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“Thor: Love and Thunder” is more or less a victory lap for all that director Taika Waititi achieved with his previous Marvel film, the often hilarious, rousing, and plainly refreshing “ Thor: Ragnarok .” And while it has too many familiar flourishes and jokes, this entertaining sequel is still a force for good, with enough visual ambition and heart in front of and behind the camera to stand on its own.

We meet our space Viking hero and thunderous Norse god Thor ( Chris Hemsworth ) on a path of healing. Going “from dad bod to god bod” (to quote Waititi’s voiceover recap, delivered by his still-charming rock-bodied softy character Korg), Thor has lost the gut he had in “ Avengers: Endgame ,” and the people of Asgard have settled into a port town called New Asgard after their home realm was trashed in “Thor: Ragnarok.” Their leader, the charismatic King Valkyrie ( Tessa Thompson ), has helped them acclimate to life on Earth, which includes being a tourist attraction. With the assistance from the Guardians of the Galaxy in a brief appearance, Thor gets back into worlds-saving shape, and in a Guns N' Roses-accompanied moment, in the beginning, he unleashes stylized, high-flying slaughter a la many scenes in “Thor: Ragnarok,” wielding his axe Stormbreaker. But he has no one to share the victory with, and for all of the hundreds of years Thor has lived, he has resigned to not finding true love.

The film then re-introduces a more interesting hero in Jane Foster ( Natalie Portman ), Thor's past human love interest from the previous films during his more serious days. Now, she wields the restored pieces of Thor’s hammer Mjolnir, turning into the Mighty Thor with helmet and cape, but all with a price. Every time she uses the power, it takes away from her human capacity, which is all the more devastating given that we learn she has Stage Four cancer. “Thor: Love and Thunder” thoughtfully reinstates Jane into the action, while giving some more depth to her relationship with Thor. In both her human and her heroic state, Portman’s performance conveys why it's great to see Jane again.

The adversary this time around is Gorr the God Butcher, a tortured character filled with vengeance who provides the shadows to the movie's immense moments of light. After the death of his daughter turns him into a non-believer, Gorr is chosen by a weapon called the Necrosword, and creates an army of shapeshifting black beasts to kill all gods, starting with the one who ignored his cries for help. Christian Bale is striking in the role, fluctuating between high and low voices, relishing the chance to brandish his sharp teeth. It’s the closest we’ll get to seeing him play Pennywise the Clown, with a dash of Voldemort, but tethered to the same humility Bale brings to his most human, humbled characters. He can be mighty fun to watch, even when “Thor: Love and Thunder” undersells his god butchering for the sake of a more sentimental message, and to make him share scenes with frightened children.

Co-written by Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson , “Thor: Love and Thunder” just doesn’t truly flourish as it could. Part of its messiness kicks in with its big conflict when Gorr the God Butcher attacks New Asgard at night in a frantic impromptu fight scene that has Waititi's usually stable vision for Thor action losing control. The supposedly scary scene just happens, and it’s difficult to follow in the dark what’s going on, as shadow creatures wage battle on the Asgardians and kidnap their children. The sequence is so disjointed that a visual gag involving a collapsing burning building in the background—timed for when Thor meets cute again with Jane as a hammer-wielding, ass-kicking, Mighty Thor—just doesn’t work.

In order to stop Gorr and save the stolen children, Jane, Thor, King Valkyrie, and Korg visit the god of lightning Zeus and the other Gods, who laze about in a golden forum and talk about the next orgy, unafraid of what Gorr is looking to do to them. Like a golden and white version of the Galactic Senate in “ Star Wars ,” with a grab-bag of goofy creatures (one has furry feet and a face, that's it; another is a Korg relative) it makes for one of the more eye-popping set pieces. But it’s also a moment in which the movie is building toward future “ Thor ” stories at the detriment of this one, including a shrugging cameo seen in the post-credits. It’s also a passage among many in which it's clear that Tessa Thompson’s character of King Valkyrie, though important with the goings-on of New Asgard, has oddly been pushed to the side despite her established importance and swagger in “Thor: Ragnarok.”

“Thor: Love and Thunder” flirts with when a call-back story beat or joke is just playing the hits, the same way that there are a million Guns N' Roses nods and needle drops in this movie just because, and you’re expected to head-bang each time. All of its pop culture ad-libs, or punched-up superhero stuff about coming up with catchphrases—when those jokes feel safe instead of left-field, they fall particularly flat. “Thor: Love and Thunder” is a blockbuster comedy sequel at its core, and its weaker material reminds you of that even when it’s still good for a sporadic laugh or two.

Lacking the overall freshness that defined the previous movie, “Thor: Love and Thunder” is better with its bolder, dramatic sequences that are like mini-movies about how love comes with the price of loss. Gorr is introduced in a harrowing piece of bubble gum Ingmar Bergman , cradling his dead child and renouncing his god before killing him, all before the Marvel Studios credit card kicks in with electric guitars. Later on, Waititi presents us the Jane and Thor romance—its coziness and later its isolation—like a spin-off of his own quirky indie “Eagle vs. Shark.” It's very funny in some moments, but with a brutal honesty always in frame, especially as the two then see if love is salvageable in the current dwindling timeline. Along with Jane’s striking cancer storyline, it's these heartfelt moments too that reveal the true motivators behind “Thor: Love and Thunder,” even if everything is later treated in too quaint, or too eagerly crowd-pleasing a fashion to hit as hard as they clearly meant to.

The biggest takeaway from “Thor: Love and Thunder,” aside from how Waititi really should get that “Star Wars” trilogy he’s been teasing, involves his bold usage of color, visually and thematically. It’s not just the eye-popping hues, which here include soldiers for Zeus who spew golden blood or a bravura black-and-white fight sequence between Gorr and Thor on a tiny color-draining planet that uses select flashes of blue light with great effect. It’s that assured sense of tone that preaches how a movie can mix god-killing and kid-friendly crowd-pleasing moments with a gooey message about love. This sequel is not without its reservations, but Waititi continues to show just how unique these blockbusters can still be, provided their storytellers keep embracing some of their heaviest and funniest ideas.

Available in theaters on July 8th.

Nick Allen is the former Senior Editor at RogerEbert.com and a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film credits.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, some suggestive material and partial nudity.

119 minutes

Chris Hemsworth as Thor Odinson

Natalie Portman as Jane Foster / The Mighty Thor

Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie

Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher

Taika Waititi as Korg

Jaimie Alexander as Sif

Russell Crowe as Zeus

Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord

Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer

Karen Gillan as Nebula

Pom Klementieff as Mantis

Bradley Cooper as Rocket (voice)

Vin Diesel as Groot (voice)

Sean Gunn as Kraglin / On-Set Rocket

Taika Waititi
Larry Lieber
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Cinematographer

Barry Idoine
Peter S. Elliot
Matthew Schmidt
Jennifer Vecchiarello
Michael Giacchino

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‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Review: A God’s Comic Twilight

The director Taika Waititi injects antic silliness, once again, into this Marvel franchise starring Chris Hemsworth, who swings a mighty hammer and flexes mightier muscles.

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By Manohla Dargis

Every so often in “Thor: Love and Thunder,” the 92nd Marvel movie to hit theaters this year (OK, the third), the studio machinery hits pause, and the picture opens a portal to another dimension: Its star, Chris Hemsworth, embraces wholesale self-parody, a pair of giant screaming goats gallop along a rainbow highway and Russell Crowe flounces around in a flirty skirt and Shirley Temple curls. As the movie briefly slips into a parallel realm of play and pleasure, you can feel the director Taika Waititi having a good time — and it’s infectious.

This is the fourth “Thor” movie in 11 years and the second that Waititi has directed, following “ Thor: Ragnarok ” (2017). That movie was all over the place, but it was funny (enough) and had a lightness that proved liberating for the series and Hemsworth. “Love and Thunder” is sillier than any of its predecessors, and thinner. A lot happens in overstuffed Marvel Studios fashion. But because the series has jettisoned many of its earlier components — its Shakespearean pretensions, meddlesome relatives and, crucially, Thor’s godly grandeur — the new movie more or less plays like a rescue mission with jokes, tears and smackdowns.

It starts with a pasty, near-unrecognizable Christian Bale, who, having been relieved of his DC Dark Knight duties, has signed up with Marvel as a villain with the spoiler name of Gorr the God Butcher. Waititi quickly sketches in Gorr’s background, giving it a tragic cast. Believing himself betrayed by the god he once worshiped, Gorr is committed to destroying other deities. It’s potentially rich storytelling terrain, particularly given Thor’s stature and Marvel’s role as a contemporary mythmaker. But while Bale takes the role by the throat, as is his habit, investing the character with frictional intensity, Gorr proves disappointingly dull.

