I walked into Thunderbolts expecting high stakes, layered character arcs, and the pulse-pounding intensity Marvel promised. Instead, I got a slow drag through surface-level storytelling wrapped in decent visuals, then rushed to an underwhelming ending that felt more like a setup than a finale. The pacing was baffling—glacial for the first half, then suddenly speeding through emotional “growth” that had no real depth or payoff. Bob’s character arc was clearly meant to be the heart of the story, but by the time he “found himself,” I was still trying to find a reason to care. And the ending? A throwaway cliffhanger pointing to Fantastic Four like this was just a $50 trailer. I paid for a movie. I got an ad. Is it the worst Marvel film? No. But calling this the best since Endgame is a stretch that insults the audience’s standards. Thunderbolts isn’t bold, it isn’t suspenseful, and it won’t stick with you. It’s just… there.

Lmao love the comedy

Thunderbolts* isn’t an MCU game-changer, by any stretch, but it’s not aspiring to be either. Is it a two-hour therapy session about self-compassion, being kind to ourselves, and giving ourselves a break from all the transgressions we have tortured ourselves about, wrapped up in a comic book movie? Maybe, but it’s got a big heart, a strong emotional point of view, a good sense of humor when needed, and has something touching to say about forgiving ourselves enough to transform our pain into something that can do good, and that feels like a small but meaningful victory to me.

Rodrigo Perez

The Playlist

Too often in this long, long slog of Marvel movies, we are expected to have an advanced degree in Marvel-ology to understand even the trailer for a twice-removed TV offshoot. Until the very end, Thunderbolts* is free of this intellectual-property tyranny, content to carve its own funky little way.

Bill Goodykoontz

Arizona Republic

In many ways, Thunderbolts* feels like a breath of fresh air and a notable step forward for the MCU as a whole, which is pretty remarkable given that this is a cast of characters where the literal point is that they’re the scraps left over from past Marvel adventures — loose ends left adrift.