Thor actor Chris Hemsworth has not kept his feelings a secret when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe character. While he initially envisioned leaving the God of Thunder behind following his final bow in the Avengers Infinity War/Endgame capper, his experience on Thor: Ragnarok rejuvenated Hemsworth’s affinity for the character, due in large part to director Taika Waititi. It’s only because of Waititi that Thor: Love and Thunder even exists, and thank whatever god you worship that it does.
Thor: Love and Thunder finds Hemsworth’s Thor at a crossroads, of sorts. He has spent his post-Endgame time on adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy and his good budy Korg (voiced by Waititi) but ultimately finds his life unfulfilled. It’s only once Gorr The God Butcher (Christian Bale) enters his stratosphere that Thor is forced to confront past feelings for Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who receives an incredible makeover as The Mighty Thor.
Although it’s not nearly as playful as Thor: Ragnarok, Love and Thunder explores a side of the character that is far more interesting than anything that has come before. Outside his relationship with Loki, the Thor character isn’t asked to do much outside of be awesome and look good doing it. There’s an emotional core to Thor: Love and Thunder that develops layers within the character and also emphasizes the importance of his relationship with characters like Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson).
It's rare that after four movies (and four Avengers team-ups) that a character still has more to offer its audience beyond pure spectacle, but Waititi and screenwriting partner Jennifer Kaytin Robinson find a way to make Thor: Love and Thunder the most essential of the character’s adventures. It doesn’t shoehorn Jane as merely a repeated love interest, but instead the film gives the character an arc and trajectory that is satisfying on its own. Thor: Love and Thunder has been billed as a romance in space, but it is so much more layered than that, and it’s such a treat to watch unfold.
Beyond the central Thor-Jane storyline, Thor: Love and Thunder deepens the mythology surrounding the MCU’s gods in some fun and exciting ways. It’s not worth going into specifics for fear of spoilers, but the larger conflict of a villain that hunts and kills gods allows for surprises and wacky reveals that only a bold creator like Taika Waititi can deliver.
Speaking of Gorr, the Thor films have had a pretty solid run of villains and Bale’s turn is no exception. He may be a man imbued with supernatural powers on a hunt to kill gods, but Gorr’s journey is hardly one-note. The way it mirrors Thor’s journey allows the audience to understand Gorr’s motivations, even if he is a villain. And Bale makes the character as sinister and creepy as possible with a haunting performance and the help of some ominous makeup effects.
Thor: Love and Thunder might be the most emotionally resonant of the character’s solo MCU outings, but it still builds on the humorous tone that Waititi established with Ragnarok. The film is sure to have audiences laughing throughout, offering some relief from the more serious story beats that are peppered throughout the film. Korg is, once again, a highlight but Valkyrie, Jane, and some newcomers are all given ample screen time to do more than kick ass. Waititi even plays into some of the more absurd mythological elements that surround Thor for some really goofy laughs. He packs the film with so much heart that it’s hard not to buy into every detail, even when the film goes into some strange places.
While Ragnarok used humor to supplant some of the typical action beats seen in many MCU films, Thor: Love and Thunder is the most action-packed adventure for the god of thunder. Waititi knows comedy and heart, but he also crafts some action set pieces that are visually striking and wonderfully creative. Four films in one would think that Thor has all he has to offer, but the introduction of Jane as The Mighty Thor helps breathe new life into the action as well. There are two set pieces in particular, one that does some interesting things stylistically and another that has a huge emotional payoff (think Thor’s Immigrant Song fight from Ragnarok), that will go down as epic moments in the MCU.
From the soundtrack to the cinematography, every detail of Thor: Love and Thunder booms on a level befit this character. Hemsworth and Waititi have found a formula that subverts the preconceived notions of Thor established by his earlier outings while also delivering a thrill ride from beginning to end. A carefully cast villain actor who buys into this world and embodies a genuine threat helps establish the stakes. Then a strong arc for a returning character gives Thor’s journey new purpose and also shakes up everything audiences thought they knew about him. And finally, Waititi structures it in a way that the payoffs on every level (emotionally, stylistically, musically, and narratively) feel earned and satisfying.
While other original Avengers watched as their journeys came to a close in one way or another, Thor’s feels like it is only just beginning. With Waititi at the helm and Hemsworth up for many more films, there doesn’t seem to be a limit for how far this magical ride can go. Thor: Love and Thunder is a new beginning for the character and an excellent movie to boot.
Thor Love and Thunder releases in theaters July 8, 2022.