Thunderbolts Thrills Fans as MCU’s Sharpest Heist Adventure
Oh joy, Marvel’s motley crew of misfits just scored one of the studio’s strongest hits in years—and they did it by breaking every hero stereotype in the book. Thunderbolts assembles antiheroes like Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Taskmaster (Olivia Colman), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) into a high-stakes heist flick that actually delivers on laughs, twists and a smidge of heart. BuzzFeed’s latest roundup of fan reactions proves the point: viewers are losing their minds—with delight, not bewilderment.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Thunderbolts holds a respectable 78% critics score and an eye-popping 91% audience rating (source: Rotten Tomatoes). Variety gushed that it “strikes the perfect balance between snark and sentiment” (source: Variety), while People Magazine applauded the “electric ensemble chemistry” (source: People Magazine). Over on X (formerly Twitter), one user quipped, “Thunderbolts is the reboot my inner kid needed—savage jokes and real stakes,” and another crowed, “Funniest MCU team-up since Guardians.” I told you so.
Director Jake Schreier shoots the opening heist with swagger: tight pacing, razor-sharp banter and a twist that even casual viewers didn’t see coming. Yes, there’s the obligatory Stan Lee cameo—can’t skip that tradition—but it doesn’t derail the momentum. Florence Pugh steals scenes with every smart-aleck quip, Harbour brings surprisingly tender gravitas, and even Russell’s U.S. Agent becomes oddly sympathetic by Act 3. Taskmaster’s identity reveal lands like a cinematic sucker-punch, reminding us that Marvel can still surprise.
Fans are already clamoring for more. BuzzFeed’s fan-tweet roundup highlights reactions describing Thunderbolts as “snarkier than Guardians” and “the redemption arc we all needed.” With post-credit teases about shifting alliances and looming betrayals, Marvel is clearly plotting another round of world-saving (or world-shaking) schemes. So yes, grumble about corporate CGI or the campy flair—this one works.
Did anyone expect a different outcome? No? Thought so. And that, dear reader, is why we can’t have nice things.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and BuzzFeed, Rotten Tomatoes, Variety, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
