By Reed Ripley
Directed by: Jake Schreier
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Pullman
Action/Superhero | PG-13
2 hr 6 min
4 stars
The very first review I wrote was a Marvel Cinematic Universe film—Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, released almost four years ago. I still remember how thrilled I was to get published, and for a Marvel movie no less, coming off probably the greatest run in cinematic franchise history. From 2008’s Iron Man through 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, Marvel released a staggering 23 films, and although some weren’t as good as others, the product was unbelievably consistent. Every film was either great, entertaining, or at the very least a massive hit, and it was nearly impossible to imagine the Marvel train rolling off its tracks.
Fast forward four years, and that unimaginable derailment became a reality. With few exceptions since Shang Chi, Marvel has drifted further and further from the success it enjoyed for more than a decade, both creatively and commercially. And even those exceptions, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Deadpool & Wolverine, are three films that exist outside the Marvel machine.
I thought the thrill of reviewing Marvel films would march on forever, but that thrill has dwindled alongside broader audience engagement. After reviewing five of the first seven Marvels films released following Shang-Chi, I haven’t reviewed one in more than two years, since February 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, an absolute disaster that had me questioning the merits of the entire franchise.
Enter this review’s subject, Marvel’s Thunderbolts*—against all odds, for the first time since Shang-Chi, I’m excited about Marvel’s future, and not just because Thunderbolts is good. It is good, but it’s the way in which it’s good that sparks hope.
Its formula harkens back to Marvel’s early days and the reasons these films so consistently hit: a likeable, talented star (Florence Pugh, returning to the role of Yelena Belova/Black Widow), surrounded by a cast that makes sense and has good chemistry, a plot that isn’t too complicated, and well-plotted and coherent action sequences. Also, it looks good, as opposed to clearly having been shot entirely via green screen in Atlanta.
Most importantly, also for the first time since Shang-Chi, anyone, even someone who hasn’t seen a single Marvel film can walk into Thunderbolts and have a good time. For the past four years, watching a Marvel product has felt alarmingly like taking a pop quiz—what did this character do six films ago that’s making him react this way? What alternate version of this character existed 15 years ago whose appearance is a “big deal”? Why does this location and/or object drive the story forward based on the 11 different characters who interacted with it across 13 films?
None of that matters in Thunderbolts. Sure, its characters have all appeared in various Marvel properties (except Bob, endearingly played by Lewis Pullman), but all that matters is that they’re a band of rogue misfits thrown together to save the day. Really, that’s it, and it’s incredibly refreshing.
All that’s enough to make Thunderbolts recommendation-worthy, but the film also differentiates itself from recent Marvel entries, and honestly most Marvel films to date, by having something interesting to say.
Thunderbolts is unabashedly about existential dread and its consuming darkness, and it literally starts with Pugh’s Yelena jumping off a skyscraper while monologuing about how her rudderless life makes it feel as though she’s slipping into a dark void. Every character struggles with that same feeling in one way or another, and there are some truly upsetting sequences.
That may make Thunderbolts sound like a dour film, but it’s actually quite charming and fun in the tried-and-true Marvel style, and the film largely owes its success to its ability to remain nimble and convincingly balance those concepts. Marvel films had devolved into a rote, uninteresting mess, but Thunderbolts feels fresh and new. It’s only one film, but hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.
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