After a troubling few years Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) is on a journey of discovery. Or should that be re-discovery? Oh well. After spending some time fighting with the Guardians of the Galaxy, a distress signal sends Thor and Korg (Taika Waititi) - as well as a couple of noisy new pals - off in search of a being known as the God Butcher (Christian Bale). It's a journey that will bring him back to New Asgard, and will re-acquaint him with an old friend... or two.
Thor: Love & Thunder is a bigger, brighter and more colourful affair than what has gone before it. Something akin to a 1980's action/sci-fi adventure, with a soundtrack to match. Taika Waititi doubles down on all the craziness and heart that made Ragnarok such a success, only this time he doesn't quite get the balance right. It's not that Love & Thunder isn't funny. Quite the opposite, in fact. Korg's narration being a perfect example, including his habit of forgetting a certain scientist's name. Not to mention the love triangle between Thor, Mjolnir and Stormbreaker.
Ultimately however, too much time is spent on the silly laughs - especially in the first half - leaving little room for pretty much everything else. The result of which is some rather odd pacing; manic, if you will. Even King Valkyrie doesn't get much to do, not that that prevents Tessa Thompson from being awesome. While the return of our favourite Asgardian theatre company actually feels forced. And the Guardians of the Galaxy's appearance - which features an action-packed battle with some Owl bikers - drifts between hilarious and overly silly, and is over far too quickly.
That said, there is one thing that really makes Love & Thunder stand out - apart from a surprisingly emotional heft - and that's the visuals. From the opening and closing credits, to Gorr's shadow monsters and the Shadow Realm (a place devoid of colour), and a visit to Omnipotence City (the home of all the gods), the movie really is a feast for the eyes. This, of course, applies to two rather loud goats pulling a Viking longboat on a Bifrost bridge, and some great fight scenes as well. Watch out for what appears to be a sneaky tribute to Spaceballs towards the end. Russell Crowe in a tennis skirt is an interesting touch too, although his Borat impression does get very annoying, very quickly.
For Thor this is still one of his biggest - and darkest - adventures to date. A bold move for a story about love, in all its forms. The God of Thunder has been on his journey of re-discovery and redemption for a while now, and we do get to see him take a few big steps. Chris Hemsworth continues to make this larger-than-life character his own, although at times even he falls foul of playing things a little too silly. But he also plays Thor's insecurities very well, something that is compounded by the return of Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) - and even more so by the return of his old friend/weapon.
Portman's return to the MCU proves to be one of Love & Thunder's high points as both she and her character benefit from a more empowered position and Waititi's unique style. Having Jane back is both fun and hilariously uncomfortable - for Thor, anyway. Only now there are two very different sides to the good doctor, and Portman nails both, bringing strength, humour and vulnerability to her. She is undeniably 'The Mighty Thor'. And despite the rather awkward reunion, it's great seeing the pair back together. Portman and Hemsworth continue to share a great chemistry, possibly more so now than ever.
Unfortunately, with love there is always the pain of losing it, and that's where the villain comes in. Christian Bale takes creepy and sinister to a whole new level as Gorr the God Butcher, whose story is vaguely reminiscent of a conversation Bale once had with Liam Neeson. He may look drastically different to the Gorr of the comics, but in spite of that Bale looks terrifying - enough to actually scare the children on set - and this is only amplified by an oddly subtle performance. Despite this, Bale somehow manages to make his Gorr one of the MCU's more relatable villains. In fact, I imagine it would be hard for many of us to not understand - at least in part - his grievance with all the gods.
Which is why it's such a shame Gorr doesn't get anywhere near enough screen time. It's almost as if they've used that humour overload to offset some of the creepiness, in favour of a more family-friendly rating. Maybe this is one of those rare occasions when the Marvel big-wigs should have aimed for a higher rating, because it would have been good to see more of Gorr's mission to exterminate every god. But the tale of Gorr the God Butcher can still be an emotional rollercoaster, making it worthy of Bale's exceptional performance, and he does at least get in a few good fights with the Gods of Thunder and King Valkyrie.
It may miss the mark on the humour, but Thor: Love & Thunder is still a fun-filled adventure for the God(s) of Thunder, with a few emotional gut-punches up its sleeve.
7/10
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