Cast: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Genre: Action-Adventure
Director: Jake Schreier
In Irish Cinemas: 2nd May 2025
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has long needed a new flagship team. Since the epic conclusion of the Infinity Saga with Avengers: Endgame and the heartfelt farewell in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the MCU has felt somewhat adrift, lacking a central group of heroes to anchor its sprawling narrative. In the aftermath of these monumental stories, Phase 4 focused heavily on expanding the universe, introducing new characters and revisiting familiar ones. Projects like Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever broadened the scope of the MCU, but none offered the kind of cohesive, compelling team dynamic that matched the cultural impact of the original Avengers.
Enter Thunderbolts—directed by Jake Schreier (co-director of the acclaimed Netflix series Beef)—positioned as a bold answer to this void as Phase Five nears its conclusion. Building off the post-credits tease from 2020’s Black Widow, the film picks up with fan-favourite Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), now working as a contract assassin under the command of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Though still formidable and deadly as ever, thanks to her Red Room training, Yelena is emotionally adrift—haunted by grief over her sister Natasha’s death, unfulfilled by her missions, and desperately yearning for belonging.
With her position of power crumbling, Valentina faces impeachment and orders her assistant, Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan), to dispose of all remaining assets from the shadowy OXE Group at her secure compound in the mountains of Malaysia. Among those “assets” are her most dangerous operatives: Yelena, the enigmatic Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), a disgraced John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and the elusive Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). They’re lured under false pretences, only to realise they’ve been manipulated into a deadly trap designed to pit them against each other. Forced to collaborate to survive, this volatile group of misfits must quickly find common ground—or perish.
Adding a strange wrinkle to the situation is Bob (Lewis Pullman), an unassuming civilian suffering from memory loss and severe depression. No one, including Bob himself, understands why he’s there, but his presence becomes the film’s emotional core. As the Thunderbolts unravel the conspiracy around them, they bond—not just out of necessity but a shared yearning for redemption, purpose, and connection.
The heart of Thunderbolts lies in its ensemble, and much like other successful MCU group outings, its charm hinges on the chemistry between its flawed but charismatic characters. Schreier and his writing team craft a story that allows each team member to shine, with scenes that balance humour, action, and surprisingly poignant drama. The group’s dynamic—part dysfunctional family, part reluctant allies—recalls the early energy of Guardians of the Galaxy and the original Avengers, though grounded in more personal trauma and vulnerability.
Florence Pugh delivers one of her most emotionally layered performances as Yelena, capturing a character who has lost her spark and is struggling to cope with a legacy of violence and regret. Her connection with Bob is particularly moving, as she begins to see a reflection of her suppressed pain in him. Pullman, meanwhile, gives a standout performance as Bob, walking a tightrope between unsettling instability and heartbreaking vulnerability. His portrayal subtly explores the consequences of untreated mental illness, lending the film unexpected thematic weight.
Returning MCU actors also get a chance to deepen their characters. Wyatt Russell’s John Walker evolves beyond the rigid nationalism of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, now grappling with shame and a need for redemption. Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost is more developed here than in Ant-Man and the Wasp, with a nuanced take on her disconnection from others. David Harbour reprises his role as Alexei Shostakov, the Red Guardian, injecting humour and pathos as he offers ill-timed fatherly advice to Yelena. Meanwhile, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes—now a Congressman—struggles to reconcile his past as the Winter Soldier with his attempts to work within the system, offering a more mature, grounded counterpoint to the younger antiheroes.
Thematically, Thunderbolts grapples with weightier subject matter than many of its predecessors. While still a PG-13 Marvel movie under Disney’s umbrella, the film doesn’t shy away from exploring trauma, depression, identity, and the search for meaning. It doesn’t just ask whether former villains can be heroes—it asks if they even believe in redemption for themselves. While screenwriters Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin only scratch the surface of these complex themes, their inclusion signals a welcome evolution in the MCU’s storytelling approach. The message—that healing requires support, that strength lies in community—is explicit but resonant.
Technically, the film impresses as well. The score by Oscar-nominated Son Lux (Everything Everywhere All At Once) amplifies the emotional and action-driven beats, blending synth-heavy textures with orchestral flourishes to mirror the characters’ internal struggles. Visually, the film benefits from a gritty production design, especially during its mind-bending third act, which incorporates elements of psychological horror. The action sequences—crafted with a mix of practical effects and CGI—are choreographed by veteran stunt coordinator Heidi Moneymaker and showcase the unique fighting styles of each Thunderbolt, resulting in some of the most visceral and memorable combat in recent MCU history.
Ultimately, Thunderbolts succeeds as a bold step forward for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It doesn’t reinvent the superhero formula but refines it, injecting heart, complexity, and a dose of darkness into a franchise that had grown increasingly bloated and impersonal. While it may not reach the mythic heights of the original Avengers, it offers something arguably more valuable now: grounded, character-driven storytelling that resonates with a generation of viewers seeking purpose and connection in a chaotic world.
In doing so, Thunderbolts establishes itself as more than just a stopgap between major Avengers films—it could very well be the beginning of a new kind of Marvel team—not perfect, not polished, but deeply human.
Overall: 7.5/10
Movie Reviewer
