this film might look like another “Suicide Squad,” DC’s popular movie about a group of criminals working together to fight off a greater villain, but after watching the film, we realize Marvel has much more in store in this action-packed adventure. With this film, the company was able to explore a darker kind of villain, one that resides in our minds.
Redemption Arc at Its Finest
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
"Thunderbolts*” is a redemption film at its core, a story that tells of an unconventional group of antiheroes working together to fight a greater evil. Although trauma has been an overused plot device in many movies, this film utilizes it in all the right ways as it plunges deeply into the state of mind of each character and explores their mental health issues, a theme that is both relevant and timely.
Directed by Jake Schreier and written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, “Thunderbolts*” gave us an original treatment of mental health issues told in a heartfelt way. We don’t think we’ve ever teared up over a Marvel film outside of character deaths, but here we are.
Like most movies in the MCU, “Thunderbolts*” begins right into the action as we witness Yelena standing on the edge of a skyscraper. As she jumps and parachutes to a lower floor, we hear her voiceover saying, “There’s something wrong with me. An emptiness. I thought it started when my sister died, but now it feels like something bigger. Just a…void.”
She goes on a monologue about being bored and discontent with how her life has turned out as she fights her way into the building. From there, we see her wanting to leave her assassin life for a more “public-facing” role in the hopes of finding purpose in her life. Yelena explained, without ever saying the word, what depression is.
Throughout the film, we are not only given impressive combat scenes and daredevil stunts, but also an emotional and deeper understanding of what goes on in these characters’ heads. Superhero films are mostly plot-driven, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats with back-to-back action sequences, but what makes “Thunderbolts*” unique is their treatment of emotions on a character level, the story unfolding through the choices they make, heavily influenced by their histories, and their mental and emotional states.
Director Jake Schreier was quite clever with his shots from the start of the film, like how he ushered viewers into Yelena’s state of mind, which was mostly filled with darkness. This was shown in the hallway scene as she moved in to fight the guards. A single light source came from behind her at the end of the hall, and the Director intentionally placed the camera above to capture long shadows, making it look like Yelena was fighting shades — a representation of the demons she’s battling in her head.
We suppose this also makes it the most (if not the first) artistic film in the MCU as it leans more into artistry and presentation rather than flashy stunts, which beautifully supports the theme and overall storyline.
But that doesn’t mean the movie lacked in the action department because there were plenty of explosions and hand-to-hand combat to go around, which is a signature in the franchise. CGI was also top-tier, and one of our favorite effects was how Bob, a.k.a. The Sentry, shrouded the city in darkness as he brought them into the darkest and deepest parts of their mind.
We also loved the chemistry between the antiheroes. The concept of found family has been a recurring theme in the MCU, and we enjoyed their journey — how they found common ground to work together as a team. It was a bumpy ride where they endlessly fought and often clashed, understandable considering this band of misfits was like putting together a bunch of magnets that will inevitably repel each other, but that’s what made their teamwork rewarding in the end and why we think this group can indeed be named as — spoiler alert! — “The New Avengers.”
What made these characters an interesting group to watch was their relatability. The director had mentioned this in an interview with Disney, quoting, “I think they’re sort of your least anticipated group of Marvel heroes. *laughs* But in that way, they’re like us. There’s something that everyone can relate to in all of these characters. They’re people who have found themselves in a place they didn’t expect to be, or maybe things didn’t work out for them quite in the way that they thought. I think anyone can relate, certainly.”
It made the moral of its tale even more profound, which Yelena mentioned earlier in the film when Bob asked her about what she does when the loneliness or darkness gets too much. She advised him to shove it all down, to keep it in, but towards the end, she learned that the best way to get through it is to let go, find connection in others, and move forward.
One thing we wished to have seen more, however, is the Ghost coming into play more. We thought she was overshadowed by the others, who all had interesting back stories. We’ve had a brush with this antihero in the “Antman” franchise, but considering this is her first film where we see her playing a role outside of being a villain, we hope Marvel develops her character more and gives her more substance.
Final Verdict
“Thunderbolts*” may not be the strongest or flashiest film in the franchise, but it’s got a lot of heart and a strong message that makes a lasting impact, making it one of the more memorable Marvel movies out there. This is more than just a superhero film. It’s about being in one place and learning how to move forward from it. It’s about being human despite your power, strength, and capacity.
More importantly, this film shows us that the “void” is an all-consuming force and can easily take over if you let it. After seeing the characters’ journey in the film, we hope people learn that staying in the void is also a choice and that the connections and relationships we build with others can lighten our load and help us step out of that darkness. Speaking of building connections, the film’s theme song, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us” by Starship, is so on point! Marvel truly knows how to tickle our ears with classic 80s music that’s not only a jam, but encapsulates what the film is about.
The film company has succeeded in ushering in a new era for its A-Team, one that is comprised of heroes that are superhuman but still undeniable human, which gives way to more realistic and grounded stories. Action-packed, hilarious, and heartfelt, it has all the ingredients that make up a blockbuster masterpiece.
It also seems that we’ll be seeing more of these family-themed stories with the upcoming “Fantastic 4: Four Steps” later this year and “Avengers: Doomsday” in 2026, and we simply can’t wait to see more of these exciting storylines unfold on the big screen.
Go see it if you haven’t yet!
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