Thor Love and Thunder Review - Wilder and Funnier and still Plenty of Charge Left in the God of Thunder
Thor Odinson's glow-up is the most effective of any MCU character. The god of Thunder found his rhythm when irreverent Kiwi Taika Waititi unleashed chris Hemsworth's shamefully underused comedy skills, taking him from the dull low point of The Dark World to Ragnarok's cosmic romp. More an extension than a reinvention, their most recent collaboration. By most measures, however, it's a better reunion—wilder, funnier, and far more emotional. The exuberant love and Thunder is a return to the glory days of the Infinity Saga, if Marvel has been coasting on a comfortable unexceptional level of quality for much of Phase 4.
Four years after the events of Endgame, when we next see Thor, he has transformed from having a "dad bod to a god bod," as returning rock star Korg (Waititi) explains during a fun recap, and he is still working with his hesitant allies the Guardians of the Galaxy (a treat during a brief but satisfying appearance). Thor, who effortlessly saves the day with JCVD-homaging splits and roundhouse kicks during a hilariously absurd opening set-piece, is still unbeatable physically, but his losses have taken a toll on his emotions. Thor must find a new reason to live.
In a same manner as Multiverse of Madness dabbled in horror, Portman's return to the MCU gives love and Thunder the feel of a romcom (her appearance in Endgame was put together from leftover Dark World footage). Portman clearly portrays the role, putting on a gun display befitting of a superhero on a big-screen. And if Portman's portrayal of Mighty Thor is more secure during the film's moving dramatic beats than the off-kilter comedy that has come to characterise Waititi's style, that's partially on purpose; she spends a lot of the movie perfecting her own catchphrase and getting used to life as a monster-stomping god.
Thor, Jane, and Valkyrie travel to the Omnipotent City of the gods, which is ruled by Russell Crowe's hilarious Zeus, in love and Thunder, which moves along at a respectable clip—an increasingly rare occurrence in a sea of bloated superhero spectacles and miniseries. In a similar way to Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster in Ragnarok, this pretentious b*tch is more concerned with the details of his next orgy than the welfare of his loyal believers, allowing Waititi to succeed with a hollywood legend.
Christian Bale's Gorr is also surprisingly funny. One of the more compelling antagonists in the MCU, the character overcomes a formulaic revenge origin story thanks to a brilliantly deranged performance that frequently switches between frightening and belly-laugh-inducing humour. In one scene, Gorr tells a group of imprisoned pre-teens what can only be characterised as the CBeebies Bedtime Story from hell, and his tremendous skills—including the ability to call forth bizarre shadow creatures—make him a credible threat to a pantheon of gods.
The god of Thunder has four solo movies under his belt, making him the first Avenger to accomplish this feat. Whether there will be a fifth film is unknown, but based only on love and Thunder, Waititi and his mighty Thors are more than deserving of a sequel.
Ratings: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