For the most part, Gorr simply gives Thor another chance to play the hero, which Hemsworth does with a stellar deadpan and appreciable suppleness. He’s always been fun to watch in the role and not just because, as the slavering camerawork likes to remind you, he looks awfully fine with or without clothes. Hemsworth knows how to move, which is surprising given his muscled bulk, and is at ease with his beauty. He’s also learned how to deploy — and puncture — Thor’s inborn pomposity, although by the time the final credits rolled in “Ragnarok” that haughtiness had turned into shtick. Thor is still a god, but also he’s now a great big goof.

To that end, Thor enters midfight on a battlefield washed in grayish red light, preening and posing and showboating alongside characters from Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” With Guardians (Chris Pratt, the raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper, etc.) on backup, Thor vanquishes the enemy with his customary hyperbole — he strikes the ground, reaches for the heavens, flips his hair — and a new hammer the size of a backhoe shovel. He also destroys a temple that looks right out of an airport gift shop. This synergistic foreplay isn’t pretty, and neither is the rest of the movie, but it announces Waititi’s sensibilities, his irreverence and taste for kitsch.

From the start, the “Thor” series has pushed and pulled at its title character, by turns enshrining and undercutting his supernatural identity, raising him up only to bring him crashing back down to Earth. The movies have, almost to a fault, emphasized Thor’s frailties: He has daddy issues, a sibling rivalry and romantic woes. Gods, they’re just like us! Thor’s love life humanized him for good and bad, though his romance with an astrophysicist — Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster — worked best as ballast for the he-man action. Jane wasn’t interesting, despite Portman’s febrile smiles, but, after sitting out the last movie, she’s back.

Why the encore? Well, mostly because Waititi, who wrote the script with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, doesn’t seem to know what else he can do with Thor. By the end of “Ragnarok,” the character had been repeatedly cut down to size. He’d squabbled with his brother and wittiest foil (Tom Hiddleston as Loki). His long hair was chopped off and his kingdom annihilated, and gone too were the heavyweights who had helped fill the story’s holes with their magnetism and personality. Anthony Hopkins (Thor’s dad) exited, as did Cate Blanchett (sis). Thor fought, loved and lost, and then he packed on the pounds and went to hang with the Avengers .

“Love and Thunder” revs up the “Thor” franchise again with the usual quips and beats, programmatically timed blowouts, brand-extending details, a kidnapping and a welcome if underused Tessa Thompson. Her Valkyrie, alas, receives less screen time than Jane, who’s given a crisis as well as special powers, a blond blowout and muscles that inflate and deflate like party balloons. Jane’s new talents don’t do much for the story and read as a dutiful nod to women’s empowerment (thanks). Portman does what she can, yet she’s so tightly wound that she never syncs up with the loosey-goosey rhythms the way Thompson and Hemsworth do.

Waititi’s playfulness buoys “Love and Thunder,” but the insistence on Thor’s likability, his decency and dude-ness, has become a creative dead end. The movie has its attractions, notably Hemsworth, Thompson and Crowe, whose Zeus vamps through a sequence with a butt-naked Thor and fainting minions. It’s a delightful and cheerfully vulgar interlude, and critically, it reminds you of the sheer otherworldliness of these beings who — with their vanities, cruelties, deeds, mysteries and powers — turn reality into myth and stories into dreams. Like movie stars, gods aren’t like us, which of course is one reason we invented them.

Thor: Love and Thunder Rated PG-13 for superhero violence. Running time: 2 hours 5 minutes. In theaters.

Manohla Dargis has been the co-chief film critic of The Times since 2004. She started writing about movies professionally in 1987 while earning her M.A. in cinema studies at New York University, and her work has been anthologized in several books. More about Manohla Dargis

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Thor: Love and Thunder Reviews

Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder is a gigantic fable. Also, a tour of all the high points of Ragnarok and a recasting of the hero. All, in a package of dazzling brilliance that, at times, can be irritating. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Dec 31, 2023

Director Taika Waititi successfully juggles the comic and the tragic in Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder."

Full Review | Oct 26, 2023

The story does a fantastic job of giving us new aspects to explore with Thor; not as a god, but as a hero.

Full Review | Original Score: A+ | Sep 26, 2023

There’s enough meat on the bones for the film to provide middling entertainment, but it’s a shame Waititi seemed to have so little to really flesh the movie out.

Full Review | Sep 17, 2023

In a deft twist on class war – the gods bleed gold – Thor must confront his privilege and make amends for other gods’ failures to keep promises.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 16, 2023

Despite its great acting, score and worldbuilding and epic character moments, Thor: Love and Thunder feels like one continuous joke that doesn’t land.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 31, 2023

No spark or brio in its romantic affairs or CGI-filled action sequences... frustratingly one-note comedic panderings undercut any attempt at developing an emotional story arc.

Full Review | Original Score: F | Jul 29, 2023

A bittersweet story about finding peace and love in suffering and pain, without forgetting the necessary thunderous action that reaches its best level in a long sequence surrounded by a breathtaking black-and-white color palette.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jul 25, 2023

Romantic action comedy you need this summer! An action packed hilarious but also poignant film on change! Taika Wrote a wonderful story that I just fell head over heels for!

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

The film’s final scene explains the rationale for the film’s title and shows a glimpse of a different path Love and Thunder could’ve taken. A path that would have been more fit for Waititi’s vision of an 80s romance adventure hijinks-filled movie.

Full Review | Jul 24, 2023

Thor: Love and Thunder is gorgeously shot, chaotically executed, tonally inconsistent at times, and yet a joy ride even when it pushes deeper into the cruelties of life.

Full Review | Jul 23, 2023

Thor Love and Thunder is one of the worst movies of the year. From the first frame to the last, it’s unengaging, insipid, and tedious.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Jul 20, 2023

With one of the shortest runtimes we’ve seen from Marvel in a while at only 119 mins, the much-awaited Thor: Love and Thunder is the definition of here for a good time, not a long time!

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Jul 20, 2023

There may be thunder, but lightning does not strike twice.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Feb 23, 2023

Therein lies Thor: Love and Thunder‘s biggest issue, its inability to balance tone and spectacle.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Feb 6, 2023

Thor: Love and Thunder's editing routinely works against Taika Waititi's film, often undoing the emotional work the film is attempting to deliver.

Full Review | Jan 9, 2023

Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth leaned heavily into the more goofy aspects of Thor: Ragnarok. Thor: Love and Thunder piles on the jokes, bathos and stupidity until the film feels more like a parody of the MCU rather an addition to it.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 5, 2023

I’m laying down the hammer a bit more harshly because somewhere hidden in this messy pastiche to 80s fantasy movies is an adventure worthy of the gods. Unfortunately, hilarity and humanity fail to harmonize in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Dec 10, 2022

Overall a fun time but not the big blockbuster some might be expecting and certainly not recommended if you didn’t find Ragnarok very funny…

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 23, 2022

Hemsworth has always been likeable as the smug superhero-god with the Adonis-like physique to match, but the risky attempt to transfer that charisma or to spread it around to other characters is not a gamble that pays off.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 21, 2022

Thor: Love and Thunder Review

Axe-girlfriends rule in thor’s latest adventure..

Thor: Love and Thunder debuts in theaters on July 8, 2022. Below is a spoiler-free review.

It took some time and tweaking, but at this point in his journey, I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to call Thor Odinson one of, if not the most dramatically compelling character left standing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This feels borne out of necessity: a nearly invincible Asgardian isn’t the easiest hero to fret for when the battle heats up, and so since his very first appearance, Marvel Studios has taken care to face Thor with grounded emotional stakes even as half the world disintegrates around him. Even through Thor’s less-loved appearances, questions of living up to our family’s expectations, maturity, duty, purpose, and, yes, love have always been at the fore for Thor, and remain at the fore for Thor 4. He’s been part of saving the universe for a long time now, and Thor: Love and Thunder has no illusions about needing to push the character in a new direction. And that’s fine; Love and Thunder succeeds in honoring his journey, even if it doesn’t offer much new for the MCU at large.

Through a Korg-narrated recap of Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) history, we’re reminded of how much tragedy and loss he’s had to face, and how his current gig as a freelancing Guardian of the Galaxy is helping him along in his healing process. Since director Taika Waititi’s humanizing first turn with the character in Ragnarok , Hemsworth has felt fearless in portraying both the god’s internal turmoil and his bombastic personality, continuing to nail punchlines and physical comedy alike. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine feels like the consensus pick for most iconic actor-hero pairing at this point, but by continuing to honor and respect Thor in the way that he clearly does, Hemsworth absolutely deserves to be in that conversation as well. With Thor at a crossroads, Love and Thunder wastes no time in reuniting him with Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), his former flame, and revealing something you may not expect going in: it’s a romantic comedy, and a good one at that.

