Thunderbolts* First Reviews: A Breath of Fresh Air for the MCU
Thunderbolts* First Reviews: A Breath of Fresh Air for the MCU
Critics say it's a welcome return to form for the franchise, with thoughtfully fleshed out characters, spectacular visuals, engaging action sequences, and fantastic performances from Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman in particular.
CLASSIFIED AS: Marvel films, Action, Superheroes Just when you thought you were done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they pull you back in. Similar to its characters, Marvel's Thunderbolts* is a seemingly insignificant but ultimately significant event for the franchise. After Captain America: Brave New World's poor critical reception in February, the MCU's 36th film is receiving positive reviews ahead of its release this weekend. Among the elements being lauded are the movie’s depiction of mental illness and the performances by Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman.
Here’s what critics are saying about Thunderbolts*:
Is this a must-see Marvel movie?
The initial thought might be to dismiss Thunderbolts as an also-ran. That would be a mistake, since this flick is one of Marvel’s more successful efforts of late.
— Award Radar, Joey Madison Thunderbolts* is a great superhero flick and one of the biggest surprises of 2025.
— Tyler Taking, Talking About Film The sort of level that more superhero films should be at… Thunderbolts is a pleasant surprise.
— Ross Bonaire, Collider
Thunderbolts is essential summer movie escapism, and proof that perhaps the lethargic Marvel Studios can still capture lightning in a bottle.
— Eric Francisco, Esquire Magazine
Precious few of these movies rise to the level of essential viewing… However frivolous it may sound, Schreyer’s scrappy ensemble effort is anything but a one-off.
— Peter Debug, Variety
Until its climactic collapse, Thunderbolts is good enough.
Joy Sauce. com's Siddha Alachua Hannah John-Kaman, Lewis Pullman, Wyatt Russell, David Harbor, Florence Pugh, and Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts (2025)
(Photo by Chuck Zolotnik/©Marvel)
What if we’re tired of the MCU?
If you’ve found yourself falling out of love with the MCU over a messy Multiverse Saga, Thunderbolts could be just the movie to pull you back in.
— Ian Sand well, Digital Spy
Thunderbolts is a nice reminder of what this company is capable of at its best.
— Matt Singer, Screen Crush
This is what fans have been waiting for.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
It’s the rare movie that can be appreciated by casual Marvel fans and diehards alike.
— Molly Freeman, Screen Rant
It offers the kind of concession to casual viewers that this franchise badly needs, if only to build up enough goodwill for the next noisy film, whose success depends on how many actors you recognize from the previous one. — Siddha Alachua, JoySauce.com
Is it one of the better movies in the franchise?
One of the best in the MCU is Thunderbolts. — Brittany Murphy, Muses of Media
Thunderbolts is not just the best Marvel movie in a while, it is top-tier Marvel.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
One of the most enjoyable, fun, and truly moving MCU films since Endgame is Thunderbolts, which returns to the fundamentals of what has worked in the past. — Ross Bonaire, Collider
It’s one of the best movies of The Multiverse Saga to date.
— Digital Espionage by Ian Sawmill The secret sauce of Marvel’s best movies? It’s always been the simple fact that even polar opposites can amount to a greater sum than their parts. Thunderbolts is that to a T.
— Esquire Magazine, Eric Francisco Jake Schreyer’s Marvel debut is among the best and most self-possessed of these movies since Thanks snapped the mega-franchise in half, [but] its pleasures still feel like faint echoes of the series’ previous highs.
— David Ehrlich, Indie Wire
Hannah John-Kaman, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, and David Harbor in Thunderbolts (2025)
(Photo by ©Marvel Studios)
Does it feel like a different kind of MCU movie?
Director Jake Schreyer gives this flick a slightly different look and feel from most Marvel works.
— Joey Madison, Awards Radar
Thunderbolts evokes a different energy… [It’s] one of the most grounded and effective entries the MCU has delivered in quite some time.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
Because of the themes Thunderbolts is exploring, this has a different tone than we’re often used to in the MCU, and it’s a welcome change.
— Ross Bonaire, Collider
Despite the fact that the dysfunctional team-up is nothing new—not even in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (hi, Guardians of the Galaxy), the strength of the cast elevates it. — Ian Sand well, Digital Spy
It’s still an MCU flick to its core, but director Jake Schreyer manages to put his indie sensibilities to good use throughout.
— Justin Clark, Slant Magazine
Thunderbolts is another messy Marvel movie, and it’s for the same reason that a lot of these movies are messy: they are so caught up in dropping exposition and lore and sneaking in little hints for the future that they forget we’re here to see a movie.
— Kaitlin Booth, Bleeding Cool
will it remind us of any other superhero films?
Thunderbolts is a Suicide Squad done right.
