I was so excited to watch Thunderbolts* that I watched it in theatres on the first day of its release. However, as I walked out of the theatre, I felt conflicted. On the one hand, I appreciate that Marvel is incorporating mental health struggles as more central themes into their projects. On the other hand, I watch superhero movies for the fighting and tend not to think about the complexities of the plot.
A Different Kind of Superhero Story
Thunderbolts* is, in essence, part group therapy session, part action. It does not follow the usual Marvel formula. There are no world-ending stakes like previous movies, as much of the story revolves around the characters dealing with PTSD, survivor’s guilt, and identity crises.
The Thunderbolts* are not the Avengers despite the rebrand to the New Avengers at the end of the movie. They are not shiny paragons of virtue. They are broken people—assassins, ex-cons, government pawns—trying to claw back some sense of worth.
This direction makes sense, of course, because the audience has watched the characters go through traumatic experiences and realistically, they would all need therapy. This was seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) seeing a therapist, and I think that themes of mental health should only be in the shows so that there is more time to develop the characters.
The Power of Friendship
The story does not have a villain in the traditional sense, but rather the villain is inner demons. That could sound like an exciting premise on paper, yet the resolution of these struggles often comes down to: the team sticks together, they share their pain, and through mutual trust and camaraderie, they find healing.
The scene where Bob (Lewis Pullman) fights the void is literally resolved by a hug from the rest of the team, and suddenly everyone is okay. I get that the subtext of the scene is that you cannot fight depression without the support of others, and while I agree with that sentiment, I felt like the void was suppressed too easily with the hug.
It’s not that friendship isn’t powerful, but to position it as the ultimate cure to deep mental health struggles risks simplifying a reality that is anything but simple. Support systems matter, but they don’t erase trauma. Recovery is often messy, nonlinear, and frustrating.
Relatability
I understand that people like this movie because they can connect to it. Relatability is a powerful thing. Seeing beloved characters wrestle with vulnerability, self-doubt, or shame can help audiences feel seen. The message that you don’t have to face your struggles alone, that reaching out to others can help, is undeniably important. People watch for escapism, for heroes they can cheer for, for stories that inspire. In that sense, Thunderbolts* delivers.
Would I Watch it Again?
I will most likely not rewatch this movie because I feel like it is something more for people that have dealt with mental health issues. Perhaps down the road I could try to watch it again when I truly understand what the characters are going through.
