It’s not as though we haven’t seen a superhero movie about misfits banding together to defeat a common foe. Avengers had some chemistry issues, and the Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t get along. However, Jake Schreier’s “Thunderbolts*” takes a wholly unique and emotionally driven approach to the idea of antiheroes uniting to form an unconventional team as they search for redemption, all the while grappling with the sins of their past, childhood traumas, loss of purpose, identity crisis, and loneliness that comes with being treated as weapons.
Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) in Marvel Studios’ THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2025 MARVEL.
This kind of film feels familiar because it is set in a universe we already know, featuring characters we may have seen before, depending on how closely you’ve followed their previous appearances. There’s Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), first introduced in “Black Widow” — a mercenary for hire now struggling to find meaning in a life without a clear purpose. John Walker (Wyatt Russell), the disgraced government-appointed Captain America, who appeared in “The Falcon and Winter Soldier,” is still haunted by the weight of a legacy he can’t live up to. Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), a threat in “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” also known as Ghost, is the product of a tragic childhood experiment gone wrong, her very body weaponized — turned into something volatile and expendable. And then there’s Senator Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), and a discarded Red Guardian (David Harbour).
Though it may look like Marvel’s latest is just another team-up of outcasts forced to work together, “Thunderbolts*” is far more daring. Schreier delivers a bold, character-focused film that confronts the emotional fallout of psychological manipulation, the burden of unresolved trauma, and the slow, difficult process of healing while facing an unlikely villain that threatens them and the rest of humanity to be sent into a void.
L-R): Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker (Wyatt Russell) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) in Marvel Studios’ THUNDERBOLTS*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2025 MARVEL.
Right from the start, the melancholic tone of “Thunderbolts*” tells us our characters are facing personal internal crises that stem from their past traumas and how their current job is having a disastrous effect on their psyche. Opening up with a heist, Yelena is seen jumping off the 2,227-foot Merdeka 118, the world’s second tallest building, in Kuala Lumpur. Her voiceover tells audiences she wants more out of life than to be used as a living weapon. However, her assassin skills make her so deadly, as noted by the one shot-over-the-head action sequence that easily sees her take out security guards. This one sequence shows how her emotional emptiness is serving as a distraction. Though she was able to complete the job, it was messy and problematic as she had a few gunshot victims and was forced to use bombs to cover her escape.
Her search for that purpose beyond being a weapon continues with her father, who has had his own struggles figuring out where he fits in a world that doesn’t give him the same dignity or respect as Captain America. He holds onto the past by telling stories about the glory days and isn’t afraid to share his softer side by putting up pictures of a 5-year-old Yelena on a soccer team. There is some emotional avoidance, with Yelena not getting the answers she desperately seeks. But they come to understand that they are living in a fundamentally changed world.
As the film progresses, we’ve come to find out that the clandestine and Machiavellian head of the CIA, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), is on the verge of being impeached for her illegal activities, off-the-books jobs that involve human experimentation, and general abuse of power. As such, she orders Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan) to destroy whatever evidence they may have that would result in her impeachment. However, she handles any associates she has been in contact with personally.
Valentina exploits Yelena’s desire to be more of a public figure rather than a covert killer and lures her into a trap. Yelena is to stop the Ghost from stealing a sensitive asset from a vault located a mile inside a mountain. When the two confront each other, John Walker is sent there to kill Yelena, and Taskmaster is sent to kill John. It’s a perfectly efficient way to eliminate the evidence that could get her impeached. They are simply liabilities no one would miss. But during the ensuing fight, they accidentally opened a box containing the mysterious Bob (Lewis Pullman), a superpowered individual with a deadly split personality with amnesia.
During this revelation, the film provides a brief profile of each character to catch audiences up on where these antiheroes have been since their introduction in their respective films or shows. Ghost has been on the run from 15 nations, Taskmaster killed half of Budapest, Yelena is a former Red Room assassin with plenty of blood on her hands, and John is recognized as a dime-store Captain America.
