'Thor: Love And Thunder' Review: The God of Thunder Sheds His Armor
The God of Thunder has returned in director Taika Waititi’s highly anticipated follow-up to Thor: Ragnarok. Fortunately, fans of the brawny hero will not be disappointed with this colorful, hilarious, and heartfelt entry into the ever-expanding MCU.
In Thor: Love And Thunder, audiences are reunited with Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) as he’s struggling with a bit of an identity crisis. He travels through the cosmos, participating in empty adventure after empty adventure, never truly feeling like his old self. Fortunately, the hero is shaken out of apathy with the arrival of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a nefarious threat he must eliminate with the help of his friends Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg (Taika Waititi), in addition to his ex-girlfriend, the now Mjolnir-wielding Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).
The film’s most valuable asset, similar to its predecessor, is its extremely talented and dedicated cast. Hemsworth continues to be a delight in the role of Thor, adding new layers to a character who has managed to maintain a sunshine disposition after the numerous traumas he’s faced, but is finally feeling the inevitable emotional whiplash. Hemsworth not only shows the bravado and charm that has made him a star, but a warm, beating heart that makes the character more endearing than ever. Meeting him at his level is Portman, who outshines her previous appearances effortlessly, adding new wrinkles to the character of Jane Foster while finally establishing much-needed chemistry with Thor. Their scenes together are some of the best in the film and the way their relationship is explored and enriched is a highlight as well.
The supporting cast is just as solid, with Thompson, Waititi, and an extremely entertaining Russell Crowe taking full advantage of their screen time. However, Christian Bale is an absolute standout here, his gravitas, charm, and menace all on display in equal measure as Gorr the God Butcher. His villain is given an accessible backstory that allows the audience to understand why he’s committing his violence against the gods, albeit misguided. Gorr is an imposing, visually arresting threat and Bale was an inspired choice for the part. Gorr has cemented himself as one of the MCU’s most memorable villains in quite some time.
Fans of Waititi’s previous Thor film will be delighted to see that his distinctive, colorful humor has remained intact. The jokes are nearly endless, with a large majority of them landing and hitting the sweet spot. Sure, some jokes don’t quite hit the mark, but when most of them do, this is a minor flaw that is easy to forgive and overlook. He’s also crafted some seriously impressive action sequences here, each feeling grand in scope and color. Waititi makes far better use of Thor in these action sequences, fully demonstrating how powerful the God of Thunder truly is to highly entertaining effect. Each set piece feels distinctly different from the last, making each feel far more memorable and distinctive compared to the action in Ragnarok.
However, the highlight of the film is wears its proverbial heart firmly on its sleeve. While its predecessor certainly had some heartfelt moments, they felt fleeting to the point where it felt like the film was trying to hide its softer side. The opposite is the case here, with Thor feeling like a fully-fleshed out character that is finally shedding the the armor around his heart that he’s placed there after losing so many people he’s loved. There are multiple scenes, especially in the last act of the film, that will leave tears bubbling in the eyes in the best ways possible. In fact, the last act of the film has a number of surprises that were a welcome change of pace from most MCU outings, culminating in an ending that will leave audiences with a huge smile on their faces.
With the film clocking in at about two hours, the brisk pacing both works for and against it. While the film is certainly never boring or sluggish, there is a sense that adding ten or fifteen minutes to the runtime would’ve done wonders in fleshing out more of the story and characters. Parts of the narrative do feel rushed as a result of this lean runtime, but fortunately the entertainment value and likeable characters alleviate this issue for the most part.
Thor: Love And Thunder is another winner from Marvel, fully utilizing a pitch-perfect cast, while also delivering the blockbuster goods Marvel fans have come to know and expect. Waititi’s comedic flare coupled with this emotionally resonant story propel this entry past its predecessors with ease. Thor has never felt more human and the possibilities for the character have never felt so boundless.