THUNDERBOLTS (NEW AVENGERS) MOVIE REVIEW

I don’t usually write movie reviews, but Thunderbolts resonated with me in a way that made me want to share my thoughts. There’s something about films nowadays—they seem to be more in sync with their audiences than ever before. And this one? It felt personal.

Thunderbolts introduces six characters, each battling the weight of their past, striving to live with it, make amends, and move forward. Yet, among them, two stand out—Yelena and Bob—both struggling with internal battles, still haunted by their demons despite their training, strength, and resilience.

Yelena, trained as an assassin from childhood, wrestles with depression and codependency. This film takes place after the deaths of her mother and sister (Natasha). While Red Guardian—her father figure—is still alive, his absence for nearly a year has left her feeling isolated. Her grief is amplified by the painful realization that, in her darkest moments, no one came to comfort her. The film conveys this sense of loneliness, showing her mundane, somber daily routine, immersing the audience in her reality.

Then we meet Bob—a super-soldier, but unlike others, he volunteered for the role. A kind-hearted soul, Bob has endured depression and abuse since childhood. His condition is medically severe, leading to memory lapses, headaches, mood swings, and a deep struggle to connect with others.

What Thunderbolts does exceptionally well is rejecting the trope of curing depression through the “power of friendship.” Instead, it acknowledges that depression lingers—that it’s something people cope with rather than magically overcome. By the film’s end, Yelena and Bob haven’t been “fixed,” but they’ve recognized their struggles and chosen to keep moving forward. A support system surrounds them, yet their mental battles remain.

This depiction of depression felt raw and authentic. For many, it doesn’t simply vanish. For some, it’s permanent—clinical depression that makes daily life a constant challenge, where even emotions and self-perception become difficult to trust.

Marvel has touched on mental health before—Iron Man’s ADHD and obsessive tendencies, Thor’s existential crises, Wanda’s grief-fueled delusions—but Thunderbolts grounds these themes in a way that feels deeply real.

I’d recommend this movie to audiences who appreciate nuanced explorations of mental health. However, I’d also urge viewers to be mindful of their own emotional state before watching—it’s a film that confronts difficult realities, and that kind of storytelling can hit hard.

Author: Vera Vandal