In the beginning, the Thor franchise left much to be desired. In its third attempt, with a fresh director, Taika Waititi successfully told a Thor story. Now, in the fourth movie of the franchise, Waititi proves he understands not only the beat of the character but the heart.
The Story
The film has a surprisingly dramatic start as we are introduced to Gorr (Christian Bale). Tired, starving, and thirsty, Gorr and his daughter trek through a barren desert. As Prayers for help go unanswered Gorr spirals into a villainous rage. With his belief’s gone, he vows to kill all Gods.
The movie switches gears quickly and through the quirky narration of Korg (voiced by Waititi), we see Thor (Chris Hemsworth) getting back into shape and joining the Guardians of the Galaxy. Together the team ventures across the universe to help those in need. When terror reigns on New Asgard, Thor, rushes to help. There, he sees his lost love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), with one big change. She has now taken on the “Thor” name and wields Mjolnir.
The Good
The fourth Thor film is genuinely brilliant and moving. The story is familiar, yet unexpected. Waititi expertly takes you on a fun and humorous ride, while also pulling at your heart strings. The set design is spectacular with every inch of the screen becoming eye-candy. Sure, you can tell it’s all CGI, but the graphics team did a fantastic job of creating the different worlds. The story is wonderful and nothing was given away in the trailers. A few bold changes also lead to a beautiful ending that will excite you for what is to come.
Every character is well developed despite having a short run time. Hemswoth, gifts Thor with his own humorous qualities, making this God, feel human. Natalie Portman once again proves why she is not only a spectacular actress but why she is so loveable. There is a sweetness to Jane that only she can possess. She also has excellent chemistry with Tessa Thompson, who returns as King Valkyrie. Thompson once again is strong and powerful, but also shows a softness that is wonderful to see. But the true stand-out is Christian Bale as Gorr. His origin story is incredible. Bale finds a way to make you cry and feel sorry for the villain one moment and pray Thor kills him the next. He is terrifying and humble and demands your attention every time he is on the screen.
There are also two LGBTQIA+ character stories. While the time spent on them is short, the discussions are sweet. No main love interests are shown, and it doesn’t have as much representation as, say, the Lightyear movie, but it’s there.
The Not So Good
For this, I won’t say anything was terrible because it wasn’t. There were just a few things that left a little more to be desired. After hearing that the original cut was nearly four hours long, it is clear that a lot is missing from this film. The run time now chimes in at an hour and fifty-nine minutes. And it does feel as short as that sounds. The movie is face-paced but at times feels too rushed. I wish we could have just spent a little more time with Jane in the beginning, mainly because we haven’t seen her since Thor: The Dark World. Speaking of Jane, she and Valkyrie are two powerhouses on screen. And while we get the intention that they became fast friends, it would have been so much better to actually see it. They honestly could have cut out some of the Guardian’s story and filled it with theirs. It would have been more memorable and more effective. But, hey, at least it passes the Bechdel test.
The Conclusion
Thor: Love and Thunder is a fun and wild ride. You’ll want to watch it again as soon as the credits roll making the rewatchability endless. You’ll be laughing so hard while rocking out to the stellar soundtrack and blown away by the spectacular performance from Christian Bale. The ending is possibly one of my favorite things to happen in a Marvel movie, and I am still shocked at how it all played out. There are also two end credit scenes that will leave you with even more anticipation for what is to come and plenty of un-spoiled cameos. It is a little rushed, but that’s hardly a problem when the movie is so enjoyable. It is also one of the most heart-warming Marvel films, so it’s better to watch with someone you love. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be left wanting more Thor.
Collette's Non-Spoiler Review- Thor: Love and Thunder
Score
Review Nation Score
Thor: Love and Thunder is a fun and wild ride. You'll want to watch it again as soon as the credits roll making the rewatchability off the charts. You'll be laughing so hard while rocking out to the stellar soundtrack and blown away by the spectacular performance from Christian Bale. The ending is possibly one of my favorite things to happen in a Marvel movie, and I am still shocked it happened. There are also two end credit scenes that will leave you with even more anticipation for what is to come and plenty of un-spoiled cameos. It is a little rushed, but that's hardly a problem when the movie is so enjoyable. It is also one of the most heart-warming Marvel films, so it's better to watch with someone you love. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll be left wanting more Thor.
