Tue. July 5, 2022
By Jerry Nunn
What's to not love about Thor: Love and Thunder? Actor Christopher Hemsworth returns with previous cast members Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson and stars of Guardians of the Galaxy for more adventures in other worlds.
The plot in Thor four covers a great deal of territory. From the beginning, the convoluted comic book storyline of Gorr the God Butcher, artfully played by Christian Bale, is simplified before the opening credits even roll. Director Taika Waititi inserts himself into the project as a performer with Korg the humorous narrator who sums up the legend of Thor's journey over the years and keeps things moving.
Portman as Jane Foster finally gets her due in this picture as the Mighty Thor who struggles with her health while bravely keeping the faith. Thompson personifies the queer Valkrie with a dynamic costume referencing the comic version of the Asgardian female. There is something for everyone in this flick with strong female representation, LGBTQ+ content and children shown in every color of the rainbow. The humor is on target and pops up in unexpected places at times.
This film surpasses the recent Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and drops the hammer on top of the epic fail Morbius all set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The editing team kept the running time for Love and Thunder a minute under two hours making it the shortest Marvel film in five years.
There are guest stars galore in Thor: Love and Thunder and spotting them is part of the fun including a few in the post-credit scenes. Hemsworth's Aussie bum is exposed at one point and he has obviously been working out during the pandemic lockdown. This will leave many spectators grabbing their popcorn and was glorious to see this godlike physical state on the big screen. Guess that salad diet paid off for the character!
Bale did not wear the thong as costumed in the comics but instead triumphs with a fully realized baddie who might be too scary for some young viewers. Too many times villains in a superhero story are not developed correctly, but Bale made sure this didn't happen before he signed on to Thor.
The selected rock music for highly charged scenes fits perfectly into battle similar to Guardians of the Galaxy. It's a retro summer soundtrack that could possibly bring in new listeners to god ol' classic rock and roll.
The producers at Marvel Studios continue to have big success with these individual character driven movies because they each have a unique style and distinct voice. Thor: Love and Thunder is a powerful storm that can't be stopped and will surely be another blockbuster for the MCU on July 8, 2022!
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