Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, aka The New Avengers, premiered in digital formats including 4k UHD on July 1, 2025. The physical media releases, highlighted by a limited edition SteelBook, hit stores on July 3. We got a chance to review this film early on from a supplied promotional copy.
Thunderbolts* was directed by Jake Schreier with a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo based on the Marvel Comics characters. The cast includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
For the most part Thunderbolts* is a fun watch, but it certainly doesn’t avoid cliché formulas used in previous Marvel and superhero action movies. As with many action films the heroes are first pitted against each other, but after throwing a few punches quickly learn that they share a common enemy, in this case the director of the CIA, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).
There are also some cringe-worthy moments such as when Yelena (Florence Pugh) is tossed by her father the Red Guardian (David Harbour) to save a woman standing helplessly in the middle of the street from being run over by an out-of-control dump truck. The save is just ridiculously cookie cutter and the editing B-grade in its timing. (Did the woman ever learn to look both ways before crossing?)
Nevertheless, the final battle scene with the Sentry is definitely a feast for the eyes as New York is torn apart by his otherworldly powers. The all-consuming shadow is a neat trick to illustrate Sentry’s powers but is somewhat lackluster in its creativity. And, instead of building up to a higher level of action the ending of Thunderbolts* fizzles into a psychological thriller that explores the character’s internal struggles rather than an external force.
It’s easy to imagine many viewers skipping over the last 20 minutes of this movie just to get to the mid-credit scene at the supermarket and the post-credits scene of the New Avengers team—a teaser that succeeds in hyping fans for a sequel.
All in all, Thunderbolts* is certainly not a failure but rather a run-of-the-mill Marvel title that offers some worthwhile moments for franchise fans and action movie watchers alike. The production quality of the first scene on the skyscraper in some ways creates a precedent that is unequalled throughout the film, but action scenes and character development provide enough substance for its 127-minute run time.
The 4k presentation of Thunderbolts* offers a very clean and sharp image with varying color grades tailored to each scene or location. The colors are deep with earthy tones, not overly saturated, and sometimes resemble palettes often used in printed comic-books. The color grading does serve to make it unique from other Marvel titles. The contrast ratio is excellent, especially on screens that support a wider gamut, with details rendering even in the darkest shadows.
Close-ups of Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova are striking. She is clearly the focal point (the protagonist) in this film and the cinematography enhances her look in a way that is unmatched by other cast members. Her dark past serves as the first thread of backstory–her’s is tied in with the Red Guardian. Throughout the film most of the main characters are given some historical context (via Bob’s influence) as to why they ended up as so-called superhero “misfits.” It will be interesting which character(s) a sequel will focus on.
The Dolby Atmos mix adds some height and rear channel effects that are not as pronounced in 5.1, although both mixes do spread immersive elements nicely throughout the sound stage. The scene in the desert when Bucky appears as the Winter Soldier offers an impressive range of audio frequencies that simulate the open space battle on the freeway.
Dialogue is mainly in front of the screen (like most films, voices are placed mainly in the center channel), but some ambient noises and echoes from dialogue travel through the audio space to enhance the visual environment. The effects are often used during characters’ flashbacks to darker moments.
Low frequency effects are used strategically. When Bob (transformed to the Sentry) realizes his powers at 112 minutes, subwoofers come alive and the dark background music travels from front to back discreet channels in a multispeaker setup. The following truck crash at 115 minutes moves left to right with emphasis, further engaging the viewer in an immersive sound space.
Bonus features with the purchase of Thunderbolts* include “Around the World and Back Again” that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s breathtaking opening with Florence Pugh in Kuala Lumpur. “Assembling a Team to Remember” explores how these antiheroes become the Thunderbolts. In “All About Bob, Sentry, & The Void” actor Lewis Pullman (Bob, Sentry, Void) talks about the creation of his three characters. There is also a gag reel, deleted scenes, and director’s audio commentary.
Thunderbolts* Home Media Scores: Movie (3/5), Video (4/5), Audio (5/5), Bonus Features (4/5).
