[Watch our review above or read it below!]

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Thunderbolts is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s more compelling recent outings — a team-up movie with bruised hearts, emotional depth, and just enough bite. Director Jake Schreier balances character and action with steady hands, opting for clarity over chaos, pathos over punchlines. The result is an ensemble film that, for the most part, digs into emotional wounds without abandoning the genre’s necessary spectacle.

Florence Pugh leads the pack with confidence and vulnerability, grounding Yelena in grief, guilt, and – while she can’t see it at times – determination. She’s a fighter, but one carrying heavy weight — and Pugh captures it all in a very good performance. David Harbour is once again a joy as Red Guardian, while Lewis Pullman’s newcomer adds a surprising emotional anchor. The central threat — who we’ll call “the villain,” for simplicity’s sake – emerges as one of the MCU’s more thoughtful antagonists; less about domination, more about despair, and the cost of internalised pain.

The action is clean, varied, and always tethered to character — whether it’s a vicious four-way melee or a large-scale, reality-bending climax. But Thunderbolts works best when it’s simply watching these flawed individuals try to connect. Themes of mental health, found family, personal redemption – they’re threaded throughout, not in grand speeches, but in small, sincere moments.

There are some minor drawbacks. The character of Ghost, for example, is obviously underserved, and the structure still follows Marvel’s now-familiar rhythm. The final act feels a little bit rushed — it has emotional weight, but it’s slightly undercooked in its conclusion.

Still, there’s an honesty here that elevates Thunderbolts above standard franchise fare. It’s a film about survivors, misfits, and the people who find each other in the wreckage. And in its best moments, it reminds us that broken doesn’t mean beyond repair.