2022 Summer Movie Season - Marvel Studios' Thor Love and Thunder: Review & Analysis

 

Chariots of Thunder!!!! Thor's Latest Adventure is A Vibrant and Colorful Fever Dream of Fun, Mayhem, and Romance!!!!!

Review By Brandon Porter

A New Path For The God of Thunder

Story Description

Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) is on a new path. After successfully helping defeat Thanos three years ago, Thor is at a crossroads in his life where he is unsure where he should go next. Sure, going on adventures with Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy is fun but Thor feels like it’s time for a more internal change. Determined to rediscover himself, he abandons his role as the god of thunder to be a peaceful recluse. However, when a deadly new adversary known as Gorr (Christian Bale) emerges to purge the world of gods, Thor wields Stormbreaker once more to confront the self-proclaimed god butcher. Thankfully, he won’t have to do it alone for he is accompanied by his friends Korg (Taika Waititi), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and, to his shock and surprise, his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) now wielding a repaired Mjölnir and possessing the powers of thor herself. Can Thor and his estranged lover patch things up quick enough to combat the threat or will the gods of thunder be forever silenced? 

Jane Foster is in full Thor mode and ready for anything.

 

Film Review

A lot has occurred since Thor Odinson was last seen in the MCU. The universe he encompasses has vastly changed since the events of Endgame but all of that can’t prepare him for what he is about to see or see again. Taika Waititi returns to the director’s chair to deliver the next chapter of Thor's story making him the first MCU character to have 4 movies in the franchise. With new and old allies on the front and a terrifying new villain to squabble with, Thor: Love and Thunder looks like the rock-out-loud summer romp the world has been waiting for. After going on this latest adventure with the god of thunder, this movie is one of the craziest rides I've been on this entire summer movie season. Waititi's style is pretty well established at this point. Hilariously witty but clever humor mixed with elements of gothic & horror. If Thor Ragnarok was Waititi at normal strength. Love and Thunder is Waititi turned up to 11. Obviously given even more free-range than last time, he takes full advantage of it and delivers a movie with just about everything. Performance-wise, there are a plethora of standouts in this film. Hemsworth delivers again in the title role really taking full ownership of his revamped interpretation of the character. All the elements that make this version of Thor such a fan favorite are once again shown here and showcase Hemsworth's ability to be a capable leading man. Natalie Portman's return as Jane Foster is terrific as well. Despite her obvious new look as she is wielding Mjölnir, the thing that is so great about this interpretation is that Jane is still Jane. All the elements that make Jane so likable are still there and the arc she goes on is emotional and heroic. She benefits greatly from Waititi's direction having some standout sequences as she showcases her new abilities. Her chemistry with everyone really shines through as she is truly a standout in the ensemble. Tessa Thompson and Waititi himself are equally great as Valkyrie and Korg with the latter having every word from his mouth resulting in a chuckle and the former displaying great wit and some surprisingly heartfelt emotional depth even more so than in Ragnarok. Others like Chris Pratt, the rest of the Guardians crew, and newcomer Kieron Dyer were great in their limited screen time as they made a big impact with what they were given. But the MVP of this film is hands down Christian Bale as Gorr the god butcher. 

Best. Quick Change. Ever.

Coming into this, I knew he was going to be good in the role given his immense talent. But I didn't expect him to exceed my initial expectations and masterfully craft one of the most tragic, menacing, and formidable villains in the MCU. Everything about this character is mesmerizing yet terrifying. You fear him yet you can still see the soul of a man who has lost so much. Bale walks the line between being equally sympathetic and scary. Bale is top grade in this film and Gorr will go down as one of my favorite villains to come out of the franchise. The other thing that this movie has going for it is its terrific balance of genres throughout the narrative. All elements are touched in one way or another. For every laugh-out-loud moment, there is an emotional one that will tug at the heartstrings. For every lighthearted moment, there are some genuinely tension-filled ones full of menace and sinister situations that make it hard to breathe. Watiti's ability to juggle so many cinematic elements coupled with some breathtaking visuals and great use of cinematography, color saturation and shot composition really shows his strength as both a narrative and visual storyteller whos not afraid to take big swings. When a director is as fearless as he is, the movie, the chracters, and the world they inhabit are all the better for it. Overall, Thor: Love and Thunder is a smorgasbord of mayhem in all the right ways. Equal parts funny, heartfelt, scary, and emotional, the film is a wild ride that leaves you begging for more. With so much going on it's easy to get lost in it all. But in this case, we are ok with not being found for a while.

Rating and Final Thoughts

Hilarious and heartfelt with crazy action, lovable chracters, and one of the best villains in the series,
Thor's latest endeavor is a wild ride that is worth the price of admission from start to finish.

High Ten For A Thunderous Good Time