movie review: thor love and thunder
Overview
Taika Waititi reprises his role as director in the fourth installment of the Thor franchise in the new hit movie, Thor; Love and Thunder. It is produced by Marvel Studios and canonically continues the long-running series of films from the studio with this being its 29th.
Right from the start, the comical tone of the movie is set with Korg, (Taika Waititi) narrating the story of our protagonist and beloved blonde hero Thor. For casual viewers who have never watched a single Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, this opening sequence will put you up to speed. However, the movie is littered with the (valid) assumption that there is at least basic knowledge of the lore of Thor in context to the bigger Marvel Universe.
Positives
The movie captures three core themes; love, second chances, and letting go. This is delivered through a fun rom-com-style script that carries you along in a well-paced movie that won’t have you checking your watch. The actors, Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson carry the bulk of the weight of the film – and they do a pretty solid job at it. We also get special fan service appearances from actors you would be familiar with, as well as returning cast members of the bigger Marvel Universe. The action sequences are also really well done, with spectacular coloring and lighting. And the humor is often well timed, with special mention to a friendly pair of farm animals.
The villain, Gorr the god butcher (Christian Bale), gives a hearty and surprisingly emotional performance that helps capture the essence of why he hunts down the many gods of the universe. He offers a captivating sequence of action in a scene where the director took on an interesting color scheme.
Negatives
My gripe with the movie lies in the character arc adopted for Thor. See, Thor Ragnarok is one of the best movies in the comic book genre. Because at the time, Thor needed a light-hearted re-imagination. Then when the Infinity Saga ended, Thor had become a brood bent on retribution. He had lost so much that his arc should have been on redemption. Now the writers have pushed him into a “caricature” of himself – a direction that I found concerning. Thor in some scenes comes off more like your everyday incompetent colleague than the literal god of thunder and ruler of Asgard he actually is and arguably the strongest Avenger.
Verdict:
Overall, I really had fun, and I am sure anybody else will. But its dedication to slapstick humor stopped it from being a memorable addition to the franchise.
Slightly Above Average