— Nick Schafer, The Daily Beast
I have already read people comparing the Thunderbolts to DC’s Suicide Squad. I think it’s worth noting, though, that as much as those teams (and their films) operate in a similar fashion, the superhero movie Marvel is really cribbing from here is their own Guardians of the Galaxy.
— Matt Singer, Screen Crush
Watching Thunderbolts brought back feelings of watching the first Avengers film.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
The movie’s many verbal references to depression, substance abuse, or the writings of philosopher Siren Kierkegaard (yes, really) establish a genuine thematic ambition Marvel hasn’t seen in a while — not at least since 2016’s Doctor Strange, a story steeped in death anxiety and confronting mortality.
— Siddha Alachua, JoySauce.com
Olga Kirilenko in Thunderbolts (2025)
(Photo by Chuck Zolotnik/©Marvel)
How is the script
It is a smart and amusing script by Eric Pearson and Joanna Carlo.
— Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily
Carlo and Pearson craft raw, emotionally grounded storytelling that sets their script apart from recent Marvel entries. Their work weaves unexpected vulnerability and character depth, creating an resonance that feels both refreshing and impactful.
— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
Thunderbolts*, along with the best movies of the MCU, knows that character is king, story matters, and all the other superhero elements need to be built out of that.
— Ross Bonaire, Collider
Is it thematically strong?
Patchy as the film may be, the ennui felt by its characters is thematically fascinating.
— Justin Clark, Slant Magazine
At its most basic, it’s just fantastic to have an MCU film that’s about more than taking out the bad guy.
— Ross Bonaire, Collider
Thunderbolts might not be the deepest exploration of depression you’ll ever see, but it’s impressive that writers Eric Pearson and Joanna Cale have managed it at all in a mainstream summer blockbuster.
— Ian Sand well, Digital Spy
I won’t give you any platitudes about Thunderbolts being the best depiction of mental health in the MCU, or in any movie, but one thing the film does very well is depict how messy and imperfect mental health can be.
— Molly Freeman, Screen Rant
Screenwriters Pearson and Carlo only scratch the surface with these themes instead of stating anything particularly meaningful… There could have been more dissection and discussion on these darker topics.
— The Next Best Picture: Lauren Lamina In Thunderbolts*, David Harbor (Image courtesy of Marvel/Chuck Zolotnik) Does the movie feel kind of meta?
In the end, Thunderbolts is a story about redemption and second chances, which is a good reflection of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. — David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
It has self-conscious fun positioning itself as a dark Avengers riff.
— The Daily Beast, Nick Schafer Thunderbolts* is nothing if not self-aware.
— Justin Clark, Slant Magazine
Is it funny?
There is just enough humor sprinkled throughout to deliver the comedic relief that is needed to get through such a dark and heavy movie.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
It’s a film with some of the most fun… comedic moments within this universe in years.
— Collider, Ross Bonaire The majority of Thunderbolts steers clear of the MCU's tiresome forced humor, but David Harbor seamlessly melds his distinctive comedic timing with an impactful perspective. — David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel
Please note Ghost’s reactions to some of the Red Guardian’s commentary or Walker being an ass – comedic gold.
— Brittany Murphy, Muses of Media
Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kaman, Florence Pugh, and David Harbor in Thunderbolts* (2025)
(Photo by Chuck Zolotnik/©Marvel)
How is the action?
The CG in Thunderbolts is top-notch and looks absolutely fantastic, making it one of the best Marvel action flicks we've seen in a while. — Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Much of the action is captured in-camera, with practical effects and well-choreographed stunts, sometimes shot in long takes… Thunderbolts feels more grounded in its approach to action than many of the franchise’s other entries as of late.
— Lauren Lamina, Next Best Picture
[It has] some of Marvel’s best action sequences, in part because the heroes can’t fly around, firing undefined, but plot-serving blasts. Fighting each other makes for entertaining, in-your-face battles. Fighting together makes for some awesome sequences.
— Michael Ordonez, San Francisco Chronicle
It’s much less concerned with blowing things up, though there are some great action sequences.
— Brittany Murphy, Muses of Media
Fans hankering for big-screen action do get their moments…however, the movie is more interested in its flawed characters and their mental states in particular.
— Digital Spy's Ian Sand An early hallway battle in a smoke-filled corridor demonstrates that director Jake Schreyer is intent on adhering to the MCU’s typical murky-ACTi
About the Creator
MD IMRAN KHAN
Bite-sized news for big thinkers.
🧾 Facts > Noise | 📊 Data-driven | 🎙️ Real voices
🌍 Global & Bold
Real news. Real time.
🌐 World events, politics, culture & more in your Stories feed.
Keep reading
More stories from MD IMRAN KHAN and writers in History and other communities.
Africa's history could be rewritten by a huge discovery in Morocco.
