Feed aggregator

The Trump Administration dismissed all the scientists working on the next National Climate Assessment. The report is the most comprehensive source of information about climate change in the U.S.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle)

The tech giant is the latest company to adopt AI tools in order to teach foreign languages -- but it isn't the first.

This guide shows you the most effective way to clean your ears without running the risk of damaging your hearing.

• Panasonic just launched its new RB-F10 earphones
• They'll cost just £79.99 (around $110 / AU$165)
• They boast Bluetooth 5.4, a seven-hour battery life, and solid audio

Panasonic has just announced a new pair of cheap wireless earbuds with its open ear Panasonic RB-F10 earphones.

Like other open ear designs, rather than sitting inside your ear, these earbuds sit over your ear canal. This allows you to hear your music clearly, but also, because your ear isn’t blocked, you can hear what’s going on around you.

The Panasonic RB-F10s specifically come with a few handy features.

They boast Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint, so you can easily switch their connection between two different devices. They also feature built-in microphones for voice calls with automatic background noise removal, allowing you to be heard more clearly.

Additionally, they have a seven-hour battery life, which can be extended by a further 18 hours using their charging case.

(Image credit: Panasonic )

Lastly, because open ear headphones are usually a little bigger than earbuds, they can boast bigger drivers, which should lead to a richer sound than you might be used to. At least, that’s what Panasonic is promising from its new RB-F10s.

Best of all, they come in at just £79.99 (around $110 / AU$165) which makes them one of the more affordable options in the open ear space – and if they can stick the landing could help them secure the best budget option spot in our pick of the best open ear headphones guide.

Open ear headphones are the best

(Image credit: Panasonic )

I adore open ear headphones, and recently converted my fiancée to the lifestyle as well.

We love to watch videos or listen to music on our phones, but it’s easy for it to become a competition as we each try to drown the other’s audio out by turning up our speakers louder and louder. We’ve tried using over-ear noise-cancelling headphones, but then it’s impossible for us to talk to one another, especially if one of us is trying to shout for the other from another room.

Open ear headphones strike the perfect balance because we can enjoy our own private audio, but still call out to each other or easily come in and start chatting without having to compete with noise cancelling tech.

They’re also ideal for working out (especially running, as you can enjoy your motivational audio and still hear what’s going on around you), or while traveling, as you can keep an ear out for any public transport announcements that you might miss if ANC is turned on.

I love the Shokz OpenFit Airs (Image credit: Shokz)

I’ve also found that they’re hooked design is generally comfortable yet secure. I’ve tested several open ear headphones designs, and I frequently forget to take them off even when I’m not playing any music because I just forget I have them on.

Lastly, as is true for other earbuds, their small case makes them so easy to carry with you. Unlike a pair of headphones, you can get away with your pockets rather than needing to bring a bag as you can transport your cans when you aren’t wearing them.

Now we haven’t yet tested the Panasonic RB-F10 earphones, but they look like they tick a lot of essential boxes on paper, which could make them a solid choice if you’re after the convenience of open ear headphones that I and others are already enjoying.

You might also like

• The best earbuds 2025: buds for every budget
• The best wired earbuds 2025, from cheap USB-C to audiophile-grade IEMs
• The best noise-cancelling earbuds 2025 for all budgets

The Six Triple Eight sorted millions of pieces of wartime mail in a matter of months but weren't recognized publicly for decades. Just two of the 855 women are believed to be alive for the ceremony.

(Image credit: Archive Photos)

• LG has announced pricing for its two flagship QNED TVs, the QNED9M and QNED92
• The QNED9M is the first non-OLED LG TV to get a wireless connection box
• The flagship QNED92 mini-LED is priced the same as the Samsung QN80F

LG has revealed US pricing for two of its flagship QNED TVs, the QNED9M and QNED92.

Pricing for the QNED9M, which features LG's Zero Connect Box (which previously was a feature exclusive to the LG M-series OLED TVs), is listed as $1,799 for the 65-inch model, $2,299 for the 75-inch model and $3,499 for the 86-inch model.

Pricing for the QNED92, the only mini-LED model in LG's 2025 QNED lineup, is listed as $2,299 for the 75-inch model and $3,499 for the 85-inch model. It will also be available in a 65-inch size, though no price was given for this model.

