Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*,” directed by Jake Schreier, explores the messier side of heroism, swapping the original, polished Avengers for a group of antiheroes with emotional baggage and questionable motives. It tries to be a more grounded, character-driven entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but ultimately falls back on familiar formulas.
Florence Pugh shines as Yelena Belova, delivering a performance that is nuanced, raw and consistently captivating — arguably the strongest element of the entire film. Her emotional depth and sharp wit drive much of the movie. However, this focus on Pugh’s character becomes part of the problem. The movie leans so heavily on her that the rest of the cast barely gets time to develop. For a movie marketed as featuring an ensemble, the rest of the cast, like Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, Lewis Pullman’s Bob Reynolds and the other antiheroes, end up as background characters.
There are still standout moments. A few scenes hit surprisingly hard, especially the “shame room” sequences, where Yelena and Bob confront vivid, haunting memories of their deepest fears and regrets. This dreamlike journey into their subconsciouses offers a rare glimpse into their characters, adding weight to themes of guilt, redemption and self-reconstruction. However, one of the movie’s biggest letdowns is that the other characters don’t get their own shame rooms explored, leaving their personal struggles largely underdeveloped. The script tries to cover too many characters and plot points, resulting in a scattered narrative that sacrifices deeper character development. This makes it difficult for the film to find the right balance between its darker, introspective themes and the demands of a blockbuster action movie.
The plot itself follows a predictable arc, building into a third act that relies heavily on a cliched, overly sentimental team effort moment. The “power of friendship” theme clashes with the morally gray characters and feels unearned and rushed. While some jokes land, others fall flat. And unless viewers are caught up on several other Marvel shows and films, they’ll miss half of the context.
Despite this, the movie has strengths. Its willingness to explore psychological complexity sets it apart from the typical superhero fare. Moments of genuine vulnerability and dry humor provide a human touch, while the darker tone gives Marvel a refreshing change from its usual action-driven and triumphant heroism. Though the execution falters, the movie’s effort to tackle heavier themes adds a rare depth to the franchise. While “Thunderbolts*” may not satisfy every Marvel fan, especially those expecting a high-energy spectacle like the Avengers franchise, it provides a compelling, imperfect look at Marvel’s flawed side characters burdened by their complicated pasts.
Audrey Kim can be reached at [email protected].
