Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts (2025)
Rating: 7 of 10 Stars
Much Better Movie for Bucky
Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts marks a confident step into murkier waters, and honestly, that's where the modern MCU tends to shine best. The film brings together a ragtag lineup of antiheroes Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster, and John Walker under the reluctant guidance of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. What follows is a surprisingly introspective, if uneven, character driven story that offers more emotional depth than many recent MCU entries.
Unlike the last Captain America film, which felt hollow despite its ambition, Thunderbolts actually delivers some substance. The stakes feel personal, the team dynamics are messy in a compelling way, and Florence Pugh continues to prove she's one of the strongest additions to the franchise.
That said, the film isn't without its flaws. At times, the writing feels stilted or corny even. There are moments where you can almost feel the script veering into AI generated territory, lacking the natural wit and rhythm we've come to expect from Marvel at its best.
One of the more interesting deviations from comic canon is the handling of Bucky Barnes. While some fans (myself included) may have hoped to see him take up the Captain America mantle as he did in the comics, this pivot doesn't feel like a complete loss. Bucky's arc here wrestling with his past and his place in a world without Steve Rogers, feels grounded, even if it's not the version some envisioned.
Perhaps most refreshing is the spotlight given to Marvel's so called "small time" characters. Ghost and Taskmaster, once considered background noise in the larger Avengers narrative, get moments to breathe and matter. It's a reminder that some of the MCU's most interesting stories don't always revolve around gods and galactic empires.
Thunderbolts may not be a perfect film it's flawed, a little awkward, and tonally conflicted but in its messiness, there's something honest. It's the MCU experimenting, letting characters explore the grey areas of heroism, and that's worth applauding.
I'm Rae Serbeck, I Watch and Review all Movies Large and Small!