However, based on how its pricing is identical in 75 and 85-inch sizes to the rival Samsung QN80F, we'd guess it'll be roughly $1,799, the same as the 65-inch Samsung QN80F. Samsung, maker of some of the best mini-LED TVs available, announced pricing for its entire mini-LED lineup in March.

The LG QNED9M will feature the Zero Connect Box, an external connection box that wirelessly transmits signals from all sources to the TV, which will only require a power cable. The QNED9M will use an LED panel with a QNED color solution and it features the Alpha 9 AI processor Gen 8, the same found in the LG C4 OLED TV, one of the best TVs. It will support Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and 4K 144Hz – all wirelessly.

The LG QNED92, successor to the LG QNED90/91T from 2024, features a mini-LED backlight and the Alpha 8 AI processor Gen 2, the same used in the LG B4 OLED TV. It will also support Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and 4K 120Hz for gaming, just to highlight some of its features.

Is LG looking to further shake up the mini-LED TV market?

The LG QNED92 (left) is a big upgrade over its predecessor the LG QNED90 (right) (Image credit: Future)

It's no secret that the mini-LED TV market is fiercely competitive, with Samsung, Hisense, TCL and Sony all big players in the category. LG has never really targeted the market like it does the OLED TV one, but that could be about to change.

I got the chance to see the QNED93 next to its predecessor earlier this year, and it was a significant upgrade, with improved backlight control, higher brightness and better detail overall. Its picture quality reminded me of some of Samsung's mini-LED sets, namely the Samsung QN85D from 2024.

So it's interesting that LG's QNED93 is priced exactly the same as the Samsung QN80F, the 2025 'equivalent' of the Samsung QN85D. It now seems LG has seriously thrown its hat into the mini-LED ring, creating a direct rival for Samsung.

Also, bringing the Zero Connect Box to the LG QNED9M takes aim at Samsung's Frame Pro series, one of the first TVs to use Samsung's own Wireless One Connect Box. It's worth noting the QNED9M is cheaper in all sizes than the Frame Pro, but the Frame Pro has its Art Mode, a mini-LED backlight, and unique design, all things that contribute to a more premium price.

We'll need a more detailed look at the new LG and Samsung TVs to get an idea of which reigns supreme, but it's interesting that LG has laid down the marker with the features and pricing of these two flagship TVs.

You might also like

• I compared the LG G5 to one of the best mid-range OLED TVs, and the results surprised me
• The LG M5 wireless OLED TV might be weirdly the perfect pick for PC gamers, especially with the Nvidia RTX 5080 on the horizon
• LG C5 OLED TV review - LG's mid-range OLED demonstrates its excellence again

• 55% of the businesses that made AI-induced redundancies regret it
• 38% of leaders still don't understand AI's impact on their business
• Humans are essential, but AI investments continue to rise

According to organizational planning platform Orgvue, two in five (39%) UK businesses made redundancies due to their AI adoption and hopes for the technology, however more than half (55%) of them are now admitted those redundancy decisions were wrong.

Consequences of the AI-induced redundancies include widespread internal confusion, leading to employees quitting and a drop in productivity – the exact opposite of what businesses had initially hoped for with the deployment of artificial intelligence.

Having seen how it's played out, businesses are now less likely to believe that AI will replace human workers after all.

Business leaders regret prioritizing AI over human workers

The report uncovers huge amounts of uncertainty over AI's impacts on the workforce. Two in five (38%) leaders still don't understand AI's impact on the businesses, with 25% unsure which roles are most at risk from AI.

Despite only 48% of managers expecting AI will replace some workers compared with 54% last year, leaders reportedly feel less responsible in protecting their workforce from redundancies.

"While 2024 was the year of investment and optimism, businesses are learning the hard way that replacing people with AI without fully understanding the impact on their workforce can go badly wrong," Orgvue CEO Oliver Shaw noted.

"We’re facing the worst global skills shortage in a generation and dismissing employees without a clear plan for workforce transformation is reckless."

Looking ahead, nearly half (47%) fear uncontrolled AI usage by employees, with four in five planning to retrain employees to use the tools properly. Two in five (41%) have already increased their learning and development budgets accordingly, with half (51%) introducing internal AI usage policies and 43% working with third-party AI specialists.

