Movie Review: The Thunderbolts*

So here we are, at the theatrical end of Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second part of the Multiverse Saga. Phase Five has had some ups (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) and some downs (Secret Invasion), but after seeing The Thunderbolts* it's probably safe to say that this era ends on a positive note, even if there are some small nitpicks.

The Thunderbolts* is mostly a sequel to both 2021's movie Black Widow and the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier which was something that put me in a weird position because, while I liked the latter more than most, my opinion on Black Widow has soured a bit since release. Some of the effects don't hold up and, while Yelena is cool, the movie is mostly a bland spy thriller that can't decide tonally where it is going. There is a whiplash scene to scene when the movie switches from hard action to emotional to comedic and it doesn't always work.

This dynamic does work in The Thunderbolts* because the chemistry between members of the cast is a lot stronger. I've never been a fan of John Walker/USAgent but he grew on me throughout the movie. I've been similarly unimpressed with Red Guardian, probably because of his overuse in What If...?, but he's actually well-rounded here. The entire cast does a great job of handling a universally emotional story (in this case the exploration of depression that's not strictly bound to the events of the MCU) while also having a lot of comedic moments.

The biggest strength of this movie beyond the characters is the action sequences and inventive use of setpieces. I'm a sucker for a good tracking shot action sequence, and this movie pulls that off. The opening fights Yelena are involved with are fun and even the moments where the CGI doesn't look quite right don't detract enough from the fights to drag them down. The third act setpieces are inventive with moving sets and gravity shifts is unique and fun to watch.

SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT

I do have a few complaints though, not the least of which is that reveal of what the asterisk means is a little strange considering the history of the MCU. It turns out that the team is really the New Avengers and are coronated as such at the end of the movie. This makes sense when you take into consideration what happened in Captain America: Brave New World but the fact that these two movies have come out six years after Avengers: Endgame feels weird.

Plus when you take into consideration the fact that the team is comprised of Russian Captain America, Disgraced White Captain America, Ghost, Yelena, and Taskmaster until she's unceremoniously killed within five minutes of screentime, it's a questionable New Avengers lineup. Had this movie come out only after The Eternals, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and Captain America: Brave New World, this would make sense but we have a whole universe of other characters that have been introduced. When Bucky goes out into the field (least realistic part of the movie, a sitting member of Congress actually does something to stop a corrupt member of the executive who is enriching herself with her office? Absolutely ridiculous. Immersion broken), why does he not call Sam to help? Doesn't Kate Bishop still live in New York City? Spider-Man has that crappy apartment in Midtown, where is he? Isn't New York City under martial law under Mayor Fisk because of costumed vigilantes? Is he cool with the federal government announcing a new Avengers team in front of the former Avengers Tower in Manhattan?

The other big issue I have is how Red Guardian gets involved with the story. He owns a limo service in DC/Baltimore and gets hired to drive the Director of the CIA and her assistant where he overhears her outright say in the limo the plan to kill Yelena and the others. For starters, I'd assume the Director of the CIA would have a government driver from the secret service and wouldn't be hiring just some guy to drive her home from an event.

Second, earlier in the movie we see Alexei watching old news footage of him at a military parade (as dictators like to hold for themselves) where he was in attendance. This means he was a known entity to the general public, not someone like the Winter Soldier who was hidden from public knowledge. Why does the DIRECTOR OF THE CIA not know about the RUSSIAN CAPTAIN AMERICA from the height of the Cold War? Why is anyone involved in any of this hiring a limousine company NAMED AFTER said Russian Captain America?

Still, all that said the movie is strong enough to carry past a plot contrivance or two, brief moments of poor effects, and weird timeline placement. It's way more fun than it has any right to be and hopefully this is a harbinger for what's to come in the future from the MCU.

★★★★★

The Thunderbolts*
Directed by: Jake Schreier
Written by: Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Geraldine Viswanathan
Release Date: May 2nd, 2025
Rating: PG-13