Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts*
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must go on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Naturalz reviewedJuly 10, 2025
Marvel’s Thunderbolts is a bold, gritty swing that lands with surprising force, offering one of the MCU’s most grounded and character-driven films in recent memory.
Set after the fallout of multiple global events, Thunderbolts brings together a ragtag team of antiheroes, including Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell). Under the watchful eye of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Valentina, they’re thrown into a morally gray mission that spirals into something much deeper than anyone expected.
Director Jake Schreier smartly steers away from Marvel’s usual world-ending stakes, focusing instead on fractured loyalties, redemption, and the trauma of being a weapon rather than a hero. The tone is darker but never bleak, with sharp humor that feels earned and performances that are refreshingly raw. Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan in particular shine, digging into their characters’ guilt and identity in ways we haven’t seen before.
The action is intense and tactile—brutal brawls, covert ops, and chaos that feels more Winter Soldier than Endgame. And while the film doesn’t break the MCU mold entirely, it stretches it in compelling directions, especially with a third act twist that redefines the team’s purpose and injects real emotional stakes.
There are minor pacing hiccups and one or two characters (ahem Taskmaster) who still deserve more development, but overall Thunderbolts balances spectacle and substance impressively.
Verdict: Thunderbolts isn’t just another team-up movie—it’s a gritty, character-centric evolution for the MCU. If this is Marvel’s way of shaking things up post-Endgame, it’s a thrilling and promising start.
— 4.5 stars out of 5 —