Although it's apparent that human workers are fundamental to businesses, 80% plan to increase AI investments in 2025, yet 27% still lack a clear roadmap.

Overall, Orgvue's research paints a troubling picture of the state of AI, highlighting a total lack of understanding. "While it’s encouraging to see investment in AI continue to grow, businesses need a better understanding of how the technology will change their workforce in the coming months and years," Shaw concluded.

You might also like

• We've listed the best AI tools you can use today
• Worried about the news? Consider keeping an eye on the best job sites
• Spain emerges as Europe's workplace productivity powerhouse, UK lags behind

Hours after President Trump tried to remove three board members, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting responds with a lawsuit arguing he does not have that authority.

(Image credit: Kayla Oaddams/Getty Images for TCM)

• FAVM unveils its FA-EX9 mini PC with AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 chip
• 96GB GPU memory and 128GB total RAM makes it ideal for creative professionals
• Compact AI-focused mini PC is a challenger for Nvidia DGX Spark

Chinese hardware manufacturer FAVM has announced the FA-EX9, a compact AI-focused mini PC powered by AMD’s latest Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor. Based on the Strix Halo platform, the chip features 16 Zen 5 CPU cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units (Radeon 8060S).

The diminutive device measures just 192 x 190 x 55mm and with a total chassis volume of just 2 liters, FAVM claims the system is among the smallest of its kind.

The FA-EX9 is squarely aimed at AI professionals and is positioned as a challenger to platforms like Nvidia’s DGX Spark. It supports the MAX+ 395 processor at a sustained 120W power draw, which the company says offers performance comparable to a Ryzen 9 9955HX paired with a GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU.

OCuLink connector

The system uses LPDDR5 memory across a 256-bit bus, offering 128GB of total memory. Up to 96GB can be allocated as GPU memory, so it can handle large language model workloads without requiring discrete GPUs.

FAVM claims that the integrated GPU and NPU architecture in the FA-EX9 delivers 2.2 times the AI performance of an RTX 4090 in LM Studio when running locally. The system uses dual turbine fans and phase-change thermal materials to manage heat while keeping noise levels low during high-load tasks.

FA-EX9’s connectivity includes HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, and two USB4 ports, with support for up to four 8K displays. It also features an OCuLink connector with a bundled adapter for high-performance external GPU expansion.

Although no release date or pricing has been confirmed, VideoCardz reports teaser campaigns are currently underway in China.

You might also like

• These are the best mobile workstations you can buy right now
• And these are the very best mini PCs to spend your money on
• Project Digits is now DGX Spark: HPE, Dell jump on Petaflop mini AI bandwagon

The Dachau memorial is hosting commemorative events and dedicating a plaque in honor of the U.S. Army's 45th Infantry Division that first encountered prisoners alive at the camp 80 years ago.

(Image credit: U.S. Army)

LG stopped creating new smartphones in 2021, so if you have an old LG phone, you'll need to update it soon.

• SAP disclosed a 10/10 flaw in NetWeaver Visual Composer
• The bug allows threat actors to upload malware
• Researchers claim up to 1,200 instances are vulnerable

More than 1,200 SAP instances are at risk of being hijacked, researchers are saying, as a critical vulnerability was found being abused in the wild. Earlier this week, SAP said it found an unauthenticated file upload vulnerability in NetWeaver Visual Composer’s Metadata Uploader component.

Visual Composer is a development tool that allows users to build web-based business applications without writing code. It’s mostly used to create dashboards, forms, and interactive reports. The Metadata Uploader, on the other hand, is a tool for importing external data models (metadata) into the Visual Composer design environment. This allows developers to connect to remote data sources (web services, databases, or SAP systems).

The vulnerability SAP found is now tracked as CVE-2025-31324. It carries the maximum severity score (10/10), and stems from the fact that the uploader is not protected with proper authorization, allowing unauthenticated actors to upload malicious executables.

Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month

​Keeper is a cybersecurity platform primarily known for its password manager and digital vault, designed to help individuals, families, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, sensitive files, and other private data.

It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Fortune 500 at risk

When it discovered the bug, SAP first released a workaround, and then in late April, a patch.

