By Daniel Paiz

Marvel returns with their 36th addition to their grand cinematic universe with Thunderbolts* as Cypher Flicks review returns for this long-awaited film. This unlikely assortment of anti-heroes is difficult to work with, stubborn, and set in their ways. What better way to reverse course and improve things for themselves and the world around them.

This all-star cast consists of Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), and of course Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra de Fontaine). Wyatt Russell (John Walker/US Agent), Hanna John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), and Lewis Pullman (Robert Reynolds/Sentry) all play important roles too, as well as many others listed in the cast.

Marvel’s risky gamble that pays off is today’s focus. MCU fans might be unfamiliar with Sentry. This character has a checkered background but he’s instrumental to this dysfunctional team.

The risky gamble of Bob vs. Void

Yelena mentions how one has to push down the darkness, drawing a laugh from Bob. His sarcastic response of “that’s really good advice” reflects how often today people utilize humor to brush off pain. What makes Bob/Sentry/Void so intriguing is the internal struggle, and the imbalance he faces that constantly tries to right itself. In 2025 mental health is still sometimes assessed as something wrong from the person dealing with it, much like bad dietary or life decisions. Those who take the time to dig into it understand that’s not the case at all.

What Bob is working through

Schizophrenia and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) are the primary mental health issues Bob possesses. The former is a chemical imbalance where dopamine and glutamate combine to create hallucinations and then can save such visual creations as memories. This overstimulation would understandably make someone struggle with trying to figure out the truth. DID makes things harder, because DID is when two or more personalities control your behavior. Memory loss is a common outcome, stacking on more obstacles to work through.

These complex issues compounded together make absolute sense why in Thunderbolts* Bob has all of these different memories. Some events may or may not have happened throughout his life, some are fears or anxieties of real or imagined events. Briefly reviewing these health issues to get them correct is draining enough so living with this daily must take a toll. The tipping of scales from Bob to Void are understandable. It is slightly surprising that there isn’t more unstable behavior. Yelena and Valentina seem to hold the most sway here.

Why this risk pays off thanks to Yelena

Both of these health concerns can also facilitate depression and anxiety, thus feeding the Void’s emergence. Despite being a bit toned down from the comic books, Void still brings looming darkness. This character reminds viewers avoidance makes things worse; working through hardships is the healthiest path forward.

That’s what pays off, characters working through their mental health and internal conflict. Life is difficult enough without having unprocessed pain and trauma. Bob’s trauma provides a mirror (in more ways than one) for Yelena to face what’s gnawing away at her soul. This is true for the other characters as well, who work through obstacles with the actions they choose to take.

Unresolved trauma sinks people into behaviors and thought patterns they don’t feel like they can escape. Oddly enough, the Sentry program Bob survives represents how avoidance will end someone, as that program killed everyone but Bob. This new ragtag team for Yelena is a tool to realize isolation will descend her into something like the Void, and she does not want that anymore. She’s been there, but she has yet to succumb to such despair.

Final Verdict

This film works on several levels. These jagged pieces of humans seem to be sawed just so to slightly fit one another. The need to process and navigate hardships, obstacles, and trauma is there for everyone in some capacity and it behooves everyone to do so. The writing lands the comedic relief nicely, and the action sequences are understated but do so to advance the story.

Comic book movies will likely continue to rub some viewers the wrong way for a myriad of reasons. Thunderbolts* is another success for Marvel mainly because it has a somewhat self-contained story. This story has a motif that ties into timely issues of today while adding a chapter that builds towards those big and flashy Avengers films.

Red Guardian couldn’t have said it better for me as I left the theater:

I am so full. So filled.