As of this posting, the Thunderbolts* have barely made $381 million globally. Jump in the thread and tell me that is a success, please; then, also admit that Captain America: Brave New World is also a hit, since it made $415 million. Since the MCU retitled the film New Avengers, this is now the lowest-grossing Avengers film ever. It’s also the first Avengers film to ever flop. Even though Thunderbolts is a critical hit with film critics and filmgoers, it is undeniable that the film is a flop. So, here is my Thunderbolts review – it is not a good film. People who say otherwise are huffing nostalgia and miss the Golden Era of the MCU.
Saying this film is the best MCU film since Endgame or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is not saying much. Take away those specific comparisons, and Thunderbolts is not a good film on its own merits. It is a prime example of why the MCU machine is broken and a bad sign for the MCU’s future.
So, here are several reasons why Thunderbolts is not a good film. This review is a post-mortem on the film but also an examination of what it means for the MCU’s near future. Warning, there will be spoilers. Here is a link to my original Thunderbolts review on the PFA YouTube channel.
My Thunderbolts Review on YouTube
There is No Story
This film is basically about the Thunderbolts being used as puppets by Val, a shady government power broker. Val sets the Thunderbolts up to eliminate one another to destroy evidence of Val’s shady dealings. As the Thunderbolts battle each other, they come across Bob, also known as Sentry/Void, a government experiment with the power of Superman.
The Thunderbolts realize that they were set up by Val, rebel against Val, and help Bob conquer the Void. Then, they become the New Avengers – the end.
There are no stakes in this story, and we are not given a reason to care about these characters. Also, there is no larger overarching storyline involving these characters for us to care about what comes next.
There is No Setup for the “New Avengers”
In my original Thunderbolts review, I said it was a mistake to rename the team. Disney should have fully gone through with the Thunderbolts concept. Even then, it might have been a tough sell. The beauty of the Golden Era of the MCU, phases 1,2, and 3, is that we got to meet characters as main and supporting characters in solo films first. Then, these characters unite in the Avengers film.
Avengers films were like a reward for the years of narrative setup via the cinematic universe model. But now, not even the MCU bothers with the cinematic universe model. There was never any setup for these characters before this film. None of the main characters had met before in an ongoing, overarching team-building story or in any meaningful way to warrant being called Thunderbolts or New Avengers.
No One Cares About These Characters
The Last time we saw Ghost was in 2018. The last time we saw John Walker, Red Guardian, Yelena, and Taskmaster was in 2021. Most people hated John Walker when he was introduced in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Besides, perhaps Bucky, these are not characters MCU fans care much about, so why should we care about them as Thunderbolts or Avengers?
Why not include Shang-Chi, Namor, She-Hulk, or Moon Knight on this team?
That is another point I made in my Thunderbolts review on YouTube – these characters are underdog assassins and losers. Why do we want to root for these characters?
They All Have the Same Power Set
Besides Ghost and Sentry, all of the Thunderbolts are different versions of the Captain America super soldier model. John Walker, Red Guardian, and Bucky have the same power set. Yelena and Taskmaster have no powers and are just assassins. (Taskmaster has the ability to mimic any fighting style she sees, but it did not save her from Ghost’s bullet to the head.)
Ghost can become invisible and intangible. Bob is basically Superman as the Void, but his mental illness and depression prevent him from optimizing his omnipotent power levels. Besides Sentry, there is no variety or power scaling differences between the team members.
Contrast this with all the different members and their different power sets on the earlier Avengers teams.
This is a team of D-List killers and super soldiers who are trying to be Avengers.
No Villain
Val was not much of a villain. The Thunderbolts, who spend much of the film trying to stop her, end up working for her in the end. Because the Thunderbolts have no powers, they could only take down Sentry with the power of hugs and positive thinking in the end. This was not exciting to watch. There was no real villain for us to root against, and so, no real stakes in this film.
Thunderbolts as a P.S.A. for Depression
I, like many other people, grapple with depression. I don’t make light of this medical condition. However, as I said in my YouTube Thunderbolts review, it is a copout to say this film is about heroes grappling with depression. We also have to admit that they solved Bob’s depression with a group hug. Depression cannot be stopped with a group hug.
Tony Stark dealt with Depression in Iron Man 2 and 3. The first half of Endgame was about depression. Thor became obese and despondent because of depression. This is not the first MCU film to grapple with themes of depression. Frankly, those films did it better.
But OK, let’s say this film is great because we watch superheroes grapple with depression. OK – there was no real villain or stakes. There were two or three great action scenes and a lot of talking. This was not a great action or superhero film, but OK, a mediocre PSA about depression.
If you suffer from depression, please get help. I think people play up the depression themes in this film because it lacks in so many other areas. Also, there is a scene where, after Ghost kills Taskmaster, Ghost and John Walker loot her corpse as if it is funny. Taskmaster had a horrible life, but no one cares about her pain, and her death is played for laughs.
Making them the Depression Avengers does not make this a good film.
Bad Signs Ahead for the MCU?
I post this review now for more hindsight clarity. Even though Deadpool and Wolverine made $1.3 billion, people are now admitting it was not a good film. This Thunderbolts review is not meant to ruin your enjoyment of the film; if you like this film, enjoy it.
My point is that there have been no new Avengers members since 2019. There was no setup for these new Avengers. Now that we have them, now what? We are going to wait for them to meet up with the Fantastic Four? Avengers Doomsday has been delayed until December 2026. The Avengers get together in narrative set-ups and post-credit scenes long before the team film.
Now, Avengers teams are forming for their own sake. My biggest critique of Captain America: Brave New World is that Sam Wilson never takes the initiative to form his own Avengers team. Still, what is the overarching threat to New Avengers? The mentally unstable Sentry, the Superman analog, who joins the team afterward?
The last Avengers film almost made $3 billion. Thunderbolts has barely made $380 million. There is a disconnect between fans and the MCU that needs correction before December 2026. If this is the best the MCU can do now, what is there to look forward to later?
Read This Instead
If you like the film, check out this comic. Thunderbolts: Worldstrike is a story featuring a Thunderbolts team led by Bucky. Bucky, now known as the Revolution, leads his team to take down the threats no one else will. This 136-page paperback collects all four issues of this series. Buy it now for $14 at Amazon.
If you really like this film, then consider buying a 34L x 22.4W one-sheet poster. Buy it now at Amazon for $10.
Instead of writing an angry essay in the comments, support this film and the MCU by buying merch. After all, the best stories are in the comics.
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