Now, users are advised to apply it as soon as possible, since multiple cybersecurity firms confirmed the flaw being abused in the wild. According to BleepingComputer, ReliaQuest, watchTowr, and Onapsis, are just some of the firms that observed the bug being exploited in attacks in which threat actors were dropping web shells on vulnerable servers.

SAP, however, told BleepingComputer that it is not aware of any attacks that impacted customer data or systems.

The jury is still out on how many organizations are actually vulnerable. While the Shadowserver Foundation claims 427 servers are exposed on the internet, Onyphe says there are 1,284 instances, 474 of which are already compromised.

"Something like 20 Fortune 500/Global 500 companies are vulnerable, and many of them are compromised," Onyphe CTO Patrice Auffret told BleepingComputer.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• This critical security flaw is letting SAP users get around authentication
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

Journalist David Graham says the aim of the creators of the conservative action plan Project 2025 is to push the federal government "as far to the right as they can." His new book is The Project.

The deal isn't available in all service areas, and a $100 demand surcharge may apply.

In Zambia, truck drivers and sex workers have high rates of being HIV positive —- and are at high risk of contracting the virus. Here's how they have been affected by the administration's policies.

It's a ChatGPT competitor, and also a sign of where glasses of the future are headed.

Prime Video has a slew of modern and classic films rotating in and out of its catalog in the upcoming weeks.

Amazon hasn't revealed how many of its titles are leaving its streaming service in May quite yet, but this last week of April and early May have a few titles already labeled on the website that you won't want to miss.

Here are three of the most highly rated films – each movie below has a Rotten Tomatoes critical rating higher than 90%, meaning it's one of the best Prime Video movies you can stream – that are leaving the service this week.

Train to Busan (2016)

• RT score: 90%
• Directors: Yeon Sang-ho
• Age Rating: PG-13
• Length: 1 hr 57 min
• Leaving on: May 1

A crowd-pleaser, Train to Busan is one of the first Korean horror films to become popular in the US. Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) is a divorced dad and workaholic fund manager who decides to grant his daughter's wish to spend her birthday together with her mother in Busan.

On the way there, the train is hijacked by zombies and they find out in real-time about the epidemic. Seok-woo has to work together with the other passengers to try to make it all the way to Busan with his daughter, which is the last safe haven in the outbreak.

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

• RT score: 98%
• Directors: Alexander Mackendrick
• Age Rating: 7+
• Length: 1 hr 32 min
• Leaving on: April 30

The Sweet Smell of Success is a noir crime thriller in which an overprotective older brother takes it too far. J. J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) is a Broadway-based gossip columnist who doesn't approve of his sister Susan's relationship with Steve, a jazz guitarist.

Sidney Falco, played by Tony Curtis, is a press agent desperate to advance his career, enough that he helps J.J. sabotage his sister's romance and ruin Steve's public image.

Midnight Run (1998)

• RT score: 95%
• Directors: Martin Brest
• Age Rating: R
• Length: 2 hr 6 min
• Leaving on: April 30

Another oldie but a goodie. Midnight Run stars Hollywood icon Robert De Niro as a character that subverts his typical crime and gangster role. Instead of playing the criminal, he's hunting them under the table. Jack Walsh (De Niro) is a bounty hunter hired to capture wanted accountant, Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin).

As requested by his employer, Walsh leaves New York to deliver Mardukas to LA. However, the FBI and major mobsters tracking them complicate the journey.

You might also like

• 5 environmental movies with over 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
• The Wheel of Time cast hasn't given up hope the show's renewal
• G20 is Prime Video's #2 movie but critics are calling it chaotic

After a news report earlier Tuesday, Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said a team only considered listing import charges on items in its ultra-low-cost store. "This was never approved and is not going to happen."

(Image credit: Ina Fassbender)

Dyson is really, really good at moving air around. While the company made its name in vacuum cleaners, it's now almost as well known for its aircare appliances – it makes some of the best fans and the best air purifiers around, sometimes in one appliance. In fact, some can also heat or humidify the air, as required.

Dyson's aircare products are instantly recognizable, with most of them sporting a slick, space-age design that seems to magic up wind from nowhere. The downside of such an established look is that it can be very difficult to tell the difference between the various models in the range. With a wide selection of options available, it can be tricky to figure out exactly which product is which, and then which one to buy.

