“THUNDERBOLTS*” - REVIEW
Here we are at the beginning of another summer movie season, and it gives me great joy to say that it’s already off to a great start:
THUNDERBOLTS* feels like something new.
Oh sure, the second and latest 2025 film released by Marvel Studios (directly following the events of February’s just-fine CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD) contains the familiar trappings of past entries. It does tie into several past films and TV series (it probably helps to have seen/have a working knowledge of BLACK WIDOW, ANT-MAN AND THE WASP and THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, at least). It is one piece of a larger puzzle. It follows the same structure. Most familiar is that it is a team-up of another messed-up surrogate family. This family is made up of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh, bringing as much fire as she does to everything), new congressman Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov aka Red Guardian (David Harbour), U.S. Agent John Walker, aka second rate Captain America (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr aka Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and a sweet weirdo named Bob (Lewis Pullman, the film’s true MVP, who is the son of Bill Pullman and maybe the second coming of Paul Dano). They all find themselves in a conspiratorial pickle due to the government wheelings and dealings of Valentina de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus at her most calculating), all of whom operate in a world where, after the Avengers, there are no good guys: just bad guys, and worse guys.
What’s beautiful and redemptive about this messed-up buddy family is that while the individuals are messed-up (and some of them have some real deep, dark painful secrets, as well as epic public failures), it’s all in the teaming up and holding space for one another that softens their hard hearts, that makes them better than they ever thought they could be.
While this is a typical formula, it is also the key to why THUNDERBOLTS* succeeds, and why it ultimately resonates.
What’s new about it? Well, for starters, It is perhaps the most visually appealing Marvel movie since GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. That’s not to say the movie is colorful necessarily (and certainly not as comic-splash-page-ready colorful as James Gunn’s trilogy was), but compared to just about anything Marvel produces, it looks like a movie and not a television show. More than that, its desaturated look aids the story, and the imagery contains actual contrast: bright highlights and especially ink-dark shadows (which becomes such an important feature later in the film in an unsettling and frighteningly beautiful way). Additionally, the direction by Jake Schreier (who also directed several episodes of Netflix’s Emmy-winning BEEF as well as the excellent 2015 John Green YA adaptation PAPER TOWNS) has an incredible visual clarity in its composition, blocking and staging, making dialogue scenes as exciting as its action scenes, and making great use of sequences that were filmed for IMAX (after the treat of SINNERS, it’s refreshing to see another new movie make full use of the IMAX format). Most refreshing of all: it feels like much of it was filmed in the real world, with minimal (or perhaps less obvious) reliance on green screen, and some of its visuals are downright haunting.
What else is new? While it is part of a bigger story, assumingly leading up to AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY, it is also an excellent standalone story, with STAKES. ACTUAL STAKES. Relatable, emotional stakes. It does veer into “unstoppable otherworldly threat” territory, but it’s deeply tied into the well-crafted characters (performed by the uniformly excellent cast), all of whom ride the thin line of having made mistakes, and believing that they are mistakes. The gift of the confident storytelling is that the character and story stakes are well established, and not sacrificing its breathless pace to reveal backstory, but blending it seamlessly into the action. While the bones are familiar (with far fewer easy jokes and needle drops in place of actual comedy), you will never be prepared for where it takes you, how deep it will go, and how heartrending it will be once you get down there. All I will say is get extra napkins at the concessions stand, I mean it. You’ll need ‘em.
In short, THUNDERBOLTS* is the most exciting Marvel movie in years. Steadfast, clear-headed, impeccably designed and exceedingly well-acted, and deeply moving. I’m not a Marvel diehard… and I loved it.
No need to be cautiously optimistic. Actual optimism will do. Just buy your ticket, enjoy the ride… and let the healing begin.
*You needn’t look here for what the asterisk refers to. That is the film’s cheeky official title.
Zach is a proud member of the Minnesota Film Critics Association (MNFCA). For more info about Zach, the organization, or to read other great reviews from other great Minnesota-based film critics, click here: https://mnfilmcriticalliance.wordpress.com/