A Reel Review - THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

As often stated by This Blogger and his fellow film critics, one of the many reasons the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has succeeded so well is their ability to cross-breed superhero work with other genres of film. Over the past 14 years they have put their caped and masked heroes into war films, techno thrillers, fantasy epics, and even horror. For their 29^th film, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, director Taika Waititi finds a new genre to play in: The glorious 1980’s. 

 

Three years after the events of AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), travels the universe with the Guardians of the Galaxy helping those in need, when he encounters Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who is on a mission to slay the gods of the universe. Meanwhile, Thor’s ex-lover Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), is dying of cancer when she is called by the shards of Thor’s ex-hammer Mjolnir… 

 

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER is a film saturated in 1980’s cinema; loaded with color, quirky characters, ludicrous-speed pacing, child actors, red leather jackets, and even rock music from the era. The style screams fun, but the stakes are dire and the character work operating on more than one level. Thor finds himself at a mid-life crisis; despite doing hero work he feels out of place, and re-uniting with his old lover puts him into even more of a conflict with himself. The heart of the story is a love triangle between Thor, Jane (who now wields the power of the Thunder God, despite her health failing), and even Thor’s weapons (his new battle-axe Stormbreaker is jealous of Thor’s fondness for his old hammer, in a clever manifestation). 

 

But it’s not all love and roses. Gorr’s hell-bent idea to slay the gods as a revenge for his daughter dying has huge consequences for the universe, and Thor has to get his thunderous ass in gear to meet the challenge. The journey takes Thor from planet to planet (including one location where every god in the universe hang out), and even into a stunning black-and-white color-palette planet; fighting battles, finding allies, and wrestling with his own demons. 

 

Director Taika Waititi, helming his second THOR film, swings for the fences in every aspect of the film, with most of it connecting very well. The humor is over the top, the tragic parts are hard to watch in places, and the wacky characters that show up have no restraint in their design or demeanor. It’s all a means to an end, as Waititi and Marvel are seriously drawing back the curtain on the cosmic side of the MCU…which gets bigger and bigger at every turn. The cinematography is stunning, and Michael Giacchino’s score is right in the ballpark of 1980’s sci-fi cinema and works very well.

 

Acting is excellent. Chris Hemsworth, in his eighth (!) outing as Thor, takes the character through some heavy emotions and at this point is probably the most complex MCU character we have. Natalie Portman is outstanding; looking and feeling the part perfectly and has a huge presence on the screen. Christian Bale as the Big Bad is chilling and gives the film a serious weight. The rest of the cast including Tessa Thompson and Russell Crowe (as Zeus!!!), are excellent…along with a few smile-inducing surprises. 

 

LOVE AND THUNDER embraces its influences and would feel right at home on a shelf-full of VHS tapes alongside FLASH GORDON (1980) or KRULL (1983), and fans born before 1995 may not get it. The ending is a tearjerker, and where Thor ends up and what the title of the film really means may not be what some fans want, but it works and is proper for the character. Thor made his cinematic debut way back in 2011, and this is the adventure with the most weight and best arc for him. All they had to do was go back to the past to set up a future for the God of Thunder…who will return again. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it