Thor: Love & Thunder Review

Thor Odinson has become one of the most enjoyable and endearing characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Chris Hemsworth brings a vulnerability and relatability to the character that very few working in the industry today would be able to. He is one of Hollywood’s best and for good reason. Thor: Love & Thunder marks the fourth entry in Thor’s solo outings, with the film taking place after the events of the blip in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’. Writer/Director Taika Waititi returns from Thor: Ragnarok to helm this entry, bringing his signature style of wit and charm, blended with great action. The film sees Natalie Portman return as Jane Foster who now possesses the power of Thor. A new villain Gorr the God Butcher (played by Christian Bale) also threatens to kill all gods across the known universe. With an impressive cast, Taika Waititi signature style and wit and the unbeaten Marvel formula, I was excited for Thor: Love & Thunder and boy did it deliver.

‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ ranks as my second favourite solo outing with Thor, closely behind Taika’s previous outing in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’. Taika maintains his energy and style in this outing, showcasing Thor’s fun side once again but also grounding the character in the confines of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. Natalie Portman’s turn as Jane Foster or Lady Thor is excellent, showcasing a vulnerability of the character whilst also showing her action-star side. I really enjoyed seeing Jane receive a larger screen presence in this franchise. Another standout is Christian Bale’s turn as the villainous Gorr the God Butcher. Gorr is truly terrifying and one of the strongest Marvel villains so far in Phase 4 of the MCU.

The real strength of the film is the team element that is formed with Valkyrie (played by Tessa Thompson), Korg (played by Taikia Waititi), Thor and Lady Thor. This new rag-tag group provides both the heart and the laughs throughout the film. Thor works best when paired with a group of characters and with the promise of Thor teaming up with the Guardians at the end of ‘Avengers: Endgame’, we get to see that come to fruition at the start of the first act of the film. This was a lot of fun, their interactions were hilarious and exactly what I wanted to see. The Guardians once again prove that they remain to be one of the biggest assets and crowd pleasers within the broader MCU. I can’t wait to see them again on the big screen in 2023.

‘Thor Love & Thunder’ was an absolute blast from start to finish, possessing the charm that the MCU is known for and Taika Waititi’s signature style. The characters are a load of fun still, and Christian Bale’s villain is a standout. ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ is out now on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD, so head on over to your local Sanity or online to secure your copy today.

Buy Thor Love and Thunder here!

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here