The long-held belief that the Maghreb (northwest Africa) was an empty land prior to the Phoenicians' arrival in the area around 800 BCE is thrown into doubt by a new archaeological find at Kach Kouch in Morocco. It reveals a history that is significantly more complex and rich than previously thought. Everything found at the site suggests that stable agricultural settlements on the African coast of the Mediterranean existed more than 3,000 years ago, during the Bronze Age. At the same time, societies in the eastern Mediterranean like the Mycenaean thrived. We now have a better understanding of the recent prehistory of north Africa thanks to our discovery, which was led by a group of young researchers from Morocco's National Institute of Archaeology. Additionally, it reframes our understanding of the ancient connections that existed between the Maghreb and the rest of the Mediterranean. What led to the discovery? In 1992, Kach Kouch was first discovered and excavated for the first time. At the time, researchers thought that the area had been occupied from the 8th to the 6th century BCE. This was based on the found Phoenician pottery. Our team carried out two additional seasons of excavation in 2021 and 2022, nearly 30 years later. Drones, differential GPS (global positioning systems), and 3D models were used in our investigations. For the purpose of collecting samples, a stringent procedure was followed. Because of this, we were able to find charcoal and seeds that had been fossilized. After that, a series of analyses enabled us to re-create the prehistoric economy and natural environment of the settlement. What was found in the remains The settlement was occupied three times between 2200 and 600 BCE, according to the excavations and radiocarbon dating. The earliest known remains date from 2200 to 2000 BCE. They include a cow bone, three unadorned pottery sherds, and a flint flake. Either erosion or a brief occupation of the hill during this time period could account for the lack of materials and contexts. The Koch Koch hill was permanently occupied beginning in 1300 BCE during its second phase, following a period of abandonment. Farming and animal husbandry were the primary occupations of its fewer than one hundred inhabitants. They lived in wattle and daub, a method that combines mud, reeds, and wooden poles, in circular dwellings. To store their agricultural goods, they dug silos into the rock. They raised cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, as well as wheat, barley, and legumes, according to analysis. Additionally, they used flint tools, decorated pottery, and grinding stones for cereal processing. In addition, it has been documented that north Africa, excluding Egypt, has the oldest known bronze object. It's probably a piece of scrap metal taken out of a mold after it was molded. encounters with the Phoenicians The inhabitants of Kach Kouch maintained the same material culture, architecture, and economy as in the preceding phase throughout the so-called Mauretanian period, which occurred between the 8th and 7th centuries BCE. New cultural practices, on the other hand, were brought about by interactions with Phoenician communities that were just beginning to settle in nearby locations like Lixus. Combining Phoenician and local building methods, for instance, circular and square stone and wattle and daub structures coexisted. Additionally, the cultivation of new crops like olives and grapes began. The use of iron objects and wheel-made Phoenician ceramics like plates and amphorae (storage jugs) stand out among the new materials. Kach Kouch was peacefully abandoned around 600 BCE, possibly as a result of changes in social and economic conditions. The people who lived there probably moved to other towns nearby. Who then lived in the Bronze Age? It is not clear if the Maghreb people in the Bronze Age lived in tribes, as the Mauretanian people did later. It's likely that they were organized as families. According to the burials, there were no obvious signs of hierarchy. They may have spoken a language that was similar to the Amazigh, a native language of North Africa that was not written until the Phoenician alphabet was introduced. These populations may be the direct ancestors of the Mauretanian peoples of north-west Africa, as evidenced by the cultural continuity that has been documented at Kach Kouch. Why this is important Not only is Kach Kouch the first and earliest known Maghreb Bronze Age settlement, but it also reshapes how we understand prehistory in this region. The new findings, in addition to other recent ones, show that northwestern Africa has been connected to other Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Saharan regions since prehistoric times. Our findings cast doubt on conventional narratives, many of which were shaped by colonial perspectives that portrayed the Maghreb as an uninhabited, isolated region until it was "civilized" by other peoples. As a result, discussions about the Mediterranean's later prehistory have largely ignored the Maghreb. Not only do these new findings signal a breakthrough for archaeology, but they also make it necessary to reevaluate the dominant historical narratives. The opportunity to rewrite north Africa's history and give it the visibility it has always deserved is provided by Kach Kouch. We believe that this is a pivotal time for research that has the potential to forever alter our understanding of not only the history of north Africa but also its relationship to other Mediterranean regions.
By MD IMRAN KHAN9 months ago in History
When Allies Disagree: How Global Partnerships Are Being Redefined
When Allies Disagree: How Global Partnerships Are Being Redefined For much of the modern era, global alliances appeared firm and predictable. Powerful countries formed blocs, promised mutual support, and stood together during times of war and crisis. But in today’s world, those alliances are changing. Recent disagreements between long-standing partners show that global cooperation is no longer based on automatic loyalty—it is increasingly shaped by national interests, public opinion, and long-term stability.
By Wings of Time 7 days ago in History
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.