With strong performances and nostalgic echoes of Marvel’s prime, Thunderbolts entertains but can’t quite overcome the weight of franchise fatigue.
April 30, 2025: Thunderbolts, Marvel’s latest ensemble superhero film, directed by Jake Schreier and featuring a strong cast including Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, and David Harbour, hits Indian Theatres on May-1.
On paper, Thunderbolts has all the right ingredients: a compelling cast, strong performances, a sharp balance of humour and action, and themes that delve into insecurity, trauma, and moral ambiguity.
Also Read: Thunderbolts First Reactions: “One of the Best Marvel Movies in Years,” Say Early Viewers
Even the VFX, often criticized in recent Marvel outings, is top-tier here—especially during Sentry’s dramatic entry.
However, did it pass muster with the audience, here are first reviews on X.
THUNDERBOLTS* is a welcome surprise! Well directed, visually interesting, full of fun setpieces and great chemistry from its core cast — but most impressively it actually managed to make me feel for its deeply lonely misfit characters.
— tyler “llewyn” taing (@tylerllewtaing) April 29, 2025
Full review for @DiscussingFilm tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/5tOQo3Sl2N
The first reviews are in for #Thunderbolts* – currently it’s Fresh at 92% on the Tomatometer, with 64 reviews: https://t.co/pFq0Z3Bd8h pic.twitter.com/dpJ1xRvkkH
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) April 29, 2025
#Thunderbolts is entertaining in blips, but overall mediocre, at best. Its superficial depiction of depression is incredibly frustrating (and its band-aid, insulting). It barely scales a series of low bars. Still, underdeveloped & formulaic. Matinee with LOWERED expectations. pic.twitter.com/zQk0OKpFyY
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) April 29, 2025
Thunderbolts- this will thrill some and disgust others. I'm a bit dumbfounded by it. Dark, brooding, sad, violent just not words I associate with Marvel. A movie I could see growing on me. We will see but an interesting swing from Marvel pic.twitter.com/teBTdEXj5u
— Rachel Reviews Movies and Theatre (@rachel_reviews) April 29, 2025
Its funny how many positive reviews of Thunderbolts boil down to "At least it's not unwatchable slop that makes you want to die" pic.twitter.com/FI1e8OtdEU
— Haala ہالہ 🚬 (@haalasback) April 29, 2025
Tags:
Thunderbolts movie review, Marvel Phase 5, Florence Pugh Marvel, Sebastian Stan Bucky, Marvel anti-hero film, Marvel MCU fatigue, Jake Schreier Thunderbolts, Sentry Marvel debut, Thunderbolts cast performances, Marvel nostalgia film