Thunderbolts* (12A) |Close-Up Film Review

Thunderbolts* is now sitting as film number 38 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!  The  plot? Simple on paper, layered in execution.

After being caught in a brutal trap set by the scheming Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (played deliciously manipulative by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a ragtag group of damaged antiheroes — Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and John Walker (Wyatt Russell) — are forced into a high-stakes mission that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits. Each of them has blood on their hands and regret in their hearts. The question is — can they rise above their pasts, or are they doomed to fall apart before they even begin?

Let’s face it — post-COVID, a lot of us are still carrying unspoken weight. Mental health isn’t something you sweep under the rug anymore — it’s a full-on battle, and sometimes you just need a reminder that healing starts with someone listening. Marvel’s Thunderbolts* understands this in the most raw, explosive, and unexpectedly moving way. It’s not just another superhero flick; it’s a heavy-hitting story about trauma, redemption, and finding purpose again, especially when you’ve lost your way.

Florence Pugh is nothing short of phenomenal — delivering another layered, raw, and witty performance as Yelena. Her chemistry with David Harbour’s Red Guardian absolutely soars, offering warmth, humour, and gut-punch moments that leave you reeling. While Harbour himself shines. He brings comic relief, sure, but it’s his heartfelt father-daughter dynamic with Yelena that delivers some of the film’s most touching moments.  

Sebastian Stan returns as Bucky with a soul-worn gravity that feels more human than ever.  Wyatt Russell gives John Walker more complexity and inner conflict than we’ve seen before, while Olga Kurylenko and Hannah John-Kamen give layered, quiet performances that speak volumes even when the dialogue doesn’t.

But the biggest surprise? Lewis Pullman as Robert Reynolds. This character — a science experiment survivor with serious emotional depth — is magnetic from the moment he enters. Pullman doesn’t go big; he goes true. You feel his pain, his confusion, and his slow transformation. His early interactions with the rest of the team hit hard — subtle, sincere, and powerful.

And can we take a moment for that motorbike chase with Bucky? It screamed Terminator 2 in the best possible way. Pure 90s action vibes. It’s gritty, fast, and nostalgic — a reminder of the kind of edge-of-your-seat cinema we grew up on.

Visually Thunderbolts* is grungier than your average Marvel affair — and it works. The production design feels grounded and brutal. The cinematography wraps every character in shadows and sparks, echoing the internal chaos they carry. The fight sequences are tight, personal, and choreographed with weight — you feel every punch, every choice, every consequence.

And the soundtrack? Just wow. The score is delivered by the Academy Award nominated trio Son Lux, and their work is nothing short of stunning. These guys — known for crafting emotionally immersive music — lace this film with soundscapes that haunt and uplift in equal measure. From haunting strings to pulse-pounding tension, the music becomes a voice of its own. It’s not just background — it’s heartbeat.

There are a few minor faults — the pacing dips just a touch in the middle act, and I wish we got more time with Ghost and Taskmaster, whose stories still feel a little undercooked. But those are small shadows in an otherwise thrilling storm.

This film doesn’t just entertain. It resonates. Thunderbolts* is a powerful blend of chaos and catharsis, letting flawed characters fumble toward something resembling redemption. It reminds us that even those who’ve done damage — to themselves, to others — deserve a chance at healing.

Marvel is officially back. Not with flash and filler, but with feelings. Schreier delivers emotion, grit, and thrills in equal measure. And with Son Lux’s score vibrating through your soul? This isn’t just superhero cinema. This is Marvel rediscovering its heart.