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By fully embracing that genre’s tropes, Waititi sets the stage for Hemsworth and Portman to seriously dial up their chemistry, especially in an extended flashback that details the early bliss of their relationship. Though Portman’s Jane Foster has long-since moved on from Thor after their breakup, current circumstances are such that she has no choice but to seek help from the Asgardians and the two are forced to put their past behind them once Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) joins the fray.

We saw Jane do the fish out of water bit in The Dark World, but here, Mjolnir has deemed her worthy and transformed her into the Mighty Thor. Portman’s Foster never got her due in her initial appearances, and Waititi spends an appreciable amount of time making up for that by celebrating her intellect and bravery. Portman thrives on Jane’s arc here, as she reckons with what the power of Thor means for her future… though Jane’s overeagerness to come up with a catchphrase veers too hard into the MCU’s brand of self-referentiality and even the payoff to this running joke can’t stick the (superhero) landing.

Who (aside from Thor) are you most excited to see in Thor: Love and Thunder?

The efficient cold open -- a standout scene in Love and Thunder -- establishes Christian Bale’s Gorr and what’s driving the one-time believer’s promise that “all gods will die.” The God Butcher, both haunted and haunting, vacillates between theatrical mustache-twirling and unnerving resolve, and Bale treats every shade of the villain with verve. It’s clear Bale’s relishing the opportunity to portray a comics character that’s a little more playful, even on a quest for vengeance. That quest, the conflict that drives Love and Thunder, is where the movie plays it safe. The race to stop Gorr before he’s able to gain an insurmountable advantage over the MCU’s other deities plays out with all the familiar beats as heroes and villains chase each other around the cosmos.

While the film is snappily paced, no problem Thor & Co. is saddled with sticks for long. Love and Thunder routinely doubles back, with an apparent eye on not rocking the MCU boat too hard. This becomes especially noticeable in the fallout of the subplot involving Zeus (Russell Crowe) as he and his truly crazy Greek(?) accent make their debut. Whether Love and Thunder’s reticence to commit to its own choices stems from Marvel-imposed limitation in order to keep their options open for later movies is unclear, but the film does feel less engaging during moments of peril as a result.

Love and Thunder unfortunately underutilizes Tessa Thompson’s King Valkyrie, who continues to rule in all senses of the word. At once regal, lethal, and down to earth, Thompson’s ease channeling King Val’s swagger and baggage makes her a consistent highlight, specifically in her banter with both Thor and his Mighty counterpart. Early scenes depict her media appearances and efforts to bolster New Asgard’s tourism sector, a thankless gig that she’s happy to do if it’ll keep her people comfortable. The back half of the movie, however, completely fumbles this character. How King Valkyrie factors in feels designed to keep the story charging ahead at pace, perhaps to keep the things focused on Thor and Jane.

Just like Gorr, once Love and Thunder gets rolling, it drops the ball on the more nuanced aspects of Valkyrie in favor of whatever will move us along to the next battle the quickest. Those action scenes start to blur together towards the middle half -- Gorr’s shadowy minions sometimes hurt the readability of the blocking -- but that doesn’t mean director (and Korg actor) Taika Waititi isn’t coloring this movie with every color of the rainbow at every chance he gets. Gods bleed gold, and often. Even when Love and Thunder goes monochrome for one of its Gorr v Thor bouts, areas in the shot that are close to sources of magical energy light up with pops of color. The spinning arena casts swirling shadows, giving the whole scene a slick palette which feels like a nod to Ragnarok’s excellently staged Valkyrie flashback.

Waititi has a top-shelf knack for finding comedic beats in odd and unexpected corners of his films, perhaps best displayed here in how both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker are anthropomorphized. No, it’s not like Waititi had Matt Berry play a talking hammer or anything like that (quit distracting yourself with good ideas, Tom), but the ways in which he uses these weapons to not only fuel some of Love and Thunder’s strongest running jokes, but as a marker for Thor’s emotional throughline provide some of the movie’s more satisfying moments. The soundtrack’s needle drops, on the other hand, do become a little repetitive, both in how expected they become as the heroes march into battle and in artist curation: Love and Thunder features four songs from one band and there’s little serious connection between those songs and the story, so it’s a bit of a perplexing choice. Waititi’s not a subtle filmmaker, and with his Pandora's box of a noggin come swings and misses that are quickly moved past with an eye on trying something else.

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Thor: Love and Thunder is largely successful in honoring Thor’s long journey towards self-actualization and rarely falters while keying into the crackling chemistry between leads Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Tessa Thompson. It’s essentially the MCU’s first romantic comedy, and plays with those tropes in delightful ways. But while Thor and Jane’s relationship is handled well, Love and Thunder is less deft -- and a lot safer than you’d expect -- in pushing the greater MCU story forward. Christian Bale’s Gorr feels underutilized and Tessa Thompson’s King Valkyrie takes a frustrating back seat, especially as the movie goes on. Taika Waititi’s signature humor and visual style persist from Ragnarok, and are essential to buoying the movie through its cookie-cutter plot. With Hemsworth as enthusiastic an Asgardian as ever, Thor’s future with both love and thunder are bright.

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‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Review: Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman Sequel Proves Taika Waititi’s ‘Ragnarok’ Was No Fluke

The director builds on the winning effrontery of "Thor: Ragnarok" to raise the stakes on a love story about Thor and his old flame, who is now Thor as well (it's complicated), saving the universe.

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“ Thor: Love and Thunder ” has a pleasing, let’s-try-it-on-and-shoot-the-works effervescence. Like most Marvel movies, the fourth entry in the Thor saga would seem to have weighty matters on its mind, starting with Thor’s hammer, the smashed fragments of which have been reassembled — and, more to the point, claimed — by Jane Foster ( Natalie Portman ), Thor’s old flame. By possessing the mystique of that hammer, she has become the Mighty Thor. Not a superhero like Thor. She now is Thor — which, you’d imagine, might not sit so well with the God of Thunder himself. Absent of hammer, he wields an enchanted ax called Stormbreaker, but sorry, it’s just not the same thing.

Yet given that he hasn’t seen Jane since “Thor: The Dark World” (according to our hero, it has been eight years, seven months, and six days), and that he’d do anything to win her back, Thor is pretty good about playing the chivalrous supportive male and honoring the fact that she now possesses his hammer, and his brand. There’s some screwball sniping between the two of them, all of it charged and sexy and entertaining. And it’s not like they’re adversaries. They’ve joined up with the warrior teammates Thor met in “Thor: Ragnarok,” all to defeat Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a scarred super-killer who’s on a vengeful mission to destroy every god in the universe.

In other words, a standard day in the MCU.

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But “Thor: Love and Thunder” is far from standard, and that’s a good thing. Like “Thor: Ragnarok,” the movie was directed and co-written by Taika Waititi , the New Zealand sleight-of-hand-prankster-who-is-also-a-serious-filmmaker, and it builds on the earlier film’s highly winning tone of skewed flippancy. But it also, like “Ragnarok,” possesses an offbeat humanity that justifies the japery. Waititi has the wit to see that if you aren’t mocking a Marvel movie as you’re making one, you might be taking it more seriously than the audience does.

There are many words to describe the quintessential 21st-century cinema experience known as the MCU movie. You could call it big and impersonal, corporate and bombastic, machine-tooled and clamorous, top-heavy-with-CGI and Fun In A Way That Lacks All Mystery. But amid those qualities, the most insidious may be the one that’s designed to distract you from the rest: the insouciant, sitcom-on-steroids jokiness that ricocheted through Joss Whedon’s original “Avengers” film and has greased the wheels of countless Marvel capers since. Even when it works (which, to be honest, is more than it doesn’t), the comedy is all part of the package, the quips arriving on cue with the same dead-end bull’s-eye timing as the CGI miracles.

That’s what made “Thor: Ragnarok” such a genuine Marvel wildflower. Waititi didn’t just take a Thor adventure, add comedy bits, and stir; he approached the Marvel paradigm as a grand statue he was going to scrawl graffiti on, using comedy — flaky, personal, unpredictable, with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it dash of meta — to let the actors exist in their own space, and to loosen the laces on the Marvel formula. When Thor tossed his hammer at Hela (Cate Blanchett), his Maleficent-meets-Medusa evil sister, she stopped the weapon in its tracks, smashing it into several dozen pieces. It was as if Thor, without that big thick club of heavy metal, had lost his identity, and that’s how the movie played it — with Chris Hemsworth , shorn of Thor’s goldilocks as well, out there on his own, with nothing but his wits and his will to protect him. “Thor: Ragnarok” knocked the characters off their pedestals and had such a relaxed good time discovering them as scruffy, scrambling humanized beings that at moments it was as if Robert Altman had gained control of the Marvel machine with an assist from Wayne Campbell. The movie undercut the whole stentorian vibe of Marvel self-importance, and in doing so it actually brought you closer to the spirit of the comics, where these demigods were always improvising, just being themselves, making it up as they went along.

