“THUNDERBOLTS*” REVIEW – WE FOUND HOPE IN A HOPELESS PLACE

“Even the losers get lucky sometimes” – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Since their debut in Incredible Hulk #449 in 1997, The Thunderbolts have been a staple of Marvel Comics. The Villains turned Heroes had the last great reveal not spoiled by the internet in April of that year. Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley kicked off a legendary run which has spawned many incarnations of the team.

Fast forward to the boom of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and many wondered if the team would ever appear. In 2022, a film was announced & officially confirmed in 2024.

The line-up is a mix of fan-favorites & surprising pics. It doesn’t follow a previously established comic line-up. All moves have been orchestrated by La Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

With La Contessa entering the MCU with “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021), the build has been steady. Fans’ wait is finally over as “Thunderbolts*” debuts May 1st, 2025. How does this team fare making their MCU debut? Let’s break it down:

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Cast: Florence Pugh (Yelena/White Widow), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier),
Wyatt Russell (John Walker/USAgent), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava/Ghost), Olga Kurylenko (Taskmaster), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (La Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), Geraldine Viswanathan (Mel/???), David Harbour (Alexei/Red Guardian), and Lewis Pullman (Robert Reynolds/Sentry). Director:
Jake Schreier

In the wake of “Avengers: Endgame”, there is a void of heroes in the MCU. This loss has extends itself to two primary characters and how they’re handling it. Yelena has been drowning the void left by throwing herself into her work. Pugh brings out the most of the Widow’s pain with her initial opening. It’s easy for the audience to see the scars she is carrying. Her connection to anyone else is very strained, including her “dad” Alexei. After a brief encounter after a long spell, it becomes the “one last job” theme seen in other media. One person holds a way out but not without strings attached.

Dreyfus’ de Fontaine isn’t losing herself in this emptiness. She has taken it upon herself to fill that void by any means necessary. Her moves aren’t sitting well with government and a newly minted Congressman. Stan’s Barnes is trying to adjust to his new life in politics but can’t seem to handle that change. This leads to de Fontaine trying to navigate trial and covering loose ends.

AND HERE WE GO!

Once at this stage, the film starts picking up speed. Yelena’s “last job” spirals into a deeper hole than anticipated. It provides the opening for more friends to crash the party. One unexpected arrival is Pullman’s Robert Reynolds. The writing here throws a very surprising move while introducing a polarizing MCU character. Movie goers will appreciate the action unfolding during this moment. Some areas may seem like they take a while (the elevator escape) but don’t hurt overall. The writers do a solid job about bring all parties together for their purpose. After that, it delves moreso into the mounting foundation of the team.

Another character that does make a subtle impact is Viswanathan’s Mel. If you’re a longtime Thunderbolts fan, take the odds she is Songbird. There’s enough potential here for that revelation to come true. Each scene she is in makes moves Barnes and de Fontaine’s stories along. Her character plays a solid supporting factor in between the three major players (de Fontaine, Barnes and Yelena). Harbour provides great humor and heart when scenes need it.

As much as I REALLY do NOT like this character in the comics, John Walker’s personality is captured very well. Blame Wyatt Russell for making the best of imitation Cap. His acting is very top shelf. Even with changes to his character, the “redemption” isn’t so forced. In fact, it gets lost in the shuffle between his ego and one-liners.

NOT EVERYTHING IS PERFECT

One of the biggest areas of confusion to the pop culture audience is Mr. Reynolds. If you are NOT familiar with The Sentry, understanding his full capabilities is going to be a small issue. Take nothing away from Pullman. He makes the best of the character. The writing gives an overall view of his complicated background but it feels lacking in certain aspects. This becomes a huge area of concern in the final act. Events happen that draw out The Void. When this happens, it doesn’t come off flawlessly. There are a few moments to question as Reynolds changes gears from Hero to Villain. None may be more glaring than the final battle.

As the fight switches playing fields, it can come across puzzling to some. It takes some impact away from the overall close. There’s no shortage of emotion shown here. That becomes the only saving grace of the final standoff. Otherwise, it might feel like events went from the MCU to Hawkins, Indiana (IYKYK). This does take away from the strong lead-in. Even in its’ resolution, events seem to conclude too nicely for the dangers that were at hand. If not for Pugh’s superb acting, this could have been a huge stumbling block.

AND THE BONUS SCENES?

The final moments are very telegraphed. It really came across as too “perfect” of a way to transition from point A to point B. This leads into 2 bonus scenes. The first is a funny moment that is perfect for how the movie ends. No issue with humor here. That can’t be said for the last bonus scene. For being almost 3 minutes long, there isn’t much substance save for the final seconds. This is filled with too much humor to take the new “problem” seriously. The scene is a big moment but not one that is a monster surprise knowing future MCU plans.

OVERALL GRADE: 7.8/10

At its’ core, “Thunderbolts*” is about conquering inner demons. Florence Pugh breathes new life into the MCU’s next chapter. She is supported by Russell, Dreyfus and Stan in making the lowest of losers seem destine for greatness. Unfortunately, the complexity of the Sentry and closing act steers away from the solid groundwork laid. Comic fans will enjoy this more than the pop culture audience. A new path to “Avengers: Doomsday” is laid but not without some major bumps in the road.

Let me know your thoughts about “Thunderbolts*” in the comments below. Thanks for reading!   CLICK HERE FOR MORE CONTENT FROM KEN