Written by Cameron Geiser

Where do we begin? The fourth film for Chris Hemsworth’s take on the Viking Norse God is one that feels at odds with itself and the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thor is in unique waters for Marvel, he’s the first Character in the MCU to get a fourth solo film after all. Since the end of The Infinity Saga, the two-part Avengers films in Infinity War and Endgame, the question remains, “Well, what do we do now?” What to do indeed. The MCU’s answer to that question in Love and Thunder seems to be, “Triple down on what worked before, but without a guiding storythread”. If Taika Waititi’s Thor Ragnarok was a near perfect balancing act that delivered a breath of fresh air into the Norse God’s film series, then Love and Thunder is the stale redux. Not necessarily bad per se, just a terribly unfocused romp across the universe with familiar faces and a couple new ones thrown in the mix as well.

Speaking of new faces, Christian Bale’s turn as Gorr, The God Butcher, is easily one of the best parts of the film. Which is a shame as his time on screen is shockingly low for a villain that has such good motivation built into his story. We begin the film with Gorr and his daughter on a blighted planet full of nothing but sand and sun. Gorr is the last disciple of his planet’s God, Rapu (Jonny Brugh), and we see his intense desperation as he pleads not for his own salvation, but his daughter’s. After his daughter succumbs to the unrelenting planet’s harsh ecosystem Gorr wanders the desert before stumbling upon an unforeseen oasis. Which, of course belongs to the God who neglected his prayers, Rapu. Initially Gorr rejoices, but then quickly discovers that his God intentionally neglected his prayers and cares not about the woes of man. That would have been the end of it if not for Rapu’s arrogance in telling Gorr about the Necrosword- one of the only weapons known to be able to kill Gods. But before you can say “Insolent Human” the Necrosword chose Gorr as it’s wielder and Rapu gets the dark blade right in the throat. Which is a pretty neat way to open a fantasy superhero movie, too bad the rest of the film didn’t stick to this tone and storythread for the remainder of the film.

Let’s talk about tone. Obviously, movies can juggle multiple tones and atmospheres if handled correctly, but this one couldn’t quite keep each spinning plate as balanced as it should be. It doesn’t help that there are too many storylines jammed into this one film which directly influences the tonal whiplash that the film throws at you. The Gorr storyline is dark, brooding, and intense. Then there’s the Jane Foster as The Mighty Thor storyline. Which isn’t the worst idea for the characters involved at this point. I actually enjoyed the idea of the superhero romantic comedy, it just clashes against Gorr’s antics. Which ultimately results in both stories not getting quite the due diligence they’re owed. Then there’s the overall comedic tone for Thor and most of the film itself. Everything is treated as “Wow, look at that ridiculous image or idea onscreen- isn’t that SO funny?”.

It’s all a bit too much at times. How is the audience supposed to care about Gorr’s quest to kill all the gods when the whole film outside of Bale’s scenes feel like it’s a spoof of Thor, or an SNL sketch that didn’t quite hit the landing. Honestly, the whole thing felt rushed, too lackadaisical for its own good, and forced. For example, the two giant goats that Thor inherits from the fallout of another “Classic Thor Adventure” in the beginning of the film are a one-note internet meme that’s funny the first time, but not the sixteenth. This is the crux of the film’s main problems. That and it seems as though Taika Waititi and company had the weight of Ragnarok’s success on their shoulders while filming Love and Thunder. “Well, you liked the Rock and Roll, off the cuff comedy, and slow motion fight scenes ripped right out of the neon 1980’s zeitgeist last time around, so here’s that again, but MORE”.

Thor Love and Thunder isn’t a bad movie, just an unfocused and overstuffed one. If you set your expectations accordingly, you’ll likely find some enjoyment here. As far as the acting goes, no one dropped the ball, but some characters were simply overlooked for the most part. Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie in particular was mostly just “there” per the script. Natalie Portman’s scenes as Jane Foster pinball between dramatic and layered when away from Thor and company, but her comedic chops feel uneasy and forced when she’s, say, trying to nail down a catchphrase for example. Chris Hemsworth has been playing Thor for eleven years now, and it’s been quite the character trajectory. Though this film plays him a bit dumber than usual, and that was a bit of a backtrack in character development in my opinion. Russell Crowe’s interpretation of Zeus, however, was a delight and a highlight of the film. If we’re comparing great films as thoroughly filling and decadent meals, Thor Love and Thunder is a bag of Doritos and a Mountain Dew. Fine in moderation, but nothing remarkable.

Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Written by Cameron Geiser