Released: July 2022
Director: Taika Waititi
Run Time: 119 Minutes
Rated PG-13
Distributor: Disney/Marvel
Genre: Action/Adventure
Cast:
Chris Hemsworth: Thor
Christian Bale: Gorr
Natalie Portman: Jane Foster/Mighty Thor
Tessa Thompson: King Valkyrie
Russell Crowe: Zeus
Jaimie Alexander: Sif
Chris Pratt: Peter Quill/Star-Lord
Dave Bautista: Drax
Karen Gillan: Nebula
Taika Waititi: Korg(voice)
When Iron Man was released back in 2008, it took people by surprise at how good it was. Not only that, I don’t even think Marvel knew how successful it was going to be. They had these plans for a wider universe of movies, but it wouldn’t have happened if Iron Man bombed. It didn’t, and it became the foundation upon which the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe was built. After Iron Man, came Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 2 and finally, Thor. These four movies led to the first Avengers movie released 10 years ago. It was a movie event unlike any other, but one of the key moments in that film was the reveal of the mad Titan, Thanos. When we first saw him, audiences around the world and comic book fans alike knew exactly where Marvel was going. It wouldn’t be until 2018 when Avengers: Infinity War was released, culminating in one of the biggest movie events in history. Endgame would tie up the 11-year Infinity Saga that spanned 22 movies. So, what’s next after Avengers: Endgame? I don’t know. With the movies that have been released in the last two years and the various shows on Disney Plus, we haven’t been given a clear trajectory for the MCU. Everything released since that last Avengers film feels completely random and disconnected from each other. Part of what made the MCU so special, was the over-arching narrative thread that was woven through twenty movies. Here we are, nearly thirty movies later, and we are directionless. Now, we have a fourth Thor movie: Love and Thunder. Does this one have anything to add?
The film opens as Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy are trying to help a group of religious folks regain control of their temple. Inadvertently destroying the temple, Thor is gifted two giant screaming goats. Before they take off, they get a distress signal from Thor’s old friend, Lady Sif about a being of immense power who she refers to as the “god butcher.” The “god butcher” is Gorr, who is on a quest to destroy all gods, because his own god failed him. Realizing that this guy is a serious threat, Thor bids the Guardians farewell and travels with his buddy Korg to the world where Sif was fighting. Finding her injured, they head back to Earth only to find that New Asgard is under attack by mysterious shadow monsters as well as Gorr himself. But, much to his surprise, his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster joins the fray as the new Mighty Thor, wielding Thor’s old hammer, Mjolnir. The story here is oka, but not as good as Ragnarok. I really like how the story between Thor and Jane is dealt with in a meaningful way, but the overall plot of a single person being a major galactic threat seems pretty old-hat this time around. Part of the problem is that it’s the same old Marvel formula. The other big problem is the balance of tones in the film. It’ll go from really silly comedic moments to some pretty heavy material and back to the silly again. It’s kind of a whiplash actually. Taika Waititi did a much better job balancing the humor with the seriousness in Thor: Ragnarok.
It must be a blast working on a Thor movie, because everybody here looks like they’re having an awesome time. Chris Hemsworth is pitch-perfect as Thor, as always. His comic timing is on point, but he’s also able to deliver on some of the more emotional moments. Natalie Portman as Jane Foster has been criminally under-used by the first two movies. She was basically nothing more than window dressing. A damsel-in-distress, if you will. Here, she’s given quite a bit more to do when she picks up Mjolnir. Not only is it obvious she was having fun, but she put in some serious work to do this role justice. I mean, just look at the guns on that woman. But, like Chris, she’s able to be funny and remarkably serious at the same time. Again, those emotional moments between Thor and Jane are at the very heart of this movie. Taika Waititi as Korg? He’s brilliant as always. Very dead-pan, but it really works. Tessa Thompson knocks it out of the park as King Valkyrie. Russell Crowe as Zeus is a bit of a show-stopper. Talk about someone having fun with his role, Crowe is magnetic as the Greek God of Thunder, and one of the most powerful beings in the entire Marvel universe, so it’s going to be interesting to see what happens with him later on. Christian Bale plays Gorr the God Butcher. The character has a tragic backstory, but the way Bale brings this guy to life is pretty creepy. I think it’s pretty cool to see Christian Bale jump from the DC movies to Marvel movies, but I do have to admit that there wasn’t enough of Gorr and what he’s been up to. As a result, he doesn’t feel like that much of a threat. That said, he’s still a pretty interesting character.
When it comes to action, Marvel is one of the best in the business for mainstream movies. Not only do you have some really creative visual style here, but the action is on point. The cinematography allows you to see what’s going on with very little shaky-cam. It’s also done to Guns ‘N Roses, so not only do you visual flair to the action, but amazing musical flourish as well. There were at least three different songs that Waititi used from GNR. Some of the more interesting moments include Jane Foster wielding Mjolnir. Seeing the hammer being remade and actually take on a new ability was really cool. When she throws the hammer, Jane can make the hammer split into smaller pieces and use them against the enemy. Also, the scene where Thor tries to ask Zeus for help is not only funny, but the action that follows is incredibly well-choreographed. Never let it be said that Taika Waititi doesn’t know how to make things look cool. Also there’s a scene in which Thor and company reach a world where color is drained, so you’re left with a literal black-and-white experience. It’s really cool, and adds to the atmosphere.
As much as I did enjoy Thor: Love and Thunder, it suffers from the exact some problem that’s plagued every Marvel movie since and including Black Widow. Each movie just feels incredibly different from each other, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, there’s a continuity issue at play here. We’re introduced to all these new characters like Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and so many others. The MCU is becoming bloated with new characters and new stories, and I feel that is a problem with Disney, not Marvel/Kevin Feige. There’s so much, it’s become oversaturated. Not only that, but we’re also starting to see some movies like Multiverse of Madness that reference the TV shows. Feige was known for making Marvel movies accessible to everyone, regardless of where they jump in. But with a movie like Doctor Strange 2, if you haven’t seen WandaVision, you’re not necessarily going to grasp what’s happening with the character of Wanda. That can become a problem. Kevin Feige also said that the direction that Phase 4(every movie/TV show after Spider-Man: Far From Home)will become more clear in future projects. I’m going to be truthful, here: I love the MCU. I think it’s one of the greatest achievements in cinematic history. But without a clear direction or who the new “Thanos” is, I’m not feeling particularly excited for what’s coming next. After seeing Thor: Love and Thunder, I think I’m going to be disembarking the MCU train. I honestly liked Doctor Strange 2 more than this, because that movie took some risks and pushed the envelope. Love and Thunder plays it a little too safe for me. The quality of these Phase 4 movies have been all over the place. So, yeah, I’m done with Marvel for a while.