Thunderbolts: A Missed Opportunity for Marvel to Break the Mold

Marvel almost had something special here. I appreciate the darker tone and the way it is a superhero movie that lightly delves into themes such as trauma and mental illness. The performances are solid, with Florence Pugh commanding the screen. She’s supported well by David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, and Sebastian Stan, who create a nice synergy within the group. I thought Pullman was an inspired choice for the role of Sentry; he captures both the terrifying and innocent sides of the character with ease, and a lot of this movie, especially during the cerebral scenes, reminded me of the show Legion.

That being said, there are some major issues holding this movie back. Thunderbolts never fully commits, ultimately retreating back into the familiar MCU formula by the end. The pacing in the first half was brutal. The movie doesn’t kick off until Sentry shows up. The forced MCU comedy was annoying, and there seems to be no real stakes when all is said and done. Like most MCU entries, everything is resolved too neatly, tied up with a cute bow. Overall, Thunderbolts had the pieces to be a much bolder, more memorable film. I would’ve enjoyed it far more as a contained and bolder movie. Marvel almost had something special here. Thunderbolts sets itself up to be something darker and more cerebral than the typical MCU entry.

I appreciated the way it flirts with themes like trauma and mental illness, especially in how those moments are visually and emotionally portrayed. At times, it even reminded me of Legion, a show that fully leaned into its psychological elements. Unfortunately, unlike Legion, Thunderbolts never fully commit. Instead, it teases those heavier themes before retreating back into the safety of the MCU formula by the final act. The performances are a definite highlight. Florence Pugh continues to command the screen effortlessly, bringing strength and depth to her character. David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, and Sebastian Stan also deliver solid work, with strong chemistry that makes their team dynamic engaging.

They all feel like they're in sync, which helps elevate a script that doesn't always serve them well. The movie doesn't really pick up momentum until Sentry enters the picture. Bill Pullman is an inspired casting choice—he captures the duality of the character brilliantly, balancing both terrifying power and childlike vulnerability. His presence injects the film with a needed jolt of energy and intrigue, and for a brief stretch, it feels like Thunderbolts might actually break free from the typical Marvel mold. But the film’s biggest weaknesses are hard to ignore. The pacing in the first half is sluggish and unfocused. Worse, the forced MCU-style comedy feels wildly out of place here. It undercuts the darker tone the movie is trying to establish and rarely lands any genuine laughs. On top of that, the ending is disappointingly tidy.

For a story introducing a powerhouse like Sentry, the lack of real stakes makes everything feel inconsequential. Just like many other Marvel movies, it wraps up too cleanly, leaving little emotional impact. Overall, Thunderbolts had the right ingredients to be a bold, genre-defying film. It clearly wants to stand out from the rest of the MCU, with glimpses of something more daring and psychologically driven. But in the end, it plays it safe. It’s not a bad movie by any means, but it’s frustratingly close to being something great. I would’ve enjoyed it far more as a contained, focused, and fearless story.

This movie starts with just enough intrigue and visual flair to grab your attention, but it quickly squanders that promise. The premise is incredibly simple, the kind that might’ve worked better as a short film or even a TikTok skit. Stretching it out to feature length only exposes how little substance there is. Scenes are unnecessarily drawn out, padding time rather than building suspense or depth. As a result, the pacing suffers significantly, and any initial tension fizzles out fast.

The characters are overwritten, yet paradoxically underdeveloped. You get the sense that the script is trying too hard to make everyone feel complex and layered, but without giving the actors anything meaningful to work with. Meghann Fahy gives it a real shot—she brings sincerity and effort to her performance, but unfortunately, the rest of the cast doesn’t rise to the occasion. Most deliver flat, lifeless performances that make it hard to stay emotionally invested.

What little suspense the movie manages to build early on quickly gives way to predictability. There’s a point where you can almost guess how each scene will unfold, which drains the experience of any real thrill. Worse still, once the “big reveal” happens, the film takes an unforgivable nosedive into absurdity. It shifts into a tone that feels completely at odds with the rest of the story: wacky, exaggerated, and trying far too hard to be more ambitious than the setup can support.

The antagonists’ motivations are baffling, making the final stretch of the film feel like a different, much less coherent movie. It’s as if the filmmakers realized how thin the concept was and decided to overcompensate with wild plot swings and implausible behavior. Instead of elevating the narrative, it only adds to the confusion and disconnection.

If there’s one thing the film has going for it, it’s the look. The cinematography is solid, and the aesthetic choices are appealing enough to catch your eye in the opening moments. But good visuals can’t save a script that lacks clarity, momentum, and emotional grounding.

Ultimately, this is a forgettable film. It starts off promising but quickly devolves into a mess of overacting, underwritten ideas, and confusing choices. Best used as background noise while you scroll your phone.