Thor: Love and Thunder Spoiler-Free Review

This review of Thor: Love and Thunder is spoiler-free, however spoilers for other Marvel Cinematic Universe projects may occur. The film will be released in theaters on July 8, 2022.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Written by Taiki Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit) and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Unpregnant) and directed by Taika Waititi, Thor: Love and Thunder takes place almost immediately after Avengers: Endgame. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself traveling the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy, helping those in need while searching for himself in the process.

While this premise would make a phenomenal film on its own, the Guardians only stick around for a fraction of Thor: Love and Thunder. The dysfunctional dynamic between Thor and Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) makes its hilarious return but is hardly the focus of the story. Instead, the film centers around Thor finding himself and coming to terms with certain aspects of his complicated past.

Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) makes her long-anticipated return to the MCU since her last appearance in Thor: The Dark World (if you don’t count What If…?). In Love and Thunder, we finally get explanations as to why Jane and Thor split up as well as a great explanation as to how she’s able to wield Mjölnir.

The Performances

Making his Marvel Cinematic debut is Christian Bale (The Dark Knight trilogy) as the film’s primary antagonist Gorr the God Butcher, whose sole mission is to destroy all the gods of the universe. Bale gives an incredibly eerie performance as Gorr, who by the end of the film will have you begging for more. His look is changed from the comics he is based on. The change is subtle but done subtly so as to not distract fans with his uncanny resemblance to Harry Potter‘s Voldemort. However, the change does not take away from the villain’s menacing and commanding presence whenever he’s on-screen.

Tessa Thompson returns as the venerable Valkyrie, King of New Asgard and friend to Thor. Her character hasn’t changed much since her previous appearances, but this film delves slightly further into her past. Delving into her past has the potential to do wonders for certain groups who have been looking for a sense of inclusion and representation in the MCU.

Waititi is known for his comedic prowess in all of his projects, and Love and Thunder is no exception. This film is rife with his signature quips, jokes, and meta-commentary, such as Thor being involved in a sort of “love triangle” with his axe Stormbreaker and Mjölnir. While this dynamic is genuinely funny and works, some of the comedic timing is one of the main aspects holding the film back. The jokes land and are well-written, but some of the time they feel out of place. There are dramatic scenes that try to utilize this humor but detract from the story. Had the film opted to maintain a dramatic tone where necessary and not feel the need to make everything a joke, it would have felt like there was a more cohesive balance in tone. Screaming goats, I’m looking at you.

Having said all that, Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Zeus is one of the humorous aspects of the film that does work. Quirky, over-the-top, and hilarious are the best ways to describe his character, and his inclusion brings certain parts of the Marvel Comics mythos into the cinematic universe.

Verdict

Despite some questionable comedic timing, Thor: Love and Thunder is a Marvel Studios entry not to be missed. Performances were solid across the board, the action and set pieces were as grand as ever, and much of the licensed music really helps set the tone of their scenes. The end of this film and its two post-credits scenes really help set up the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and promises to give fans something very unexpected. We highly recommend going to see this one.

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Thor: Love and Thunder releases in theaters on July 8, 2022.

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