I was disappointed. You could argue that the trailers overpromised. The movie couldn’t possibly deliver on the expectations the trailers had created. But the hype surrounding Avengers: Endgame was even stronger, and that movie kicked ass.
Thor 4 was different. The comic book storyline was controversial when it first debuted because it was just one in a long line of comics in which Marvel had attempted to elevate the voices of minorities by deflating the value of popular heroes. In this case, Jane Foster became Mighty Thor because Thor Odinson became unworthy of Mjolnir. A single whisper from Nick Fury stripped the space Viking of his most prized possession.
And for reasons that many readers rejected, the hammer claimed Jane as its new mistress. Now, you could argue that Thor’s role in the Marvel universe was not necessarily diminished. The character’s arc took him on an epic journey that granted him a metal arm and a fantastic new axe.
In fact, some longtime Thor fans have argued that Jane’s run as Thor rejuvenated Odinson, placing the character on a more exciting path. But those voices are few and far between. Many people loathed Jane because she seemingly supplanted Odinson’s supremacy. They also thought it was silly that people started calling her ‘Thor’ when ‘Thor’ is a name, not a title.
Anyway, Thor: Love and Thunder had a lot to prove. It had to make Jane’s Thor a necessary addition to the Thor franchise without hurting Odinson’s relevance. And in that regard, Taika Waititi succeeded. Here is the thing. Thor 4 has its problems. Admittedly, I could not get enough of the screaming goats. And the action was awesome.
Some moments introduced confusing plot holes, especially near the end. But the payoff was so entertaining that I quickly forgave the mistakes. You’ve probably heard some critics argue that Taika took the silliness of the previous film and dialed it up to a thousand. Those reviews are not exaggerations. Your response to the comedy will shape your enjoyment of this movie.
For some people, the humor was off-putting. The comedy crossed into the realm of absurdity on more than one occasion. Gorr was underused. Christian Bale gave the antagonist incredible depth. But for a God Butcher, Gorr did very little butchering. All in all, Thor: Love and Thunder is flawed, but I had a blast watching it.
The title does not mean what you think. You don’t actually meet ‘Love’ and ‘Thunder’ until the very end. Even though the story was inconsequential, it ended on such an intriguing note that I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Thor 4 has some strengths. But even if you stripped them away, I would still applaud Taika because of Jane’s Thor. The character was handled with a surprising amount of deftness. Despite the movie’s tame runtime, Taika explained Mighty Thor’s origins, slid her organically into the primary story, and gave her several key moments to shine without overshadowing Chris Hemsworth’s Odinson.
I was impressed. If only the other components of the movie had received the same amount of care. Thor 4 was more entertaining than Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I left the cinema having had a great time, and I would encourage you to give the movie a shot.
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