What to Watch This Weekend – Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* is a story about grappling with identity in the wake of long-standing trauma. CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) has secrets. She has quietly been running a series of illegal scientific experiments and Congress has begun sniffing around. de Fontaine dispatches several of her clandestine operatives to perform clean up and destroy the evidence. This includes former Black Widow Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker aka US Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurlyenko). When the crew arrive at the secure facility they find a surprise: Bob (Lewis Pullman). Bob seemingly appears out of nowhere and something about him feels off. Soon, the group begins to suspect they have been double-crossed and must decide if they can work together to escape their fate.

What works in Thunderbolts* is the heft, heart, and humor. Director Jake Schreier (Robot & Frank, Paper Towns) masterfully juggles multiple character arcs while also leading audiences on a emotional rollercoaster. The script comes from the duo of Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo. Their collectives works include Black Widow, Thor: Ragnarok, Hacks, The Bear, Beef and Bojack Horseman. Those properties span an extensive spectrum of slapstick comedy to dark drama, and tonally Thunderbolts* feels like all of it in a blender. And it works. There are moments to laugh out loud, and others that elicit shocked gasps. The action is top notch and the performances are deep, rich, and nuanced. To that end, Pugh, Harbor, and Pullman particularly stand out. As Yelena, Pugh shines as she reconciles her past, a battle with loneliness, and the need for a sense of purpose. The whole affair receives cohesion from an exceptional score by Son Lux (Everything Everywhere All at Once) which ties everything together. All in all, Thunderbolts* works across all of its multiple facets.

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The strong swings in Thunderbolts* may not appeal to all audiences. The movie begins with a high degree of levity—quips and physicality played for gags. As the film evolves, however, it explores some incredibly heavy subject matter. Without spoiling anything Thunderbolts* is really an examination of mental health. At its core, the movie is a representation of how pain manifests in various ways and what people should (or should not) do to manage it. The visual translations of these internal conflicts that project externally may be very disturbing for some, especially younger viewers. Parents in particular should be aware that Thunderbolts* is definitely at the mature end of MCU’s library.

Thunderbolts* is an exceptional piece of filmmaking. The balancing act is remarkable: it feels like the Marvel Cinematic Universe of old, but is also refreshing. It’s hilarious, but also heartbreaking. This feels like a movie that has a clear vision, purpose, and message while also advancing the core MCU storyline without gimmicks. Highly recommended.

Recommended if you enjoyed: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Black Widow, The Suicide Squad

Thunderbolts* is available exclusively in theaters beginning on May 2^nd, 2025

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