A surprisingly grounded, character-first Marvel entry that leans into damaged people, dark humor, and emotional repair rather than nonstop quips or spectacle overload. It seems to work best as a team-up about shame, loneliness, and second chances, with enough action to keep the momentum moving.
Thunderbolts*
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Action · Science Fiction
Wed · 2h 7m
Director: Jake Schreier
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Overview
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Director
Jake Schreier
Cast
Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Curator Review
Verdict
A surprisingly grounded, character-first Marvel entry that leans into damaged people, dark humor, and emotional repair rather than nonstop quips or spectacle overload. It seems to work best as a team-up about shame, loneliness, and second chances, with enough action to keep the momentum moving.
Best for
Viewers who want a more mature, introspective superhero movie
Fans of ragtag ensemble dynamics and found-family stories
People who like action films with melancholy and character trauma
Marvel viewers looking for a fresher tone than the usual franchise formula
Skip if
You want a purely light, joke-a-minute superhero romp
You are tired of MCU continuity and antihero team-ups
You prefer action films that stay emotionally detached
You dislike stories centered on trauma, guilt, and recovery
Overview
Thunderbolts* feels like Marvel trying to grow up without losing the machinery of a blockbuster. The appeal is less in the plot mechanics than in the chemistry of a group of damaged people who do not trust each other, do not fully trust themselves, and still have to function as a unit. That gives the film a bruised, oddly sincere energy that stands out in the franchise.
Worth noting
The popular response points to a movie that is funny, but not in the usual undercut-every-emotion way. Its strongest trait appears to be the willingness to sit with loneliness, self-loathing, and the need for connection. That makes it more emotionally legible than many recent superhero entries, even when it is still operating inside familiar action-adventure scaffolding.
Bottom line
If you like your comic-book movies with a little sadness in the engine, this is an easy recommendation. It should especially land for viewers who respond to ensemble friction, redemption arcs, and the specific pleasure of watching broken people become useful to one another.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Imogen Bella (4.5★) · 48212 likes
My depression would disappear too if Florence Pugh held me
Preet (3.5★) · 37175 likes
the entire squad suicidal
zoë rose bryant (4.5★) · 34906 likes
the mcu vs. the male loneliness epidemic
-ˏˋ mak ˊˎ- (4.5★) · 24835 likes
when your circle small but y’all depressed
jonathan fujii (3.5★) · 20636 likes
Surprisingly mature handling of its themes and never undercut its serious moments with a joke holy shit thank you
Themes
found family, redemption, trauma, loneliness, team dynamics, antiheroes, self-worth, emotional recovery
Topics
superhero, action-adventure, ensemble cast, dark comedy, trauma, found family, antihero, redemption, character-driven, blockbuster