Let’s be honest — Marvel’s status lately? Complicated. For years now, fans (and anyone just craving a good action flick) have been left hanging with weak storylines and forgettable characters. Marvel seemed stuck in its endless Multiverse. Just recently, Captain America: Brave New World flopped — at least with the critics. And honestly? Rightfully so. Weak characters, recycled plotlines: watch it once, forget it twice. But Marvel promised they’d focus less on quantity, more on quality. Time to find out if Kevin Feige & Co. kept their word — with THUNDERBOLTS.
SO, WHO ARE THE THUNDERBOLTS?
YELENA BELOVA (Florence Pugh)
Still grieving the loss of her sister Natasha (aka Black Widow), Yelena feels lost and abandoned — even by her adoptive dad. To cope, she throws herself into wild CIA missions. The problem is, the boss has her own, pretty dark agenda. Fun fact: Yelena played in a sports team called Thunderbolts as a kid. Coincidence? Probably not.
ALEXEI SHOSTAKOV A.K.A. RED GUARDIAN (David Harbour)
Is there a bigger wild card in the MCU? Doubt it. Alexei can’t sit still. If there’s no action, he’ll create it. However, after Natasha’s death, he spirals a bit… and randomly opens a limo service (because why not?). He’s still naïve but has a heart of gold. Alexei would do anything for his friends, especially Yelena — and for being part of the Thunderbolts.
AVA STARR A.K.A. GHOST (Hannah John-Kamen)
Ant-Man fans know her: Ava, the once-fragile and sensitive Ghost, is back — stronger and more controlled than ever. Probably, she is one of the coolest and deepest characters of the MCU.
Ava now has full control over her powers. This makes life harder, not only for her enemies, but sometimes for her friends too. Yup, she’s also working for the CIA now. Her new mission? Learning to survive as part of a team. Not easy for a hardcore lone wolf like her.
JOHN WALKER (Wyatt Russell)
Maybe someday there’ll be a show called America’s Next Captain America… Because Jonnie… ahm, sorry… John Walker tried to wear the shield, and totally bombed. Surprise: he’s now also doing CIA missions (small world, huh?).
Fun fact: Wyatt used to play pro ice hockey in Germany. It’s wild, isn’t it?
WHAT ABOUT BOB? (Lewis Pullman)
Sometimes life throws you into chaos without a roadmap. Sometimes you’re in the wrong place at the right time — or the right place at the wrong time. Anyway, that’s Bob: a total misfit who barely understands what’s going on around him, including his own superpower. He’s also debating whether it makes sense to dye his hair. 😉 Loveable chaos.
BUCKY BARNES A.K.A. WINTER SOLDIER (Sebastian Stan)
One of the coolest Avengers ever? No question: Bucky Barnes. After a rough life (seriously rough), and after the end of the Avengers, Bucky went to politics. Was that a good decision? Howsoever, Bucky is trying to find a new purpose — even if that means babysitting a bunch of anti-heroes. Can he handle it? We’ll see.
MEL (GERALDINE VISWANATHAN)
At least Bucky Barnes has the full trust of Mel — Valentina’s right hand. Too bad Mel doesn’t quite feel the same way about her boss. But why? You might recognize Geraldine from Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls, a slick road movie with serious Thelma & Louise vibes.
VALENTINA DE FONTAINE (JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS)
Classic spy energy: Valentina, the charismatic CIA chief, knows exactly how to pull strings and play people. But what’s she really – attention, pun – hiding behind the shield? Is she the mastermind behind the Thunderbolts… or their ultimate undoing?
THUNDERBOLTS REVIEW
After a long drought of Marvel disappointments, Thunderbolts finally brings the MCU back with a bang! Sure, the plotlines aren’t super fresh — but they’re told in such a brilliant, fast-paced, and funny way, with so much heart and humor, that you don’t even care. It’s pure joy watching this squad of lovable misfits crash their way through missions.
Time seriously flies with Thunderbolts — even though, ironically, most Thunderbolts can’t actually fly – except one 😉.
Quick tip:
You’ll enjoy Thunderbolts even more if you’re already familiar with some MCU history. Disney+ has everything you need to catch up.
Besides all the wild action and jokes, Thunderbolts offers something special: For me, the real highlight is Ava Starr. She’s not just one of the deepest characters in the MCU — she’s also one of the most emotional. Hannah John-Kamen brings Ava to life with a raw sensitivity that hits you right in the feels.
It’s the perfect contrast to Alexei’s chaotic, lovable energy — and David Harbour nails it. His jokes in Black Widow were meh, but here? Next-level hilarious.
Wyatt Russell also steps up his game. He used to be a bit stiff in earlier movies — but maybe some family advice from his sister Kate Hudson, and his parents Goldie Hawn, and Kurt Russell helped? Either way, he’s bringing serious energy this time around.
And of course: Florence Pugh is a total queen. She pulls you right into this crazy adventure taking you by the hand and leading you through two hours of action, chaos, and real emotion.
At its core, Thunderbolts is about loneliness — and the power of finding your people. If you leave the theater inspired to hug your friends tightly, to show just a little bit more empathy, or reach out to someone who’s been feeling alone, then Thunderbolts did something really special.
So, we’ll even change the relationship status to in love. ❤️
Final Verdict: 9 badass points out of 10.
Text: Marco Kokkot
Images: Marvel Studios 2025. All rights reserved.