We've put together this guide to help you tell the difference between the various options, so you can choose the right one for your needs.

Overview table

This table provides a very basic overview of the full Dyson aircare range. Click the links in the 'List price' column to jump to the product listing at Dyson in each territory. If the currency you're looking for isn't listed, it's worth doing a quick Google, because the product may still be available to buy via a third-party retailer in that territory.

I mainly want a fan

Great! Most of Dyson's aircare appliances function as fans, so you have a lot of options to choose from.

If you just want a fan, you need the Dyson Cool AM07. Because it only has one function, it's the cheapest option in the whole lineup. You can find out what we thought of it in our Dyson Cool AM07 review.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you might want to consider a fan-purifier combo. Your main options here are the TP models, which have names starting with 'Purifier Cool'. The cheapest and most basic option here is the Purifier Cool TP10, and the most advanced is the Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09. Note that adding formaldehyde-removing capabilities to any Dyson product bumps up the price considerably.

(Image credit: Dyson)

Perhaps you need a fan because your home isn't especially well insulated, and you experience big temperature swings between seasons. In that case, you might consider a fan-heater combo. This option has the added benefit of meaning the appliance isn't just gathering dust in the summer months. The only option here is the Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09. We've tested that one, and you can see how we got on in our Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool review.

Finally, you could go the whole hog and opt for a fan-purifier-heater. For this, you want the HP range, with names starting 'Purifier Hot+Cool'. Options vary by country, but one that's available everywhere is the Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10.

I mainly want an air purifier

Great! Dyson has lots of air purifier options. This tech goes hand-in-hand with what the brand needs for its vacuum cleaners, so it knows what it's doing when it comes to capturing particles.

If you just want air purification, check out the Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde models. There are two slightly different versions: the BP04 and BP03, of which the 04 is slightly higher-spec. These are bulky and expensive, and designed to tackle large areas (up to 100m²) quietly. The purification capabilities are about the best you'll find anywhere, stretching to include nasties that most air purifiers can't handle, like NO2 and formaldehyde. You can read our thoughts on this range in our Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

If you just want a purifier for your bedroom or living room, and would prefer something smaller and cheaper, we'd suggest a purifier-fan. Look in the TP range, with products starting 'Purifier Cool'.

The most affordable, simplest model is the first-gen Purifier Cool TP10. It still has excellent purification capabilities, but it can't handle everything the Big+Quiet options can. Alternatively, opt for the Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09, which is more advanced.

Finally, you could go for a triple-action model. The purifier-heater-fan options have names starting 'Purifier Hot+Cool' and codes beginning HP, and the most widely available option is the Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10. Alternatively, there are a couple of options that swap heating for humidification – in the US it's the PH03 and in the UK it's the PH04.

I mainly want a heater

There are no standalone heater options in Dyson's range, but it's included as a bonus function with a number of the brand's aircare appliances.

The simplest and most affordable model is the Dyson Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09, which operates as a fan or as a heater, depending on your needs. Otherwise, you'll need to opt for a three-in-one 'Purifier Hot+Cool' with a code name starting HP. All of these can heat, cool, or purify air. The most widely available is the Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10. We've tested the HP09, and you can read about how we got on with it in our Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 review.

(Image credit: Dyson) I mainly want a humidifier

Dyson isn't really that focused on humidifiers, but again, it's included as an added function on some combo humidifier-fan-purifier models. However, you're very limited in choice. In the US, you've got the Purifier Humidify+Cool PH03, and in the UK, it's the Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04.

Light spoilers follow for Marvel's Thunderbolts* movie.

Thunderbolts* was always going to be viewed as the Marvel movie underdog of 2025.

In a year that saw the arrival of a new Captain America film and The Fantastic Four's highly anticipated addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a movie starring a ragtag team of lesser-known anti-heroes and reformed villains might not have been high on many people's theatrical agenda.

Like the titular team, though, Thunderbolts* has battled against the odds to cement its place as one of the best Marvel movies since 2019's Avengers: Endgame. Armed with a supremely talented cast on top form, and the MCU's most affecting story to date when it comes to exploring themes of vulnerability – a story that struck a huge chord with me – it's also an emotionally resonant movie that encouraged me to reflect on my past, and not let it define me.