The last 40 minutes of “Thor: Ragnarok” were disappointing, with the top-heavy Marvel DNA kicking back in, but “Thor: Love and Thunder” sustains its freshness to the end. This one, if anything, has a more awkward first act, as our heroes interface with the Guardians of the Galaxy, who seem to have wandered in from their own metaverse and, frankly, should have stayed there. (I love the Guardians, but I don’t like it when movies pile on teams of superheroes.) But the movie powerfully introduces its villain, who starts off as an innocent victim in the middle of a drought, bald and robed like a Buddhist monk, his skin as chalky as the sand around him, desperate to save his young daughter from dying of thirst. When he learns that the gods who might have spared her view their subjects as mere playthings, he announces, “This is my vow: All gods will die.” Gorr, his eyes now yellow with rabid fury, gains possession of an ancient weapon known as the Necrosword, which has the ability to slay gods but corrupts and infects those who wield it.

Gorr has set a trap for Thor and his team, using the captured children of Asgard as bait. It’s a confounding situation, and so our heroes, in search of help, head for the Golden Temple, which hosts a powwow of gods presided over by none other than the mighty Zeus. That sounds like a solemn event, but Waititi stages it like a rowdy day at DeityCon, with Zeus played by Russell Crowe not as a noble leader but a decadent coward; Crowe, acting under a mop of bad curling-iron hair, speaks in a hilariously shabby accent that makes him sound like some chiseling merchant from a rug bazaar. This outrageous sequence, with its playful nudity, its “Wizard of Oz” smoke, and a lightning bolt that finds the perfect target, is the quintessential expression of Waititi’s Marvel-gone-“Flash Gordon” aesthetic.

In the end, however, it’s the mix of tones — the cheeky and the deadly, the flip and the romantic — that elevates “Thor: Love and Thunder” by keeping it not just brashly unpredictable but emotionally alive. In Kenneth Branagh’s “Thor,” Natalie Portman held her own as Thor’s earthly love interest, but here, pulling up on equal footing with him, Portman gives a performance of cut-glass wit and layered yearning. Jane might want Thor back, but she’s furious at how he let his attention drift away from her (though having a smirking megalomaniac half-brother with borderline personality disorder will do that to you). She’s also reveling in her power, even as she wages battle against a hidden malady it can’t save her from. (The hammer won’t help; using it drains her.)

In “Thor: Ragnarok,” Waititi won praise for his use of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” with its cawing battle cry that sounds like it hails from the Mesazoic Era. It’s hard to up the ante on Zep, but “Love and Thunder” comes close by spreading the greatest hits of Guns N’ Roses throughout the movie, from the combat-happy “Welcome to the Jungle” to the soulful spangle of “Paradise City.” Christian Bale, looking like a cadaverous goblin crossed with the clown from Bergman’s “Sawdust and Tinsel,” glowers with charismatic hellbent cunning, though I can’t say that he brings the character of Gorr any revelatory new flavor of malevolence. Tessa Thompson, as the mighty and still proudly dissolute King Valkyrie, and Waititi himself, voicing Korg the endearing rock-bodied simpleton gladiator, pick up where their winning performances in “Ragnarok” left off.

The climactic battle, with its shadow monsters, its children caught in the cross-hairs, and its all-for-one exuberance, has a tingly grandeur, and by the end I felt something unusual enough to feel at a Marvel movie that it seemed almost otherworldly: I was moved. Moved by how two Thors could come together to love each other and to save the universe. I like plenty of Marvel movies just fine, but they are what they are, and what they are is products. This one has enough wide-eyed boldness and shimmer to earn the designation of fairy tale.

Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, June 23, 2022. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 125 MIN.

Production: A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release of a Marvel Studios production. Producer: Kevin Feige, Brad Winderbaum. Executive producers: Victoria Alonso, Brian Chapek, Louis D’Esposito, Todd Hallowell, Chris Hemsworth.
Crew: Director: Taika Waititi. Screenplay: Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. Camera: Barry Baz Idoine. Editors: Peter S. Elliot, Tim Roche, Matthew Schmidt, Jennifer Vecchiarello. Music: Michael Giacchino, Nami Melumad.
With: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taiki Waititi, Russell Crowe, Jaimie Alexander, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper.

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Natalie Portman, left, and Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor: Love and Thunder review – Taika Waititi hammers home franchise fun

Followup to Thor: Ragnarok repeats some of that masterwork’s tongue-in-cheek approach as Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster takes over tool-throwing duties

I n 2017 Taika Waititi directed Thor: Ragnarok, which still strikes me as the best MCU movie , and a few years before that the superb and franchise-igniting vampire romp What We Do in the Shadows : both comedy gold, and way better than his misjudged and overrated middlebrow Panzer-crash Nazi satire Jojo Rabbit . Now Waititi has directed, and co-written with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, an entertaining followup to his MCU masterpiece. Like the first film, it’s a tongue-in-cheek cosmic spectacular in the tradition of Mike Hodges’ Flash Gordon , with some nice gags, big cameos (though I missed some of the major characters from Thor: Ragnarok) and Chris Hemsworth returning to deliver his easygoing turn as the great flaxen-haired Norse god. And of all the Hollywood movie stars currently taking the MCU shilling, Hemsworth is the most utterly unembarrassed, most visibly enjoying himself, most utterly relaxed in his own skin and in front of his own greenscreen.

In this instalment Thor has to confront evil Gorr the God Butcher, played by Christian Bale, who with his terrifying necro-sword is slaying divinities all over the shop out of a sense of bitterness that the gods once allowed his infant daughter to die. Thor finds himself initially fighting alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy, who are his tonal equivalents in Marvel’s now well-established humorous mode, but recruits his own crew to battle Gorr when this supervillain abducts all the children in New Asgard. His new team includes Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg (played by Waititi himself), as well as his longtime amour and now ex (their breakup sketched in during a comedy romcom-style flashback). This is Dr Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman , suffering from a serious illness which has been put into remission by the mighty cosmic powers of Thor’s once shattered hammer Mjölnir.

The essential daftness of all that is happening is nicely embodied by Hemsworth, though the film now has a more solemn emphasis with Dr Foster’s cancer and the references to her chemotherapy. The film is probably on its strongest ground with the most purely absurd touches, such as the squabbling rivalry between the hammer Mjölnir and his new weapon, the axe Stormbreaker – which is always crowding into the frame suspiciously when Thor starts swoonily hanging out with Mjölnir, unable to accept that Mjölnir is with Dr Foster now. Thor himself has conquered his weight issues, and is now a fine figure of alpha-maledom who literally makes young goddesses faint in one scene after he is disrobed and his manhood (or rather godhood) is revealed to them.

The movie is effectively ruled by one cameo, the figure of Zeus, which it would be unsporting to reveal here: our A-list guest star unveils one of his strangest accents yet, but also gets serious laughs, as the upstart Thor deprives him of his lightning bolt. And yet it has to be said that, however adroitly Waititi plays it, Marvel’s comedy mode has become a bit of a reflex, a specific mode which could almost be enabled in the settings menu of Marvel software: a highly contained form of restricted self-satire or auto-undercutting that is always offset by the huge CGI intergalactic action scenes. This is becoming a bit of a cul de sac – but that isn’t to say it isn’t still funny, and Thor still delivers a mighty hammer-blow, or rather axe-blow, of fun.

Superhero movies
Taika Waititi
Chris Hemsworth
Natalie Portman
Christian Bale

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Thor: Love and Thunder

Cooking up a fairly entertaining storm.

TechRadar Verdict

Thor: Love and Thunder doesn't reinvent the Taika Waititi or Marvel Cinematic Universe formula, but it's a thoroughly entertaining movie nonetheless. The MCU's first romantic-comedy is full of humor, heart, and hope; blending thrilling action set-pieces with quieter moments of contemplation about themes surrounding identity and escapism. However, its disjointed plot and an inexcusable lack of screen time for Gorr the God Butcher, its primary villain, can't be overlooked – issues that subsequently make it a good superhero flick, rather than a great one.

Largely entertaining superhero rom-com

Pleasing continuation of Thor's ever-evolving MCU journey

Packed with humor and heart

Satisfying character development

Visually stunning, 80s-style aesthetic

Longer runtime wouldn't have gone amiss

Additional scenes would've helped narrative flow

Main villain underused

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- Launches in theaters in US and most other territories on July 8 (July 6 in Australia; July 7 in the UK and India) - Chris Hemsworth returns as the god of thunder - Natalie Portman reprises her role as Jane Foster - Christian Bale plays the movie's villain - Helmed by Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi - 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) heroes, Thor's journey is arguably the most compelling. The god of thunder's transformation from a serious and somewhat egotistical warrior, to a heroic and charismatic goofball, has made for fascinating viewing. Equally, Thor's Shakespearean tragedy-style story has resonated with fans, reshaping their perspective on an MCU character who, early on, struggled to match the popularity of other Phase 1 heroes including Iron Man and Captain America .

