Thunderbolts* (2025)
Directed by Jake Schreier
[Rated PG-13] 2hr 6min
★★★½
Thunderbolts* is an action sci-fi superhero film and is the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It follows a group of antiheroes who are forced to work together in order to escape a deadly trap and go after the person who set them up while also dealing with their own personal struggles along the way.
This film is a breath of fresh air for both the MCU and superhero films in general. It takes the genre back to its core elements, exploring them on a more fundamental and personal level, so the plot isn’t bloated with exposition like other superhero films have been recently. The acting is great as usual in MCU films, and the chemistry the characters have together is fantastic. Their relationships are also incredibly compelling as they slowly develop as a team over the course of the film. Although the narrative is fairly familiar and not completely unique to the genre, it’s told well enough in its own style that it doesn’t feel too derivative of similar films. Overall, this movie provides a very entertaining experience that isn’t anything groundbreaking but is still a considerable improvement over many superhero films from the past several years.
I recommend Thunderbolts* to anyone who enjoys superhero films, especially the earlier MCU movies. Even though most of the characters in this film were already introduced in other MCU projects, all the necessary context is provided within the film itself and doesn’t rely on any prior knowledge, so the story remains accessible to everyone.
Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters. Click here to watch the Teaser Trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper