Thor: Love and Thunder picks up the Asgardian’s story a few years after Avengers: End Game. More importantly, it is a movie co-written and directed by Taika Waititi who was responsible for the wildly successful adventure comedy Thor: Ragnorak. Marvel Studios gave Mr. Waititi nearly complete creative freedom for Love and Thunder. He chose to differentiate Love and Thunder from Ragnorak by creating a light-hearted romantic comedy with a mix of 1980s-inspired adventure.
How’s the story?
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) embarks on a journey for inner peace. Yet his quest gets cast aside due to Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks to eliminate all of the gods. Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi)and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman)–who is now the Mighty Thor–to stop Gorr.
Much like Ragnorak, the story overflows with comedic banter and sights gags. Yet unlike that movie, much of the comedy seems forced and often misses the target. Indeed, there were more than a few groans overheard in the movie theater while being subjected to cringey dialogue.
Also noteworthy, there’s more emphasis on gods as supernatural beings rather than individuals who derived their abilities from some sort of scientific explanation. In the MCU, Thor had never been portrayed as a god but rather a member of a powerful, long-lived alien race. Yet in Love and Thunder, Thor, viewing himself as a god, has a plan to form an army of gods to combat Gorr. He along with King Valkyrie, Korg and Janet Foster travel to Omnipotence City, a realm that is the home of many gods. It’s here that we’re introduced to the leader of the gods, Zeus (Russell Crowe), who embodies a self-serving, pleasure seeking, cowardly and cruel type of deity.
Overall, the screenplay’s tonal inconsistency creates a muddled narrative which although at times amuses, ultimately ends up being frustrating to endure.
How are the special effects?
Credit must be given to Marvel Studios for spoiling moviegoers with visual wizardry. I would wager that a large percentage of the Thor: Love and Thunder’s budget was spent on special effects. The sheer size and number of technical teams working on MCU feature films continues to grow with each project. In short, moviegoers have come to expect visual excellence from Marvel Studios. Love and Thunder does not disappoint.
The movie has a PG-13 rating. Can I take my kids?
There are intense scenes throughout the movie. Yet the level of violence is on par with the rest of the MCU offerings. If your child has seen other MCU movies, Love and Thunder won’t be an issue.
Are there any ideal moments for Bathroom Breaks?
On the one hand, the movie is relatively fast-paced. On the other hand, the story is more of an afterthought that allows for an assortment of comedic bits and action sequences. You can feel confident taking a bathroom break throughout much of the film. I would recommend at any point when the Guardians of the Galaxy on on screen. Also, during the montage of Thor and Jane’s relationship.
Final Thoughts
Thor: Ragnarok was an inspired new take on Thor. It reinvented the character for Chris Hemsworth yet didn’t devolve into turning Thor into a buffoon. That movie also fit nicely into the overall arc of storytelling for the MCU. Thor: Love and Thunder doesn’t seem to fit anywhere in the grand scheme of the MCU’s future films. Whereas Ragnorak was an adventure with comedic elements, Love and Thunder feels more like a parody. And when the movie tries to inject more serious moments, it falls flat due to the inconsistency.
Overall Grade: C+
Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Pros: Giant goats are fun to watch. Natalie Portman looks phenomenal as the Mighty Thor.
Cons: Thor comes off like a buffoon and makes the character’s future presence in the MCU questionable. Christian Bale’s portrayal of a serious villain doesn’t work in a parody.
Official Movie Trailer
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