Now, Thor is not only as beloved as his fellow Avengers, but he's outlasted many of them. Thor: Love and Thunder is the Norse god's fourth solo Marvel movie – the first MCU character to achieve such a feat. And, with Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi at the helm once more, Love and Thunder looks to build on the success of its predecessor with a progressive story filled with Waititi's signature blend of surreal humor, heart, and captivating twists.

So how does this Marvel Phase 4 project stack up against other MCU movies? Thor: Love and Thunder is another entertaining installment in Marvel's juggernaut franchise; a superhero film that isn't afraid to poke fun at itself and one that largely strikes a pleasing balance between its multiple parts. However, its disjointed narrative and bafflingly underused villain prevent it from being the top-tier film it could've been – inescapable flaws that are difficult to look past.

A narrative ax to grind

Thor and Jane Foster stand face to face in another realm in Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor: Love and Thunder picks up the Norse god's story sometime after Avengers: Endgame. Leaving Earth alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy at the end of that film, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) joins his newfound friends on numerous, swashbuckling adventures as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Unfortunately for Thor, nothing can fill one gaping void in his soul – i.e. the one he's been unable to plug since breaking up with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) eight years earlier.

Thor's never-ending quest for a newfound sense of identity, though, is put on hold when a new intergalactic threat emerges in Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). A powerful foe who seeks retribution against (and the extinction of) the universe's gods, Gorr's vengeful quest inevitably puts him on a collision course with the god of thunder. To combat the MCU's latest supervillain, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg (Waititi) – oh, and Foster who, to Thor's surprise, wields a reassembled version of his former hammer Mjolnir. Together, the quartet set off on a cosmic quest to stop Gorr from enacting his masterplan and destroying the universe in the process.

If Thor 4 sounds like it takes a while to get going, that's because it simultaneously does and doesn't.

Thor: Love and Thunder's runtime, which is just shy of two hours, ensures it doesn't take long to introduce its main storyline. Like Doctor Strange 2 , Love and Thunder barrels through its opening act to get to the main course of its narrative. We don't need to spend 20 to 30 minutes catching up with Thor and the Guardians, and the film's brisk opening act allows the movie to predominantly focus on Thor and company's mission to prevent Gorr from killing any more gods.

That said, as with Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Thor 4 feels like it breezes through important story beats too quickly to get to the heart of the action.

For one, the movie's first half is a breathless trek through multiple locations, comprising a wide variety of characters and subplots, before Thor even puts his team together. It isn't until the film's second hour that things calm down, giving the film's plot room to breathe before it settles into the thrill ride it becomes.

Thor talks to Mantis and Star-Lord under a tree in Thor: Love and Thunder

Gorr's backstory and his acquisition of the Necrosword – the blade that imbues Gorr with his superpowers – also lack context. Sure, it doesn't need an elaborate exposition dump to cover every element of his origin tale. Additionally, given how Gorr is introduced in the comics, his backstory required a slight alteration to allow it to slot seamlessly into the MCU. However, exploring certain aspects of Gorr's life before he acquires the Necrosword wouldn't have gone amiss, and would've helped his positioning as a tragic villain, thus making him more relatable.

Foster's wielding of Mjolnir, and the subsequent introduction of her superhuman alter-ego – aka the Mighty Thor – requires more space to lean into as well. Comic fans will already know how and why Foster becomes the Mighty Thor. And, while this story aspect is almost copied beat-for-beat in Love and Thunder, there isn't enough time devoted to this subplot to make it as heartwrenching as it should be. Again, an extra scene or two to really hammer home one of the film's most emotional moments would've been most welcome.

Thor: Love and Thunder isn't shy about mocking itself

Don't expect the Guardians to play a major role here, either. Without overstepping the mark when it comes to spoilers, the ragtag group of galactic misfits' appearance isn't as prominent as you may expect. Yes, this is a Thor-centric movie but, considering their pre-release positioning as key supporting characters, it's a slight disappointment they don't stick around for longer.

With Waititi and company revealing that over two hours' worth of content was cut from Thor 4's final edit , there's an argument that Love and Thunder would've benefitted from the inclusion of some of those deleted scenes. An extra 10 to 15 minutes would surely have made for a more cohesive narrative and less of a patchwork quilt-esque story that jumps around a bit too much.

All is fair in love and (Gorr's) war

Gorr stands menacingly in the shadow realm in Thor: Love and Thunder

Story-based issues aside, Thor: Love and Thunder is, well, a thunderously entertaining adventure.

As the MCU's first rom-com – one with multiple layers that humorously sees Thor also pine for his ex-weapon Mjolnir, much to the chagrin of Stormbreaker, his ax – it does a stellar job of capturing the awkwardness of running into your ex. Thor and Jane's first encounter since their split, and the break-up itself, is played for laughs, as is their uncomfortable-but-necessary team up and the handling of the Jane-specific subplot. However, Waititi's knack for dark comedy, coupled with Hemsworth and Portman's on-screen chemistry, make these moments equally amusing and poignant. Setting the right tone for these scenes, particularly for a rom-com, are vitally important, and Thor 4 pleasingly finds the right balance in each instance.

Like 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi's comedic flair is evident throughout Love and Thunder. It's a movie that isn't shy about mocking itself and the MCU at large, nor is it one afraid of parodying the fantasy or sci-fi genres. Audiences will get a kick out of amusing potshots at the likes of Harry Potter and He-Man , while references to Flash Gordon, The Muppets, and even Willow are evident throughout Thor 4's 80s-inspired style and vibrant aesthetic.

Thor 4 breezes through important story beats to get to the heart of the action

Speaking of tonality, Thor 4 isn't a solely bright and colorful affair. Certain scenes are stylistically darker than their counterparts, imbuing Love and Thunder with an occasionally horror-esque vibe. One particular sequence even trades in the film's dazzling, color saturated visuals for a monochromatic look – a block of scenes in stark visual contrast to the rest of the movie, but equally as stunning to gaze upon.

Wonderfully funny as Love and Thunder is, it's occasionally too goofy and silly for its own good. That's particularly true when a shocking or dramatic moment is followed by a witty comment or some black humor. Viewers unaccustomed to Waititi's signature style may not enjoy the lightning-quick juxtaposition between its amusing and emotional instances. Fans of the popular New Zealand director, though, will revel in the regularity of these contrasting elements.

Thor walks onto the battlefield with Stormbreaker in hand in Thor: Love and Thunder

Character arc wise, Thor: Love and Thunder is a decidedly mixed affair.

Hemsworth delivers another impressive performance as the film's lead; his portrayal as hilarious and moving as it was in Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Endgame. The film's thematic exploration of escapism and identity are an ever-present throughline in Thor's journey here, helping to shape the next stage of the character's MCU evolution and providing Hemsworth with plenty of funny and emotive material to sink his teeth into.

Thompson and Waititi equally revel in their supporting roles as Thor's comrades-in-chief. Neither has as significant a role to play as many will expect, which is slightly disappointing given how integral the pair were in Ragnarok and their similar positioning as much here. Still, they're no less important to how Love and Thunder's narrative plays out, and both receive satisfying character development despite the film's condensed runtime. Russell Crowe's scene-stealing portrayal of Zeus is also suitably crowd pleasing, the veteran actor delivering a typically grandiose performance that exhibits the hubris of the MCU's so-called gods.

Portman's Foster, though, is the real star of the show. Discounting Marvel's What If...? animated anthology series, we haven't seen Foster in the MCU since 2013's maligned Thor: The Dark World (that is, outside of her very brief cameo in Endgame). Back then, Foster was restricted to playing a support role; an archetypal damsel in distress who needed a buff space viking to rescue her on numerous occasions.

Here, Foster is front and center of Love and Thunder's story – and it's a marvelous decision on Waititi's part to effectively have Portman co-star alongside Hemsworth's Norse god. The pair ooze chemistry, bouncing off each other with a pizzazz and playfulness that was in short supply in earlier Thor solo movies. Armed with Waititi's whimsical script, Portman reinvents Foster in the same way Hemsworth did with Thor for Ragnarok, too; the dramedy of Love and Thunder providing Portman with ample fresh material to breathe new life into one of the MCU's most misused characters.

The biggest disappointment about Thor 4 is how criminally underutilized Gorr is in proceedings. That's not from an acting perspective – Bale brings malice and menace to his portrayal of Gorr; a creepy and deranged bogeyman-style individual whose descent into madness owes much to the corrupting influence the Necrosword holds over him.