These quippy profiles, plus any additional bantering, are just enough to give us an idea of who these characters are and their personality flaws. The character dives get even deeper whenever they make physical contact with Bob, who is more powerful than he seems. During these visions, we see how vulnerable these antiheroes are. As such, learning about these characters only deepens the emotional stakes, making their arcs feel earned and their eventual payoffs. Of course, that doesn’t work out for all of the characters, some of whom die early on or are underdeveloped because so many other characters are jostling for screen time.
One character that feels shortchanged is Bob, himself. Though he himself has had a history of drifting aimlessly through life, he is also the victim of Valentina’s manipulation to curry political favor her way. The film hurries through her attempts to design Bob as the new Earth’s Mightiest Hero in the wake of the absence of the Avengers.
Still, the cast makes the most of it, bouncing quips and hurling insults at each other to create that misfit dynamic. They don’t work together at first. Considering they are trained killers, it’s no wonder they can’t trust each other. Their fractured relationships are as much a part of their individual arcs as they are of the team’s development and the story.
Their constant bickering and lack of cohesion highlight their deep-rooted traumas. At the same time, their loose group therapy session led by Bucky represents a dramatic shift in their respective character arcs. It’s an imperfect bonding moment for the team and a powerful metaphor for the healing process. That approach to the character dynamics comes off as Marvel taking a significant risk on a film that deals with something as heavy as trauma and therapy. Such a focus on character arcs is refreshing to see, especially from Marvel Studios.
“Thunderbolts*” takes some big swings emotionally, focusing on the characters’ struggles to overcome trauma and reconcile with their pasts. The team’s bond isn’t built on typical hero dynamics but on shared pain and mutual healing. Seeing how they need to rely on each other for a shot at redemption deepens the emotional stakes and makes their arcs feel earned.
And because “Thunderbolts*” is fixed on being a character-driven story, it only heightens the minimalistic action sequences. This time, the action feels more grounded and creates a more visceral viewing experience. Of course, watching trucks and limos flip on IMAX is jaw-dropping, but that is nothing compared to some of the stunt work, which sees Pugh jump off the 2,227-foot Merdeka 118. Prioritizing practicality in the stunt work and action set pieces over CGI helps with the film’s grounded storytelling and aligns with the heroes seeking reformation.
That search for redemption, an identity, and a sense of purpose in life helps give the film a sense of humanity. While we can expect some dark humor from assassins who aren’t afraid to roast each other and some stellar action sequences between our antiheroes and The Void – think a Marvel version of Kingdom Heart’s Anti-Sora but deadlier since he can turn humans into shadows outlines in a blink of an eye. It’d be an incredible sequence if it wasn’t so horrifying to watch.
“Thunderbolts*” may fixed on being a character-driven story, but that focus only heightens the minimalistic action sequences. This time, the action feels more grounded and creates a more visceral viewing experience. Of course, watching trucks and limos flip on IMAX is jaw-dropping, but that is nothing compared to some of the stunt work, which sees Pugh jump off the 2,227-foot Merdeka 118. Prioritizing practicality in the stunt work and action set pieces over CGI helps with the film’s grounded storytelling and aligns with the heroes seeking reformation.
Sebastian Stan’s performance as Bucky is also worth noting. He gives a fresh perspective on a character who’s gone from being Captain America’s best friend to a cold, world-weary assassin to an unlikely member of this broken team. His character’s journey reflects the complexities of redemption and the importance of finding one’s place within a collective while adding more depth to the story.
The rest of the cast holds their own as well. Though some characters don’t get as much screen time or development as others, their interactions with one another—especially the banter and the tension between them—really sell the misfit team dynamic. It’s messy, awkward, but it works, and the chemistry between them helps carry the emotional weight of the film.
“Thunderbolts*” is one of Marvel Studios’ darkest films to date, unflinchingly addressing the deep trauma and emotional scars of its characters while exploring their healing process through a superhero lens that feels raw and relatable. It takes risks by reimagining what it means to be a hero—or an antihero. Between the action set pieces, resonating story, and wonderfully twisted character arcs, this is the kind of Marvel film worth watching.
Thunderbolts* is in theaters May 2, 2025
