[Review] Thor: Love And Thunder (6/10)

 

Title - Thor: Love And Thunder
Production - Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
Starring - Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Jaimie Alexander, Chris Pratt
Writer - Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Director - Taika Waititi
Release - 8 July 2022

As an entertainment piece, it was good. As an entry into the MCU, I thought it was on the weaker side of things. So much so that I didn't even bother going for seconds. And that's rare for an MCU movie.

It was definitely good to see Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, back in this universe. I thought she really needed a proper closure to her arc. This movie certainly gave us that. 

However, there was just something off about the whole thing. Was it the silliness of the jokes? Was it the lack of polish? I believe what it boiled down to was the tightness in the writing between Taika Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. 

Especially when there was a female writer onboard, I wanted to see more from the girl-power. I couldn't believe how Jaimie Alexander's Lady Sif came in for such a brief scene, and even less so at how they sidelined Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie in the end. There was no way King Valkyrie would not go to battle, especially because that was how they would choose to die - in battle, so as to be given entry into Valhalla. 

Perhaps some of the disappointment came from my own expectations. I wanted to see more layers in Thor. Having lost literally every family member he's got throughout his MCU journey, the only moment that gave us a sense of deep sadness came in one of the first trailers for the movie, where Thor slid into Starlord's view as he talked about the love of family. Granted, it was a hilarious moment, but that really showed the longing Thor felt in wanting to belong. I didn't get enough of this moment.

And by the end of the movie, Thor lost another person he loved, and we once again did not get any time to grief with Thor as he was given charge of another responsibility; which felt more like an afterthought. 

We also didn't get enough of Christian Bale's Gorr. I thought there was so much more they could have given us with such a character and with such a talent portraying it. 

This was definitely a disappointment because it came with such great potential.