Thor: Love and Thunder: More Ragnarok, More Heart (SPOILER Review)

Thor: Love and Thunder hits like a bolt of lightning. At just over two hours including the full credits this film is quick and punchy. Below is my spoiler-filled review, so anyone who hasn’t seen the movie and wants to avoid spoilers should leave now. You’ve been warned.

We start with Christian Bale, who I believe will never phone in a performance. He plays Gorr, the last believer of a god in the desert. After his daughter (who looks strikingly like Bale) dies in his arms he meets his God, and I’ll be honest, his God sucks. Gorr also realizes this, and we witness the birth of a villain, Gorr the God Butcher, chosen by the Necrosword, the only sword that can kill a God.

This all happens before the title card. 

I wish I could say this film wastes no time, but I don’t think it would really be a Waititi movie if there wasn’t some wasted time.

If you liked Thor: Ragnarok you will probably enjoy this movie. It’s Ragnarok with a big bleeding heart and even more Taika Waititi-isms. Largely, I think that works. Chris Hemsworth really does a lot of good work in this film, playing obliviousness, kindness, strength and weakness with surprisingly dexterity. 

And then we have Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. I’m not sure what I can say about her performance that will begin to encapsulate it but she absolutely steals this film. Since we have last seen Jane Foster, she has developed cancer. It’s Stage 4 and we later learn the same type of cancer that took her mother’s life. The film allows Jane to struggle with her mortality, as she makes jokes about her illness, and she reminds me a great deal of people I’ve known who have fought cancer. 

A lot of this film is told through narrated flashbacks. While I understand that this may seem patronizing to some, I loved them. They provide a clean entry point for casual fans, fill in gaps in the chronology and are usually pretty funny as they’re told by Korg (again played by Waititi).

The introduction of Zeus (Russel Crowe) and other Gods create an interesting franchise expansion possibility, but I do feel that scene drags somewhat. (Though I will never, ever complain about some good old fashioned superhero butt.) The film really shines when it is about characters trying to open themselves up to each other and that doesn’t really happen in this scene. 

The scene featuring the reincorporation of a kidnapped little girl’s rabbit as a comfort object and also a weapon made me giggle aloud.

One final warning, if you’ve ignored the spoiler warning so far — I’m about to spoil the most important aspect of the ending. Two aspects, in fact. Again, you’ve been warned.

Perhaps for the first time in recent memory the idea that love is what saved the day is presented in a way that feels realistic and complicated. Thor asks Jane to stay behind because being Mighty Thor is causing her cancer to get worse. She promises but sees that he is in peril and goes to rescue him because she loves him. They are able to convince Gorr to end his revenge quest because they are able to bring his daughter back. Love saves the day but Jane still dies in Thor’s arms. Love doesn’t fix everything. Or save them all. But love is what allows them to win and for them to grow.

At the end of the day Thor: Love and Thunder is about human connection and love, and it does not mind telling you so. It’s refreshing to see a superhero movie be so sweet. Waititi brings his wicked sense of humor as both the story writer and director. I know that may not land for some people, but I happen to find this movie darn near perfect. Long live Love and Thunder (if you know you know).

I could’ve done with a few less goat screams, though. That’s the only thing I wish they had reined in.

I give Thor: Love and Thunder (Marvel Studios; PG-13; 2hrs, 5mins) a 4.5 out of 5