Shadow selves

Thunderbolts* is the latest MCU movie to feature a group of outsiders coming together for the greater good (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy (GotG), Thunderbolts* tells the tale of a maladjusted group of individuals thrust together to battle a common enemy.

Boil the movie down to its simplest form, and comparisons to those two films are easy to make, in terms of both its storytelling structure and the archetypal characters who inhabit all three movies, such as John Walker/US Agent (Wyatt Russell) and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) being the serious soldier stand-ins for The Avengers' Captain America and GotG's Drax.

Thunderbolts*' humor-laden moments... are belly-achingly effective in their delivery and plot placement

The same can be said of Thunderbolts*' whip-smart humor. Like many of its MCU counterparts, Thunderbolts* is full of snarky retorts, quippy one-liners, and other wisecracks. However, rather than being throwaway jokes that do little else but raise a smile, its humor-laden moments are belly-achingly effective in their delivery and plot placement.

Yelena and Alexei's strained relationship is a core part of what makes Thunderbolts*' story so engaging (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The on-screen rapport between the Thunderbolts – unlike in the comics, the unpopular team name isn't derived from Thaddus 'Thunderbolt' Ross – is equally electrifying. In fact, I'd wager the chemistry between Thunderbolts*' eclectic cast of characters is the most natural in an MCU film for a while.

That might be a bold statement to make, particularly in light of the absorbing dynamic between Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool and Wolverine. As an ensemble, though, the playful and melodramatic manner with which this film's cast bounce off each other is a far cry from the camaraderie (or, rather, lack thereof) of other films' casts.

The on-screen rapport between the Thunderbolts is utterly electrifying

The team's 'found family' dynamic fizzes and pops with a pleasing poise that captivated me from the moment that many of them meet, too.

Indeed, a western stand-off-style showdown between Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), US Agent, Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) in the first act, which occurs after each agent is sent to take down one of the others by shady CIA director Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), is as frenetic and wonderfully farcical as you might expect.

Yelena and Bob's relationship is one of Thunderbolts*' most moving elements (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Of the dynamics on display, I was most emotionally invested in Yelena's relationships with Alexei and Bob.

The estranged familial dynamic between Yelena and Alexei is full of histrionics, hilarity, and heartfelt moments that underline, if further evidence was needed, Pugh's and Harbour's standing as two of the greatest actors of their generation. Emotionally engaging tour de forces, they most certainly are.

That said, the relationship between Yelena and Bob is the one that really captured my attention, because theirs is the earnest fulcrum that really drives the Marvel Phase 5 movie's emotionally-charged narrative. I'm not afraid to admit that their bond drew visceral reactions for me on two occasions – as I write this review, just thinking about one specific moment in the film's final act leaves me teary-eyed and with a lump in my throat.

Fight off your demons

Thunderbolts*' opening scene features Yelena figuratively standing on the edge of the emotional abyss (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The emotional intensity Thunderbolts* delivers narratively won't be lost on anyone who watches one of 2025's most anticipated new movies, either.

Indeed, where the Avengers assembled to protect New York City – and the wider world – from Loki and his Chitauri army, and the Guardians united to defeat Ronan the Accuser, this film's unruly cast of characters have a far tougher foe to overcome: themselves.

Thunderbolts* is following Moon Knight's lead with its sensitive approach to mental health issues

You see, while Thunderbolts* includes conventional antagonists in de Fontaine and someone you probably expected to be a good guy, it's the ensemble's darkest, most secret inner selves who are their greatest nemeses.

This isn't new territory for Marvel. As a medium, comic books are widely regarded for telling stories that reflect the world around them, so there's no reason why comic book/superhero films wouldn't do likewise.

That's reflected in the fact that the MCU has tackled such difficult subject matter before, too. However, where Iron Man 3 made light of and danced around Tony Stark's grapples with PTSD following The Avengers, Thunderbolts* is following Moon Knight's lead with its sensitive approach to mental health issues.

