After the hit Marvel movie Thor: Ragnarok, fans were raving about the upcoming, soon to be hit “Thor: Love and Thunder.” With “Thor: Ragnarok,” the third movie in the series, being directed and written by Taika Waititi, critics were expecting the box office to break, with millions of dollars rolling in on the three day debut. According to an article by Shawn Robbins, “Thor: Love and Thunder” was supposed to make anywhere from 155 to 205 million dollars in its first three days. Taika Waititi has recently directed many popular movies including “Free Guy” and has acted in “Suicide Squad,” Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” as well as Disney’s new film “Lightyear.”
“Thor: Love and Thunder” hit the theaters on July 8 and just recently opened up for all to watch with a Disney+ subscription on Sept. 8.
While Chris Hemsworth and other actors such as Natalie Portman and Tessa Thompson played their roles with magnificence, the story seemed to lack the intense Thor we know and love.
When watching the trailer you can see Thor rebuilding his life and picking up the pieces of his past, trying to make himself a better person. He meditates and waits for the universe to show him who he really is while battling alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy (a large contributor to the excitement of the movie before it came out). He has toned down his huge ego since his last epic adventures but still shows his godly side to the world.
With a classic entrance, Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, fights his way throughout space, wielding his trusty axe, Stormbringer. His performance while fighting the newly formed villain made audiences cry and laugh alongside the emotional god.
Taika Waititi put all his might into turning this movie into a “victory lap” of the Thor saga, says Nick Allen, a writer for rogerebert.com. With its humorous, yet serious tone, fans are left conflicted. Some favor the more serious and powerful god displayed in “Thor: Ragnarok,” while some find the more mushy Thor to be refreshing and a nice build of character.
As seen in the trailer, Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman makes a stunning entrance. Her blonde hair curled up in loose knots falls along her back while the new helmet she sports gleams in the streetlamps. The costumes worn by the actors stand out and make the movie so much more vibrant in contrast to the dark villain. King Valkyrie, Tessa Thompson, sports majestic braids that enhance her sharp features (along with her sharp tongue and sense of humor).
The humor and emotion represented throughout the movie was definitely an “It” factor. It contrasts the last movies of the series with its lighthearted tone and ending, which left many with a positive opinion on the film.
Since Thor is still longing for love since his last adventures, the re-introduction of Jane’s character enhances the sub plot of the movie, Thor’s path of healing.
Even with all its good, like any other movie, “Thor: Love and Thunder” exerts some bad qualities. It has a slightly rushed nature that takes away from the warmhearted message. With the movie being rushed, it became messy and, at times, nonsensical. With many movie goers raging about the terrible plot line, it is easy to find a less than amazing opinion on the movie. “’Thor: Love and Thunder’ just doesn’t truly flourish like it could,” explains Allen. He then goes on to explain why with numerous spoilers. In a short, spoiler-free, explanation of what he describes, the movie becomes messy at one of its main conflicts. The “frantic impromptu fight scene [that] has Waititi’s usually stable vision for Thor action losing control.”
With thousands of reviews online, “Thor: Love and Thunder” has had a controversial and short life so far. The movie, in my opinion, was a solid four out of five stars given its lighthearted, comedic vibe. While it is uncertain there will be a fifth movie starring Thor’s character, watching “Thor: Love and Thunder” is highly recommended. Being the fourth film in the series it provides a nice wrap up on Thor’s traumatic life. With Waititi rumoring the creation of a new story with Hemsworth as Thor, watching this new addition will update your current knowledge of the Thor saga and give you something to think about until the next Marvel hit, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, comes to theaters.
