Film Review: Thunderbolts*
2 min read
Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes — Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late? – Marvel UK
Snapshot Review: Thunderbolts* breathes fresh air into the Marvel franchise that has become, let’s face it, a bit samey-samey. It is Marvel, for sure, but in a less Marvel-y and more fun way. It’s still in the same universe, but with a mix of familiar and new or lesser-known characters. It feels like sweet relief from the typical Marvel formula (i.e. normal human villain somehow changes into super villain in order to be a formidable challenge to the superheroes in the film). Okay, there is some of that, but what makes the film so entertaining is that it features a cast of misfit ‘superheroes’ and focuses more on story telling and character building. You’ll recognise some familiar characters like Bucky Barnes, Valentina Allegre de Fontaine, and Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian, but building the core of the ‘New Avengers’ is Yelena Belova, Bob/Sentry/Void, Ghost, John Walker and Taskmaster. The plot is interesting, and as expected there is plenty of action and combat that keep a steady pace. With doses of humour tossed in at the just the right times, it should please both die-hard Marvel fans and also those who enjoy the genre but aren’t necessarily all in. Acting is good all around, but Florence Pugh as Belova really earned her paycheck and she is fantastic. It is a very meaty role for her and she basically carries the whole film, and she does it flawlessly. Speaking of humour, David Harbour as Red Guardian is absolutely HILARIIOUS. Though his role isn’t huge, he steals every scene he’s in. Overall, Thunderbolts* will be a solid hit and give fans a nice break from the standard Marvel formula.
Release Date: 2nd May 2025
Genre: Superhero
Cast: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
::: Renowned For Sound Technical Director and Film Reviewer ::: Robert is an IT geek, movie fan and part-time movie reviewer/editor. Robert also looks after the ‘behind the scenes’ technical elements of Renowned For Sound.
