Why So Blu?

Thunderbolts* (4K UHD Steelbook Review)

With Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios dives into murkier moral waters than its usual superhero fare, offering a gritty, character-driven ensemble piece that feels like The Suicide Squad filtered through the MCU’s polished lens. Directed by Jake Schreier (Robot & Frank), this 2025 entry trades in the multiverse madness and cosmic chaos for something more grounded, if not always more cohesive. The result is an intriguing, uneven, but ultimately worthwhile addition to Marvel’s ever-expanding world.

Film

The Misfit Ensemble

Thunderbolts* assembles a roster of antiheroes and reformed villains, headlined by Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, and Wyatt Russell’s John Walker. They’re joined by David Harbour’s Red Guardian, Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster, Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the calculating Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

This dysfunctional team dynamic is one of the film’s highlights. Pugh once again steals scenes with her dry wit and emotional undercurrents, while Harbour provides consistent comic relief without ever feeling too broad. Russell’s portrayal of Walker continues to be one of the MCU’s most complex—his morally gray arc is given just enough breathing room to keep him compelling without veering into caricature. Surprisingly, Bucky—arguably the emotional core—is a bit underused, though Stan gives the role his usual wounded stoicism.

Tone, Pacing, and Purpose

Where Thunderbolts* really differentiates itself is in tone. The film flirts with darker themes—abuse of power, redemption, and trauma—while still packing in the usual action beats and one-liners. Schreier keeps the pacing tight, especially in the first hour, balancing character development with espionage-tinged momentum. The mission at the center of the film—preventing a global catastrophe by recovering a dangerous asset—serves as more of a MacGuffin than a compelling plot, but it’s the internal conflicts that drive the story forward.

However, the third act veers into more familiar Marvel territory. The climax is overstuffed and sacrifices some of the emotional nuance for CGI spectacle. It’s not a bad finale by any means, but it feels slightly dissonant compared to the grittier buildup.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The film’s greatest strength lies in its cast chemistry and character interactions. Yelena and Red Guardian’s surrogate family dynamic is a delight, and scenes between Ghost and Bucky explore unexpected emotional terrain. The film also benefits from tighter choreography and a colder, more stripped-down visual palette, which matches its morally ambiguous tone.

Yet, Thunderbolts* isn’t without flaws. Some characters, like Taskmaster and Ghost, are once again underserved, echoing criticisms from their previous appearances. The villain—while intriguing on paper—is never as impactful as the team’s internal struggles. And while Valentina’s manipulations hint at larger MCU plans, they sometimes undercut the more personal stakes this film tries to build.

Final Thoughts

Thunderbolts* may not revolutionize the MCU, but it does carve out a compelling space for stories that live in the gray areas between good and evil. With a talented ensemble cast, grounded direction, and just enough darkness to feel fresh, it’s a solid mid-tier Marvel outing that rewards viewers looking for something a bit more character-centric.

If Marvel keeps letting its misfits shine like this, the future of its less traditional teams might just be its most interesting.

See the next most recent Marvel release reviewed HERE

Video  

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 2160p

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

HDR: Dolby Vision

Layers: BD-66

Clarity/Detail: Thunderbolts* debuts on 4K UHD Blu-ray with an excellent and clean transfer.  Details are imminent with nothing left lost to softness.  Darkness enshrouds the darker scenes, where brighter highlights never appear blown out or overdone.  Motion is nice and clean with color palettes being right on the money.  Shadow detailing is excellent as well.

Depth: Camera panning and fast motion look fantastic throughout, and focus pulls are all well balanced as the action rolls on from scene to scene.

Black Levels: Black levels enhance shadowy details without losing anything or crushing any piece of the set or characters.

Color Reproduction: From darkish-grey interiors of secret warehouses to barren beige desert-like landscapes of Utah locations, Thunderbolts* goes all over the color gamut to deliver spot on color representations throughout.  Dolby Vision HDR never goes bright or blinding like you’d expect from a newer film, but this is no complaint.  Every color you see is right on the money.

Skin Tones: Skin tones appear normal for the characters who are unmasked.

Noise/Artifacts: None

Audio

Audio Format(s): English: Dolby Atmos, Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Dynamics: Disney continues the trend of releasing normal and impressive audio on its discs once more. Thankfully, the audio for Thunderbolts* is big, bold and dynamic, just as we want it to be.  Sounding bright and up front, with deep bass and plenty for the surrounds, heights and subwoofer channels to do, the track is no slouch.  While it’s not quite a reference quality mix, it comes close!

Height: Height speakers begin to work almost immediately as we hear wind in them as Yelena begins her voiceover monologue.  Another big moment is when the character Bob vaults himself into the clouds.  Later, the Void hovers midair, and the sound presents itself vertically.  These moments are the standouts, but other height activity isn’t as discrete.

Low Frequency Extension: Bass extension is deep and engaging, giving you a nice rumbling experience you’ll love in a home. For apartment dwellers, your neighbors may have some issues with you if you like your movies loud…

Surround Sound Presentation: Surround channels do their thing with subtleties, except when it comes to helping the music brighten up the listening area.  Otherwise, ambience and crowd/battle noise is what you hear most in the surrounds.

Dialogue: Dialogue is perfectly rendered here.

Extras

Extras on the Thunderbolts*  disc are on the bundled Blu-ray and aren’t half bad.  They range from the EPK-lite extras we all know, to the more fun and playful stuff we like to see on Marvel releases.  Thunderbolts* comes to 4K in a standard edition with the 4K, Blu-ray and Digital code, but also the same bundle in a handsome Steelbook is offered as well!

Bonus Features:

4K Disc

• Audio Commentary by Director Jake Schreier

1080 Disc

• • Around the World and Back Again (HD; 9:13) A look at the incredible stunt Florence Pugh performs at the opening of the film.  It’s real, folks!

• • Assembling a Team to Remember (HD; 7:29) EPK goodness about the cast.

 

• • All About Bob, Sentry & The Void (HD; 10:36) Bob (Lewis Pullman) and his many different faces.

 

• • Gag Reel (HD; 3:00)

 

• • Deleted Scenes (HD; 00:56)

 

• Audio Commentary by Director Jake Schreier

Summary

Thunderbolts* re-invigorated the MCU after some listless entries in the canon of films.  There is a lightness and humor here that we know and love, and it’s nice to see the misfits of the Universe getting some love.  While there are a few shortcomings here and there, especially with the villain and some pacing issues, the film still doe manage to deliver.  As a 4K presentation on disc, Thunderbolts* certainly delivers on a heroic level!

Buy the Thunderbolts* 4K Steelbook HERE

Buy Thunderbolts* Standard Edition HERE