Thor Love & Thunder Review: When Marvel Excessives
In Marvel Studios' "Thor Love and Thunder," the God of Thunder embarks on a journey of self-discovery unlike any he's ever experienced. However, his efforts are thwarted by Gorr the God Butcher, a galactic killer who seeks the annihilation of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the assistance of King Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who, much to Thor's surprise, wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark on a perilous cosmic journey to solve the mystery of the God Butcher's vengeance and stop him before it's too late.
The Positive:
The comedy in Thor: Love and Thunder made many people laugh. There's no mistaking that this is Director Taika Waititi's film, with his distinct style and comedic approach evident throughout. From start to finish, there were plenty of laughs. Thor's character is perfectly placed in his comedic lane, but Waititi managed to bring the laughs with other characters as well. The space goats and Thor's hammers probably had the most amusing moments.
In terms of acting, Chris Hemsworth was at the top of his game as he continued the lighter-hearted version of Thor. Hemsworth's performance as Thor seemed very natural and at ease. I admired his ability to change his performance during the story's more dramatic moments. I believe Hemsworth was at his best during this period because he could elicit a high level of empathy. As Mighty Thor, Natalie Portman was one of the film's brightest lights. Given her character's circumstances, Portman's performance had me rooting for her at every turn. Jane Foster became the most balanced character in the film as a result of her efforts. As Mighty Thor, she had some of the most memorable moments. It was interesting to see how she used Mjölnir.
The visual effects and action were two of the most powerful aspects of Thor Love and Thunder. Furthermore, the cinematography was excellent, elevating many of the fight scenes. However, I believe the slow-motion step has been overused. Regardless, the vibrant colors made the fight scenes a joy to watch. The monochrome setting splashed with bright colors during some of the battles was stunning, similar to Sin City.
Thor Love & Thunder captures the theme of love comprehensively and effectively, as the title suggests. It's probably one of the film's loudest and most powerful messages, and it certainly hits home in a variety of ways. Taika Waititi brilliantly carved out a way for the theme to find a common thread in each of the main characters' stories in order to tell a much grander story. For example, it was fascinating to see how love played an important role in Thor and Jane's relationship, and then contrast that with how love played a role in Gorr's character.
The Disadvantage:
Unfortunately, as funny as Taika Waititi can be, he simply didn't know when to let up on the comedy in Thor Love and Thunder. Simply put, it was far too silly for what it was. Many scenes seemed more appropriate as extra bonus footage for the home release. Genuinely funny jokes, such as the space goats, became less amusing as they were repeated over and over. Not only that, but there were times when the comedy seemed to rob viewers of having enough time to truly feel the gravity of the story's dire moments. It was similar to receiving bad news or learning of a serious threat, but a joke was quickly inserted to lighten the mood.
Thor's use of his comedic side worked well when he was paired with other serious characters. His interactions with Star-Lord, for example, are hilarious because, whereas Quill played the "straight-man role," Thor was more comedic. That dynamic was hilarious, and it made Thor's humor much more convincing. In Thor Love and Thunder, however, a character like Zeus taking on the role of another comical character just didn't work for me. Russell Crowe's strange Zeus accent and other antics were off-putting. This was also true of Christian Bale's character Gorr. I was surprised to see his transformation from a truly terrifying and creepy villain to essentially another version of Pennywise the evil clown from it.
Gorr, on the other hand, was the film's biggest letdown. Aside from acting like a want tobe Freddy Krueger at times, Christian Bale did a fantastic job in his acting performance. The issue was more pronounced in the creation of his character. Gorr was completely nerfed as a villain. I didn't like how Waititi stripped his beliefs of weight and substance. Even his agony was limited to a few minutes and a couple of jokes to begin the film. While the general concept of Gorr's motivations was clear, I believe the hurried pace of his introduction prevented audiences from truly connecting with his pain. Gorr's villainous actions were also minimized to some extent because I didn't witness them.
The Final Word:
Thor Love and Thunder has a lot of heart, exciting visuals, and good acting, but it goes too far with the "Marvel Fun" concept. With all of the jokes, the film just kept getting in its own way. It was disappointing to see a villain with Gorr's comic book potential and Christian Bale's acting ability both minimized. When compared to Thor: Ragnarok, Love and Thunder falls short. Ragnarok worked because there was a 50/50 sense of comedy to drama, whereas Love and Thunder felt more like a 70/30 split.
It should go without saying that comedy is highly subjective. What is amusing to one person may not be amusing to another, and vice versa. As a result, it's always best to decide for yourself whether or not this film is for you. Based on the trailer, you should be able to tell whether this is your type of comedy or not. In any case, Thor: Love and Thunder is worth seeing in theaters. However, in order to get the most out of the film, I recommend going in with low expectations. Also, don't miss the two post-credit scenes.
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