New Delhi: You know that feeling when your ‘On Repeat’ playlist suddenly throws in a track from your emo days? That’s Thunderbolts* for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is a chaotic, rather surprisingly introspective, medley of characters who probably cry during therapy sessions and punch people for a living. It’s MCU’s attempt at being a little artsy and vulnerable all at once. Somehow, it mostly works.

Florence Pugh leads the charge, backed by a team that looks like they walked out of an Avengers support group and straight into a midlife-crisis mission. Is this messy and moody offering worth your watch? Scroll down to read the full review of Thunderbolts*!

Thunderbolts* story

Forget capes and clean-cut justice — the Thunderbolts* are here to punch through pain and trauma in between covert missions. After the fallout from Black Widow, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Ant-Man and the Wasp, Marvel sculpts an ensemble out of “those characters you forgot existed.” Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) is reluctantly roped in by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, in Cruella cosplay) to lead a squad of morally grey misfits: Red Guardian (David Harbour), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and the brooding Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan).

But here enters Bob, aka The Sentry (Lewis Pullman), Marvel’s answer to “what if Superman had a panic disorder and an evil twin made of shadows?” The plot spirals into surreal psychological warfare inside “interconnected shame rooms” (yep, you read that right) as the squad confronts Sentry’s dark side, The Void, and maybe even their own.

Thunderbolts* review: Performances

Florence Pugh is a godsend. She wrings emotion out of every line like she’s squeezing existential dread from a lemon. Yelena’s deadpan humour and deep-set grief make her both a badass and a bleeding heart. Meanwhile, David Harbour brings back his lovable Papa Bear vibes as Red Guardian. He is a part washed-up Avenger, and part vodka-fuelled philosopher.

Wyatt Russell’s John Walker is still rocking that gritted-teeth guilt, while Ghost gets a decent redemption arc. But it’s Sebastian Stan who surprises. He is moody, sure, but his Bucky finally feels like more than a haunted poster boy. Not to miss, Lewis Pullman’s Sentry is the wildcard: twitchy, unpredictable, and oddly endearing.

WTF: Where’s the flaw?

For a film about emotional healing, Thunderbolts* doesn’t go deep enough. It teases mental health arcs like it’s scared to commit. That’s like dipping your toes into trauma, then sprinting back to snarky banter and over-CGI’d action. The final act tries to go Everything Everywhere All At Once, but it’s not a big show.

Honestly. Where are the Avengers during all this? A reality-bending being threatens global doom, and no one even sends a WhatsApp?

Thunderbolts* review: Final verdict

Thunderbolts* is fun and feisty, but not flawless. It is surprisingly heartfelt, too. More like Marvel trying to be weird again, and while it doesn’t always land, it’s refreshing to see the studio colour outside the lines. Come for Florence Pugh’s deadpan brilliance, stay for the group trauma-bonding and delicious chaos.

Watch it for Sebastian Stan if not anything else!