Thunderbolts Review: Marvel’s Misfit Heroes Steal the Show (And Maybe Your Heart)

A Team of Rejects, A Movie That (Mostly) Delivers

Let’s be real—the Thunderbolts were always the D-list Avengers. A ragtag group of government stooges, ex-villains, and people who really need therapy. So when Marvel announced a Thunderbolts movie, expectations were… mixed. Would this be another Eternals (beautiful but baffling) or Guardians of the Galaxy (misfits turned masterpieces)?

Turns out, Thunderbolts is funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly great—even if it stumbles in a few places. It’s not perfect, but it’s the most fun I’ve had with a Marvel movie since Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Let’s break it down—the good, the bad, and the why did they do Taskmaster like that?

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The Good: Why This Movie Works

1. Mental Health Is the Real Supervillain (And the Real Hero)

If The Avengers was about saving the world, Thunderbolts is about saving each other from themselves. Every character is wrestling with something:

• Bucky Barnes is tired of being a weapon but doesn’t know how to be a leader.

• Yelena Belova is grieving Natasha and trying (failing) to pretend she’s fine.

• John Walker is desperate to prove he’s not a discount Captain America.

• Red Guardian is coping with midlife crisis energy.

• Ava Starr (Ghost) is literally falling apart.

The movie doesn’t just mention trauma—it weaves it into the team dynamic. Watching these broken people reluctantly help each other is the film’s biggest strength.

2. Yelena Belova Is the MVP (Florence Pugh, Please Adopt Me)

Florence Pugh owns this movie. Yelena is snarky, vulnerable, and so done with everyone’s nonsense. She’s the emotional core, and Pugh delivers every joke, every punch, every quiet moment of grief perfectly.

Best Yelena moment? When she roasts John Walker for his “patriotic cosplay” of Captain America. Best Florence moment? When she actually performed the opening stunt in the movie by leaping off a building. What?!

3. Red Guardian: The Comic Relief Who Actually Works

David Harbour is having the time of his life as Alexei. He’s a washed-up Soviet super-soldier who still thinks he’s hot stuff, and it’s hilarious. But unlike Quantumania’s overdone jokes, his humor doesn’t undercut the drama.

Highlights:

• Trying (and failing) to bond with Bucky over their shared “super-soldier serums.”

• Telling Yelena, "Being the hero, there is no higher calling. Your sister understood something about that."
  

4. John Walker: The Most Relatable Fake Captain America

Wyatt Russell steals scenes as John Walker, the guy who really wants to be Steve Rogers but keeps faceplanting. He’s not evil—just a dude in way over his head.

His arc here is way better than in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He’s not a villain, not a hero—just a guy trying (and failing) to live up to an impossible standard.

5. Bucky Barnes Finally Gets His Due

Sebastian Stan’s Bucky has spent way too long being Marvel’s brooding sidekick. Here, he’s the reluctant leader—constantly doubting himself but still stepping up.

It’s a fantastic evolution for the character—less “man out of time,” more “man who’s tired of this crap but won’t quit.”

6. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine: The Best MCU Villain in Years

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is deliciously evil as Val. She’s not a world-ending threat—she’s a narcissistic bureaucrat who genuinely believes she’s doing the right thing (while also enjoying the chaos).

Her dynamic with the team is perfect. She manipulates them, but they’re all too messed up to fully resist. And she plays off of Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan) like her best scenes from Veep. A+ casting here.

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The Bad: Where the Movie Stumbles

1. Sentry: Great Concept, Underwhelming Execution

Sentry is Marvel’s Superman with crippling anxiety, and the movie almost nails it. His backstory is tragic, his power is terrifying—but he feels more like an existential threat than a physical one.

The problem? We don’t see enough of his raw power. He talks about being unstoppable, but the final battle doesn’t fully sell it. A little more spectacle would’ve helped.

2. Ghost Deserved Better

Ava Starr (Ghost) is acted well but feels underused. She’s just… there. No mention of her ties to Ant-Man or Bill Foster? A missed opportunity to flesh her out.

3. The Taskmaster Disgrace

Olga Kurylenko deserved so much better. Taskmaster was already wasted in Black Widow, and here? She’s reduced to glorified henchman.

This character should’ve been a terrifying, unkillable assassin. Instead, she’s disposable muscle. A crime against one of Marvel’s coolest villains.

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Final Verdict: A Messy, Heartfelt Win for the MCU

Thunderbolts isn’t perfect, but it’s the most human Marvel movie in years. It’s funny, emotional, and finally makes Bucky, Yelena, and John Walker shine.

The OnCulture Score: 4.5/5 

✅ Hilarious, heartfelt, great character work
❌ Sentry & Taskmaster deserved better
🔥 Post-credits scene is actually worth it

What did you think? Love it? Hate it? Sound off in the comments!