It's a massive shame, then, that Bale's unquestionable talents aren't put to better use in Love and Thunder. Sure, Gorr's presence is keenly felt throughout, and he absolutely makes up for lost time as he takes center stage in the film's latter half. Even so, Thor 4 doesn't take advantage of Gorr's bloodthirsty quest for vengeance, nor does it make full use of Bale's intimidating performance. Pre-release, the film's cast and crew regularly suggesting that Gorr is one of the MCU's most terrifying villains ever, so it's a pity Gorr doesn't appear more often.

Our verdict

Thor: Love and Thunder is an endearing and fantastical superhero romp, but one that just falls short of being a truly great Marvel movie.

It bears the hallmarks of every good MCU big screen offering – thrilling action, jokes aplenty, a large heaping of sentimentality, and surprises galore, especially those that feature in the film's post-credits scenes. And, with its all-star cast on top form, there's plenty here for casual MCU fans and diehard Marvel comic fans will enjoy.

Regrettably, there are a couple of major complications that prevent Thor 4 from joining previous MCU movies, including Thor: Ragnarok, in Marvel Studios' "best of" category. Its oft-times muddled plot and disservice to its main villain hinder Love and Thunder as a spectacle – issues that could've been ironed out with the addition of more scenes and a subsequently longer runtime.

Thor: Love and Thunder isn't the surprise thunderbolt out of the blue that Ragnarok was from narrative or character reinvention perspectives. And, if the god of thunder returns for an unprecedented fifth solo movie, it may be that Thor requires another revamp to maintain his relevancy in the ever-evolving MCU. For now, Thor's latest rollicking adventure cooks up a fairly entertaining storm – and that'll be good enough for fans of Marvel's cinematic behemoth.

Thor: Love and Thunder storms into theaters in the US and most other territories on Friday, July 8. The MCU movie lands in UK and Indian cinemas on Thursday, July 7, while it's out now in Australia.

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot .

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Thor: Love and Thunder First Reviews: Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman Shine in Hilarious, Visually Striking Adventure

Critics say it isn't as fresh or satisfying as ragnarok , but it has fun with romantic comedy tropes and offers a formidable villain in christian bale's gorr..

TAGGED AS: blockbusters , Film , films , Marvel , marvel cinematic universe , marvel comics , Marvel Studios , MCU , movie , movies , Superheroes

If you loved what filmmaker Taika Waititi did for the MCU with Thor: Ragnarok , you’ll also enjoy Thor: Love and Thunder , according to the first reviews of the latest Marvel movie installment. Whether it’s better than its predecessor, though, is up for debate, as is the success of Love and Thunder’ s emotional and romantic elements and the stakes of its story. Does it have one of the MCU’s better villains? Could it have done more with other characters? Should you stay past the credits? Find answers these questions and more to the tune of GNR’s “Sweet Child o’ Mine.”

Here’s what critics are saying about Thor: Love and Thunder :

Does it live up to the hype?

Thor: Love and Thunder was certainly up against high hopes. Thankfully, Thor’s fourth film more than meets these expectations. – Caitlin Chappell, CBR.com

Love and Thunder wholeheartedly works to subvert expectations at essentially every single turn, and it becomes a more compelling, if slightly more disheveled, film because of it. – Jenna Anderson, ComicBook.com

Thor: Love and Thunder isn’t as much fun as its trailers. But it’s close enough. – Roger Moore, Movie Nation

Considering the weight of expectations people have for this movie and how much they loved Thor: Ragnarok , there is a decent chance people will be let down. – Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool

How does it compare to Thor: Ragnarok ?

Thor: Love and Thunder takes the Ragnarok formula and pushes it bigger and weirder than before. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Thor: Love and Thunder is a step-up from Thor: Ragnarok in terms of exhibition, wit, emotion, and maturity. – Lauren LaMagna, Next Best Picture

Love and Thunder is a far more emotional and, arguably, more satisfying story than its predecessor. – Rohan Patel, ComicBookMovie.com

Thor: Love and Thunder feels like it’s a bit more studied and considered in its approach. – Brian Lloyd, entertainment.ie

If the thematic and narrative freight that occasionally pervades Ragnarok’ s humor feels purposeful, Love and Thunder is flippant with no undergirding focus. – Jake Cole, Slant Magazine

(Photo by ©Marvel Studios)

Where does it rank against the other MCU movies?

Thor: Love and Thunder is a return to form for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. – Ben Kendrick, Screen Rant

Thor: Love and Thunder is one of Marvel’s strongest films… It’s exactly what a superhero movie should be. – Lauren LaMagna, Next Best Picture

Thor: Love and Thunder is far from standard [MCU], and that’s a good thing. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Thor: Love and Thunder is the most entertaining Phase 4 movie to date. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Thor: Love and Thunder is… one of the few bright spots in Marvel’s Phase IV Cinematic Universe. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

Is it funny?

Funny as hell. – Ben Kendrick, Screen Rant

Thor: Love and Thunder [is] a hilarious sequel that borders on slapstick. – Julian Roman, MovieWeb

At its core is pure comedy that doesn’t always work but is good enough to entertain. – Valerie Complex, Deadline Hollywood Daily

Stumbles when it comes to bringing back — or trying to bring back — the flippant comedy that made Ragnarok stand out. – Josh Spiegel, Slashfilm

Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder

(Photo by ©Marvel Studios 2022)

Is it romantic and moving?

As moving as it is funny. – Ben Kendrick, Screen Rant

It’s essentially the MCU’s first romantic comedy and plays with those tropes in delightful ways. – Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies

I was moved. Moved by how two Thors could come together to love each other and to save the universe. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Portman and Hemsworth’s chemistry is delightful on-screen. – Therese Lacson, Collider

Hemsworth and Portman’s chemistry has never been better. – Rohan Patel, ComicBookMovie.com

Focused more on the “love” than the “thunder,” the reinsertion of Jane into the Thor storyline really dampens the party mood. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

Hemsworth and Portman’s practically nonexistent chemistry is difficult not to notice… Love and Thunder sags under the weight of this rudderless romantic angle. – Jake Cole, Slant Magazine

When the time comes for the emotional beats, they never land quite as effectively as they should… You end up wanting to see more of [Jane and Valkyrie] together as their interactions are more engaging than the standard romance tropes of Jane and Thor. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

How are the visuals?

Thor: Love and Thunder is one of the most visually stunning movies in the MCU… The use of color, in particular, is jaw-dropping. – Caitlin Chappell, CBR.com

Visually, the movie also stands out from most MCU offerings… It certainly delivers on spectacle. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

While the film isn’t as visually striking as Ragnarok , nor is it as revolutionary, the action and spectacle are as exciting and entertaining as ever. – Rohan Patel, ComicBookMovie.com

The CG environments are so expansive, and so garishly colorful, that it almost looks animated. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

The most baffling technical element of Love and Thunder might be its cinematography and CGI work, which bounce between extremes of being genuinely beautiful and being muddy. – Jenna Anderson, ComicBook.com

Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder

Is Taika Waititi still a perfect fit for the MCU?

Waititi’s vision for Thor is not just what the God of Thunder needs — it’s what the MCU needs, as he brings so much fun and heart to the big screen with Thor: Love and Thunder . – Caitlin Chappell, CBR.com

In a way, this is even more purely his baby than the last one was, and it shows. – Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

Waititi seems to be still finding his footing with this franchise, and it may take him directing another film to find the right balance for these Asgardian heroes. – Valerie Complex, Deadline Hollywood Daily

And how is the script?

Some of the movie’s best scenes essentially consist of two characters simply having a conversation. – Jenna Anderson, ComicBook.com

More than most recent MCU movies, the screenplay by Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson shows a crisis of imagination. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

The real issue comes down to the script, by Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, which veers from dark and dour tragedy to glib, dismissive comedy often in the same scene. – Josh Spiegel, Slashfilm

How is Chris Hemsworth this time?

He goes above and beyond… reminding us about everything we love about his Thor while also allowing the character to grow in an organic and incredibly exciting new direction. – Rohan Patel, ComicBookMovie.com

He embodies Thor Odinson at his silliest and saddest with an ease that still feels impressive after a decade-plus of him portraying the role. – Jenna Anderson, ComicBook.com

Hemsworth is at his all-time best this round, navigating a minefield of comedy and emotional beats. It’s the star’s most nuanced take on Thor to date and evolves the hero. – Ben Kendrick, Screen Rant

He’s having a good time, which is obvious on screen, and his enthusiasm and comedic timing remain on point. – Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool

Hemsworth is at his peak… Waititi offered him the chance to fully embrace the comedy that he is so good at and it flourishes even more in Love and Thunder . – Therese Lacson, Collider

And Natalie Portman’s return as Jane Foster?

