‘Thunderbolts*' may be the redemption Marvel needed: critics

Yahoo

02-05-2025

NEW YORK — Marvel might finally be in its redemption era as 'Thunderbolts*' has not only impressed critics and audiences alike, but raked in a healthy $11.5 million at the box office during Thursday's previews.
At the time of publication, the latest installment in the MCU, centering on a rag-tag crew of demoralized assassins and former heroes boasts an 89% Certified Fresh designation on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a 96% Verified Hot label from audience reviews.
The cast is led by Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen and Lewis Pullman
'Call it the film critic's version of Stockholm syndrome, but in between the requisite fight sequences and snippy-sniping dialogue, I found the thematic elements of 'Thunderbolts*' to be unexpectedly effective, even profound,' said The Washington Post.
The Chicago Tribune praised the 'relatively new and vivid' elements while Newsday lauded its 'strong cast and a fresher-than-usual story.' The latter afforded the film three out of four stars.
'The Thunderbolts may not be the Avengers, but they're the heroes we need now,' said The Austin Chronicle, which rated the film 3.5/5.
Tribune News Service was enthusiastic, but less so, giving the film 2.5 out of 4, noting the imbalance of 'cheeky' banter and 'inherent earnestness' which 'bedevils the otherwise strong' flick.
The New York Times, while lukewarm overall, praised he 'disarming' Pugh for 'deep[ening] the material,' going so far as to equate her 'real feeling and … slightly detached ironic sensibility' with that of the MCU's former heaviest hitter: Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).
The film still has plenty of detractors, with Vanity Fair feeling it 'thin and insufficient,' as Marvel's glory days won't be restored by 'downbeat little side adventures' alone.
Much like the punctuation at the end of its title, the Los Angeles Times said 'the whole movie feels like an asterisk. Don't expect too much of me, it says.'
That sentiment was shared by Mashable, which said the finale to the MCU's Phase 5 'feels like two to six ideas for a movie haphazardly cobbled together' with 'little flow, less fun, and a final act that feels more like a cheat than an achievement'