I’m at the point in my life where I can gauge the quality of a film from the preview trailer. I recommend you go into Thor: Love and Thunder, with relatively low expectations. Even so, this did not quell my disappointment. The villain, Gorr the God Butcher, is an inappropriate choice for the narrative. Thus, creating a tonal conflict that plagued the entire story.
This entry in the Thor franchise suffers from an identity crisis, similar to the one the director, Taika Waititi, failed to convey on-screen. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is on a journey of self-reflection and discovery, one that inadvertently leads him back to Earth. A new threat by the name of Gorr (Christian Bale) threatens to rid reality of all Gods. Fortunately, New Asgard has a number of heroes to defend it.
One of them is the new wielder of Mjolnir, The Mighty Thor (Natalie Portman) or Lady Thor for comics fans. It is strange they chose to give her that moniker and not distinguish her from “Thor” Odinson, the character we’ve seen in eight films now. It’s a bit late in the game to determine it as a title and not this man birth name. However, Portman’s arc is compelling and very enjoyable to watch.
She brought the drama, and I felt an emotional attachment to her as Jane Foster. Some backstory on her relationship with Thor is explored and provides context for wielding the magical hammer. Sadly, that’s the most interesting plot point. Bale gives his best as Gorr, even with limited screentime, and no footage of him committing serial murders of omnipotent beings.
Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) comes off bored and completely monotone. Korg (Taika Waititi) as the narrator, ruins immersion and his jokes don’t always land, in fact many are cringeworthy. Imagine putting too much salt in a dish, then trying to remedy the situation by adding an excessive amount of sugar. Thor: Love and Thunder is not appetizing and adds no momentum to Phase 4 or the Marvel Cinematic Universe as whole. 4 out of 10.
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