Despite his past, Bucky Barnes is the most well-rounded character in Thunderbolts* (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Whether it's Yelena's disillusionment with life itself, Bob's split-personality disorder, US Agent's deep shame, or the team's collective feelings of regret, Thunderbolts* is cognizant of the mental health issues that many of us battle everyday or at some point in our lives. These are characters who lack the individual ability to deal with their past mistakes and/or who feel trapped in an endless loop of despair, and Thunderbolts* does a terrific job of not only humanizing them through the traumatic experiences they've endured, but also making them incredibly relatable.

Pugh and Pullman's raw, multi-layered performances are as impactful as any MCU acting display you're likely to see

Again, Pugh and Pullman are particularly worth highlighting. The rest of the cast are superb, but the pair's raw, multi-layered performances, which build on the emotionally rich script penned by MCU stalwart Eric Pearson, and The Bear, Hacks, and BoJack Horseman scribe Joanna Calo, are as impactful as any MCU acting display you're likely to see.

We've no idea how original Bob Reynolds / Sentry pick Steven Yeun would have played the character before he was replaced by Top Gun: Maverick's Pullman due to scheduling conflicts, but it's a credit to Pullman's nuanced combination of goofball energy and disquieting intensity that an actor of Yeun's caliber isn't necessary missed in a film like this.

A brief flashback showcasing De Fontaine's (right) tragic backstory helps to humanize even the CIA's duplicitous overlord (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Thunderbolts* isn't without its niggles, mind you. For one, its ending feels a bit abrupt. Despite the emotional impact on display in the movie's final action set-piece, the manner with which the Marvel movie's Thanos-level-esque 'main villain' is dealt with is contrived – and, likely in the eyes of some viewers, eye-roll inducing – as well. The lack of screen time afforded to Louis-Dreyfus' megalomaniac and master manipulator is a bit of a sore point, too.

The logic used to 'depower' Sentry is also a bit too convenient. I'm sure Captain Marvel will have something to say about this, as will Gi'ah from Secret Invasion – we don't talk about that terrible Disney+ show here, though – but he's arguably the most powerful superhuman in the MCU now. With Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Victor von Doom due to upend things from a multiverse perspective in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, a supremely powerful individual like Sentry would be handy to have around.

My biggest bugbear with Thunderbolts*, though, is the unceremonious and unnecessary demise of a character who deserved better in this movie, and in the MCU as a whole. I don't like how it played out, or how the immediate and long-term impact of what happened is handled. For a film that does so much right from a character introspection viewpoint, Thunderbolts* frustratingly drops the ball over this incident.

My verdict

Thunderbolts* is an expectation-defying, incredibly moving MCU entry that unashamedly wears its heart on its sleeve. It balances its melodrama, cathartic story, and deconstruction of heroism with the MCU's classic, fun-filled elements so well that it's a Marvel film I can see myself watching in a theater and/or at home many times over. Considering there are many other MCU movies I haven't seen since I initially watched them on the big screen, that's high praise indeed.

It would be easy to say Thunderbolts* is the best MCU film since, say, Avengers: Endgame. I've certainly been guilty of doing that with Shang-Chi, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Deadpool & Wolverine.

Thunderbolts* deserves to be part of the 'best Marvel movies' conversation

Compared to some of Marvel's less impressive movie offerings in the years since Endgame, though, Thunderbolts* deserves to be part of that conversation. It doesn't reinvent the team-up movie formula, nor will it win any awards for its action sequences (for what it's worth, though, the stunts are mostly real rather than relying on CGI, and most of those sequences are great).

What it does do is tell a deeply emotional story about a group of alienated individuals who could purposefully walk away from problems that don't concern them, but who nonetheless do the right thing when the world needs them. If that doesn't make them deserving of "being the heroes on the Wheaties box with the little kiddie toy" – Red Guardian's words, not mine – I don't know what would.

Thunderbolts* arrives in theaters on May 1 (UK) and May (internationally).

Marvel Unlimited monthly subscription: was $9.99 per month now $4.99 at Marvel
The ultimate digital comics subscription for Marvel fans is offering new and returning customers 50% off their first month, which is much cheaper than a streaming subscription to watch all the best superhero movies. To gain access to a library of more than 30,000 comics, use the code 'SPIDEY50' at checkout. You're able to use the Marvel Unlimited app on all iOS and Android devices, including the web, too. But, be quick – the deal expires on May 5!View Deal