Another Classic Thor Adventure 4 / 5
Released in UK Cinemas: 7th July 2022
Directed by Taika Waititi.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher, a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who now inexplicably wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor.
Thor's character has been on a journey since his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2011. This once regal character has dealt with his fair share of love and loss, and thanks to a high dose of Taika Waititi infused character development has transformed into a more light-hearted but just as worthy God.
This latest installment looks at where Thor went next after the traumatic events of Endgame - figuring out his place in the universe with his super ex-girlfriend back on the scene and a shadowy God Butcher not far behind.
Waititi's iteration of Thor is a mixed bag with impressive highs and eye-rolling lows. For every hilarious moment, there's a repetitive screaming goat. For every spectacular visual moment, there are character moments filled with uninspired direction. For every hard-hitting emotional beat, there's misused and/or overused comic relief. Saying that, what results in a mixed bag overall still manages to have more highs creating an entertaining final product.
Bale is a furious addition to the MCU as Gorr, making the most of every moment on screen, my only complaint being that there's not enough of him. The real disadvantage of Love and Thunder is that it revels in 'tell, don't show.' I wanted to see Bale really cause some havoc and more of the character's journey - the film felt like a sprint to the finish line from the moment go with heavy exposition, convenient plot devices, and much happening off-screen.
An exhilarating watch, Thor: Love and Thunder may not be without its flaws, but I must admit it has a post-credit scene that had me uncontrollably cheering in my seat.
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