Portman gives a performance of cut-glass wit and layered yearning. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

The energy Portman brings is genuinely infectious and oddly cathartic in ways that will absolutely surprise audiences. – Jenna Anderson, ComicBook.com

Portman brings an incredible amount of heart and grace to the film, along with plenty of Jane’s trademark goofiness… [she’s] exceedingly easy to love. – Rohan Patel, ComicBookMovie.com

Natalie Portman’s scene-stealing return as Dr. Jane Foster-turned-Mighty Thor is the highlight of Love and Thunder . – Ben Kendrick, Screen Rant

Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder

What about Christian Bale’s villain?

Marvel’s best villain since Thanos. He is astonishingly terrifying. – Lauren LaMagna, Next Best Picture

He upgrades this almost stock Marvel villain by sheer force of talent alone. He leans into not just his creepiness, but his pathos as well. – Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

Bale delivers one of the best villains the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to offer… While his actions are horrific, Bale brings an empathy to Gorr. – Caitlin Chappell, CBR.com

The way he delicately balances the sadness of Gorr’s past with his vengeful slaughter of Gorr’s present makes him exciting to watch. – Therese Lacson, Collider

Christian Bale’s Gorr feels underutilized. – Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies

Christian Bale is criminally underutilized as Gorr, and we don’t get nearly enough of him. – Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool

Are there any other standouts?

Tessa Thompson continues to shine as King Valkyrie, and is a scene-stealer throughout, leaving us wanting more every time. – Rohan Patel, ComicBookMovie.com

Thompson’s turn as Valkyrie tops what was on display in Thor: Ragnarok … She should be the protagonist of her own swashbuckling, intergalactic pulp novel. – Caitlin Chappell, CBR.com

The bulk of the humor comes from Russell Crowe…[in] a sequence unlike anything else the Academy Award-winning actor has ever done. – Lauren LaMagna, Next Best Picture

Russell Crowe’s arrogant showman take on Zeus is an exquisite farce and a standout, making a strong case for Gorr’s grudge against the gods. – Ben Kendrick, Screen Rant

If any part of the movie is truly hilarious, it’s the scene with Zeus, and it’s because of Crowe. – Josh Spiegel, Slashfilm

Should we stay for the credits?

Be sure to stay to preview a surprise or two. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whasians

The post-credits sequence is one of Marvel’s most beautiful and poignant scenes ever. It’s the perfect capper to this particular blockbuster adventure. – Rohan Patel, ComicBookMovie.com

The two post-credits scenes are among the most satisfying in some time. – Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

Thor: Love and Thunder opens in theaters on July 8, 2022.

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Thor: love and thunder, common sense media reviewers.

Rescue adventure focuses on love; violence, language.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Promotes teamwork, empathy, perseverance, choosing

Characters show courage and persevere, as well as

The Asgardians include some people of color (most

Children are in danger: kidnapped, kept hostage. I

Two references to orgies in the realm of the gods.

The words "s--t" and "s--ty" are said multiple tim

Visible brands include Converse, Fritos, Kettle Ch

Tourists in New Asgard are treated to mead at the

Positive Messages

Promotes teamwork, empathy, perseverance, choosing love over guarding your heart, and asking for help.

Positive Role Models

Characters show courage and persevere, as well as brainstorm how to defeat rivals. Thor is always brave, but in this installment he's also open to love and to collaboration with Mighty Thor and Valkyrie. He learns to listen instead of acting impulsively. Jane is brave, selfless, willing to sacrifice her safety and comfort to help Thor with their mission. Valkyrie is a brave king, a necessary partner to both Thors.

Diverse Representations

The Asgardians include some people of color (most notably Valkyrie and Axl, played by Tessa Thompson and Kieron L. Dyer). Additional ethnic/racial (and species) diversity within the background supporting cast. Strong women role models in Jane and Valkyrie, who are both intelligent leaders. Writer/director Taika Waititi, who also voices Korg, is Māori and Jewish. Valkyrie is bisexual and Korg casually mentions his two dads. Disabled characters include Jane, who has terminal cancer; refreshingly, her superpowers aren't a magical cure-all (which would make the character effectively non-disabled). And in a minor role, Sif loses an arm early in the film but is later shown recovered from the amputation and back to sword-fighting.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Children are in danger: kidnapped, kept hostage. In opening scene, a young girl dies from exposure and starvation. Many battles in which people are injured or severely hurt. Hand-to-hand combat, fighting with weapons. Characters are incapacitated or die. Spoiler alert: A major character dies from a long illness, another seems to break apart but survives.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Two references to orgies in the realm of the gods. Scantily clad women surround Zeus. Two people kiss passionately, embrace, hold each other. Thor's clothes are magically removed; his bare back is visible, including his butt. Women who can see him from the front swoon, and two women joke that they "didn't hate" seeing that. Flashbacks to Jane and Thor's romantic relationship. Peter and Valkyrie allude to their lost loves. Flirting. Korg tells a story of how rock babies are made (when two rock dudes hold hands and a rock baby eventually comes out).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

The words "s--t" and "s--ty" are said multiple times or in different combinations: "really s--tty," "holy s--t," etc. Other words include "hell," "stupid," "piss off," "oh my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Visible brands include Converse, Fritos, Kettle Chips, Lays, Cheetos. Also a ton of off-screen Marvel merchandise tie-ins with toys, apparel, games, and more.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Tourists in New Asgard are treated to mead at the end of their tour. Valkyrie says a keg of alcohol is necessary for a trip.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Thor: Love and Thunder is the sequel to 2017's Thor: Ragnarok and the fourth Thor movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . This time around, Thor ( Chris Hemsworth ) bids goodbye to the Guardians of the Galaxy when a new threat appears in the universe: Gorr the God Butcher ( Christian Bale ), whose mission is to kill every god. Expect plenty of comic book-style action violence, including weapon use and hand-to-hand combat, as well as two injuries/deaths that are likely to upset younger audiences. The story focuses more on love and romance than most other MCU films, with kissing and affection between a couple and discussions of true love and the "ones who got away." There's also a suggestive scene in the realm of the gods where a planned orgy is mentioned more than once and women literally swoon at seeing Thor stripped of his clothes (audiences see him naked from the rear). Language includes several uses of the word "s--t," plus "piss off," "hell," and "oh my God." Families can check in on the movie's messages about the importance of choosing love, asking for help, and persevering despite the odds. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

Parents say (69)
Kids say (94)

Based on 69 parent reviews

What is going on with Marvel?

Don't waste your time. disappointing, what's the story.

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER introduces a new villain for everyone's favorite Asgardian god ( Chris Hemsworth ): Gorr the God Butcher ( Christian Bale ), who wields the god-killing necro sword and is compelled to strike down every god in the universe. With the help of Valkyrie ( Tessa Thompson ), Korg ( Taika Waititi ), and former girlfriend Dr. Jane Foster ( Natalie Portman ) -- who's now able to wield the reconstructed hammer Mjolnir herself -- Thor sets out to defeat Gorr after the villain manages to kidnap all of the Asgardian children and hold them hostage in another realm. The heroes set off to ask the remaining gods, starting with Zeus ( Russell Crowe ), to help take down Gorr, but they're too busy feasting and frolicking to care. As Jane, who's keeping an important secret from Thor, and Thor grow closer once again, he begins to wonder whether his old pal Peter Quill is right -- that you need to feel loved, even if that love is painful, to have purpose.

Is It Any Good?

Director Taika Waititi can't quite re-create the alchemic chemistry of Ragnarok in this serviceable but less exciting sequel, partly because Jane and Thor's romance doesn't spark. Putting the romance between Thor and Jane at the center of the story is unfortunate, because as talented as Hemsworth and Portman are, they have a bland on-screen presence together (especially when compared to Tom Holland and Zendaya, or Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany). Both Thor and Jane have far more interesting relationships with their closest friends -- in his case, Thompson's Valkyrie, and in her case, Kat Dennings' Dr. Darcy Miller. The banter and teasing they have in these platonic friendships far outshines the platitude-filled commentary about the power of love. So it's partly the actors (since this issue also existed in the earlier Thor films) and partly the screenplay, which tells more than it shows about love. Portman has always seemed an odd casting choice in this role, and though she finally has more to do in this movie, the fit still seems off. At least Korg and Valkyrie are there to add humor to the occasionally cringey early encounters between Thor and Jane.

