Thunderbolts*

Directed by Jake Schreier (Netflixs Beef, Showtimes Kidding) and written by Eric Pearson (Transformers One, Black Widow) and Joanna Calo (The Bear, Bojack Horseman), Thunderbolts* documents the emptiness surrounding Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) as she goes through the motions while working for the Ox Group led by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

Yelena still hasnt recovered from Natasha/Black Widows death and is sick of killing people and doing villainous tasks for money. After a visit with her father figure Alexai Shostakov (David Harbour), Yelena decides to go straight and attempt to be a hero.

Unfortunately for her, de Fontaine is currently being investigated by the government and is on the verge of being impea...

Thunderbolts genuinely surprised me. I went in expecting a fun Marvel team up but got something even better: a fresh story, fantastic humor, and well-rounded characters that made it stand out in the MCU.

The Vault escape sequence was funny and memorable, capturing the chaotic spirit and humorous banter between the team. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine makes a standout villain, she was clever, cunning, and convincingly evil.

The character dynamics were great. Yelena Belova anchors the film emotionally, while Bucky Barnes feels more relatable and likeable than ever. Bob was a fun addition, bringing subtle humor and a few standout moments that added to the story's emotional beats and brought a few moments of intensity. The rest of the Thun...

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://movieswetextedabout.com/thunderbolts-movie-review-a-refreshing-character-driven-detour-from-multiversal-chaos/

"Thunderbolts* is an exceptional superhero movie precisely because it focuses on a deep exploration of human fragility. Prioritizing its broken protagonists' internal struggles over pure audiovisual spectacle shows a rare maturity in a franchise often criticized for sacrificing substance in favor of generic scale.

This bold approach allows the cast to shine - Florence Pugh especially, who firmly establishes herself as one of the MCU's core pillars. By exploring themes like depression, grief, abandonment, and reconnection with honesty and care, Jake Schreier transforms a blockbuster into a po...

I wasn't really interested in seeing it, but I was interested in taking my wife to a movie for date night, so we did it and...

... nothing in the movie made us really interested in the movie we were watching. A lot happens that the plot demands happen. There's a lot of conveniences that are nicely peppered throughout the film that the protagonists can use because it's necessary for the plot.

I get the the feeling that the characters are from other Marvel shows, most of which my wife and I never cared to watch or just gave up on after the first couple of episodes.

And we left a little less interested in it than we were when we came in.

Superheroes are supposed to be special, gifted individuals, so it logically follows that movies about them should be equally special. However, as has become all too apparent in recent years, that quality has been steadily eroding in these films due to oversaturation in the cinematic marketplace, a circumstance that naturally begs the question, how special (i.e., how different or distinguished) can they really be when there are so many of them? Sadly, that's the key issue weighing down this latest release in the Marvel Universe. Even though the film serves as an introduction to a new slate of Marvel superheroes, the picture isn't particularly groundbreaking given the many similar offerings that have preceded it in this genre. Despite this fi...

Just watched Thunderbolts and honestly... I did not expect this at all. Went in with pretty low expectationsthought itd be just another filler Marvel moviebut it actually exceeded them by a lot. The characters had solid chemistry, the action was tight, and there were a few emotional moments that caught me off guard (in a good way). Its definitely not your typical superhero team-up; felt a little grittier and more grounded.

I wouldnt say its perfect, but it surprised me in the best way. If youre on the fence, give it a shot. Way better than I thought itd be.

_**"Thunderbolt" truly impressed me with its powerful character development and stunning cinematography. Each character was thoughtfully introduced and built up with depth, making their journeys feel engaging and meaningful. The storyline kept a steady pace, allowing viewers to connect with the emotions and motives of the cast.

One of the biggest highlights of the film was the cinematographyit was absolutely top-notch. The visuals captured every moment beautifully, enhancing the overall impact of the story. Whether it was a tense action sequence or a quiet emotional scene, the camera work elevated the experience.

Overall, Thunderbolt is a well-crafted film that stands out for its strong storytelling, character arcs, and visual appeal. Definitely worth a watch!**_

Hats off to Florence Pugh for injecting some charisma into this film, but otherwise I found it to be little different from the latest slew of save the planet Marvel adventures that follows a predictable pattern of escaping from the frying pan into the fire a few times before it culminates in a proud declaration that a new franchise has been born. It turns out that Yelena (Pugh) has been working for years as an assassin for the Val (Julia-Louise Dreyfus) whose director of the CIA seems to have been running unfettered off-the-books projects around the globe trying to impose her own brand of world order. The US Congress is breathing down her neck, now, though - so it is time to eliminate all the loose ends. Of course, that doesnt quite go to p...

Just another average movie.

They tried to make it about mental health, but there was no emotional depth or congruity.

It seemed like 1 day story, completed with an awful ending. A lot of plot holes, like how the villain somehow brainwashed in a few hours time?

Pugh had a few good performances. Others were bland and annoying. Forced jokes also felt irritating.

In summary, another Marvel meh, which you have seen 100 times before.

If you're unsure about whether or not this is another Marvel flop, I can tell you that it isn't. Everything is fantastic, from the action, to the message of mental health. I'll break it down...

Action: 10/10 - The choreography is realistic and different for each character. There are many a gun fight, with explosions out the wazoo. The best thing, there isn't a sky beam at the end.

Writing: 10/10 - Nothing feels rushed, it's well paced, and the characters appear to develop throughout the story.

Acting: 08/10 - Yelena and Bob have some of the best and most relatable dialogue, and the actors do a great job portraying the characters emotion.

Casting: 10/10 - Everyone looks like they could be their respective characters. Yelena appea...

'Thunderbolts*' - a good 36th entry for the MCU. I was expecting this to pack a bit more of a punch in terms of humour, but it is certainly still a movie I'd count as enjoyable. The main reason for that is the cast, all of whom manage to deliver a satisfactory performance.

With that said, Florence Pugh is the clear standout in my opinion. Lewis Pullman is solid in his role, the same can be said about Sebastian Stan. I personally wanted to see more of David Harbour, he is certainly the most amusing of those that make an appearance in thsi 2025 flick.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a bit underwelming, mind you. I don't think the character is interesting enough to feature so heavily and to be quite as instrumental in the plot as de Fontaine ends...