On the bright side, this Thor, who's vulnerable and open to love, shows more depth than the young, arrogant, and reckless one who didn't think about consequences. He's no longer a selfish god. Speaking of gods, Crowe adopts a strange, pseudo-Italian accent to play a Greek god, and it just doesn't work, which makes Zeus more caricature than actual character. Still, it's fun to watch the former gladiator play an aging and all-powerful god. The land of the gods also leans heavily into Waititi's quirky humor, like when it features Bao, the god of dumplings, or references the not-so-kid-friendly orgy the deities have planned. Just as rock 'n' roll (Led Zeppelin in particular) played a big role in Ragnarok , the music in Love and Thunder is dominated by use of Guns N' Roses' greatest hits, including "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child O' Mine," "November Rain," and "Paradise City ," which are played during key sequences. And kids will appreciate the role that the Asgardian children eventually play in aiding their trio of leaders. They'll also get a kick out of the screaming, flying alien goats who become a running gag. Will this sequel make audiences laugh? Yes. But does it exceed or even meet the expectations set by Ragnarok ? No.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Thor: Love and Thunder . How does it compare to that of other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

What do you think about Thor and Jane's relationship? How do they rank among the MCU couples? Which of the Marvel love stories is your favorite, and why?

Do you want to see more Thor-centric movies, or do you prefer the Marvel movies with cross-over characters?

Talk about the soundtrack and how Guns N' Roses songs are used in the movie. What are some other memorable uses of classic rock songs in the MCU?

Movie Details

In theaters : July 8, 2022
On DVD or streaming : September 8, 2022
Cast : Chris Hemsworth , Tessa Thompson , Natalie Portman , Taika Waititi , Christian Bale
Director : Taika Waititi
Inclusion Information : Indigenous directors, Polynesian/Pacific Islander directors, Female actors, Black actors, Latino actors, Indigenous actors, Polynesian/Pacific Islander actors, Indigenous writers, Polynesian/Pacific Islander writers
Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Genre : Action/Adventure
Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Superheroes , Adventures , Friendship , Space and Aliens
Character Strengths : Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
Run time : 119 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, some suggestive material and partial nudity
Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Performing Arts
Pop Culture

In 'Thor: Love and Thunder,' Waititi's familiar strains feel familiar and strained

Glen Weldon

Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth. Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios hide caption

Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth.

In considering Thor: Love and Thunder , the fourth film in the franchise centered on the Marvel Cinematic Universe's pompous, pumped-up thunder god, it's useful to cast your mind back to 2017's Thor: Ragnarok , its immediate predecessor.

That film broke a mold that ached to be broken — the two previous Thor movies, namely, both of which came so weighted down with unearned faux-gravitas they had people reconsidering their takes on Iron Man 2 . (To be clear: Thor was better than Iron Man 2 , but its sequel, Thor: The Dark World , stalwartly remains the MCU's lowest point.)

But with Ragnarok , the dark (and fusty) world of the Thor franchise burst with new light and color and humor. Credit director Taika Waititi, who enlivened the proceedings with a looseness that allowed rock-operatic set-pieces in which the banging of heads was accompanied by head-banging anthems to coexist with muttered, underplayed, often improvised comic dialogue.

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify .

These are the summer movies NPR critics are looking forward to

It was an odd, idiosyncratic fuel mixture — cinema as airbrushed van art — but it worked.

The good news, in re: Love and Thunder : Waititi is back, and he's determined not to reinvent the wheel.

The bad news: The wheel's tire-treads are looking worn.

Thor: Love and Thunder plays like a Ragnarok remix, for good and ill. For a villain, swap out Cate Blanchett's goth drag queen Hela for Christian Bale's creepy Gorr the God Butcher, whose title pretty much lays out his entire schtick: A god ignored Gorr's pleas to save the life of his daughter, so, armed with a god-smiting sword, Gorr sets out to slay the gods of every pantheon.

He's evidently going alphabetically, because Asgardians are next on his list. RIP, Abyssinians.

(Quick side note: If you find this bit confusing, because all this time you thought that the MCU had established that Asgardians weren't actual gods, just an advanced alien race that people of Earth mistook for deities, sit down here by me.)

Bale is one of the best parts about Love and Thunder , bringing soulful malice where Blanchette brought sneering camp.

For a muscle-bound pal to bicker and bash heads with, trade Mark Ruffalo's Hulk for Natalie Portman's Mighty Thor, who's taken up O.G. Thor's hammer Mjolnir ... and his arm routine. It's been a minute since we've had a chance to see Portman get to goof around a bit, and "goof around a bit" is this film's entire mission statement.

For comic relief, swap out Jeff Goldblum's squirrelly Grandmaster for Russell Crowe's Zeus, who delivers his (pretty funny) dialogue in a Greek accent thicker than day-old tzatziki.

Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie. Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios hide caption

Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie.

And for a trusty sidekick, trade out Korg, the chill rock-creature voiced by Waititi, for ... more Korg.

A lot more Korg. More Korg than seems strictly necessary.

Which is the whole problem. Thor: Love and Thunder feels like the product of a Thor: Ragnarok focus group. We get more of what audiences liked about Ragnarok — jokes, tunes, the Korg of it all — but what once seemed bracing and revelatory now feels familiar, safe, even rote on occasion.

The charming breeziness of the previous film is replaced here with an dutiful assiduousness. Boxes to be checked. The jokes land — but, particularly in the early going, they do so in a way that feels effortful, sweaty.

FX's 'The Bear': A funny, raw, real drama in a restaurant kitchen

But ... so what? "This movie is too much like that other movie I liked!" is not an oft-heard complaint among filmgoers, after all. And certainly there is a lulling sense of comfort in having one's set of expectations so precisely met, and in the times we find ourselves in, comfort is at a premium.

Oh, and also: For Marvel Comics nerds, a cameo appearance by a certain Marvel Universe fixture who is [writer pauses to consult his copy of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe ] "an ethereal being, as much abstract concept as actual entity, who exists as the sum total of all living things in the universe" is a pretty neat trick.

Correction July 9, 2022

A previous version of this story referred to Jeff Goldblum's character in Thor: Ragnarok as Taskmaster instead of Grandmaster.

'Thor: Love and Thunder' Review: Taika Waititi Reinvigorates Phase 4 With Comedy, Heart, and a Pair of Screaming Goats

What a classic Thor adventure! Hurrah!

It's surprising that, after all of this time, Thor stands tall as one of the MCU's longest-running and most beloved characters. You might not have thought that after Thor: The Dark World , but the Thor of Thor: Love and Thunder is a far cry from the young Asgardian god we met in Thor or The Dark World . And while it's obvious that when Taika Waititi took over his story the series got a revitalization , that's not to take away from the path we took to get here. In Love and Thunder , Waititi honors not only what he created in Thor: Ragnarok , with its raucous humor and colorful aesthetic, but also what came before, offering a complex look at the God of Thunder.

Love and Thunder follows a post- Endgame Thor, now traveling with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Although he's gone from dad bod to god bod, it's clear that he is a man without a path. Thor's struggle with finding his purpose has been a through line for his character, he started off as a spoiled prince and graduated to become his brother's keeper, before taking on the mantle of King of Asgard. Of course, after the snap and killing of Thanos, he spiraled into depression and by the end of Endgame , he hands the kingdom over to Valkyrie ( Tessa Thompson ), telling her, "It's time to be who I am rather than who I'm supposed to be."

While Love and Thunder gives us back the comedic and confident Thor of movies past, we see that even if his fighting prowess is back at its peak — in an opening fight sequence that is sure to deliver loads of laughs — he's still rather lost. Traveling with the Guardians has given him something to do, but he still remains rudderless. Thor never had the makings of a king, despite his royal destiny, and Love and Thunder gives him a new path to take, one that fits closer to who he is. When he learns that someone is killing gods and therefore he has a target on his back, his focus shifts to facing Gorr the God Butcher ( Christian Bale ), starting him on his journey to finding a purpose.

RELATED: The First 'Thor' Movies Were Pure Melodrama, And That's a Good Thing

Hemsworth here is at his peak when it comes to the God of Thunder. Waititi offered him the chance to fully embrace the comedy that he is so good at and it flourishes even more in Love and Thunder . Not only does he have fantastic comedic timing, but he's been given more to work with. Every time Hemsworth takes on another project , he proves that he has far more range than most initially gave him credit for. The development and evolution of Thor makes him a character who hasn't overstayed his welcome. There's still more Thor story to tell.

Opposite him is Bale's Gorr, who will quickly join the ranks of other MCU villains by making you think, "Does this guy with awful teeth kind of have a point?" Gorr, on paper, is not exactly the most complex villain: he's got a standard tragic backstory, and his motivations are clear. We're not breaking any new ground with this character, but it's Bale's menacing and physical performance that makes it stand out. Bale is obviously no stranger to playing villains (or heroes), but the way he delicately balances the sadness of Gorr's past with his vengeful slaughter of Gorr's present makes him exciting to watch.

Joining Thor on his mission are Korg (Waititi), Jane as the Mighty Thor ( Natalie Portman ), and Valkyrie. Love and Thunder is a perfect way to mark the official return of Portman as Jane, this time giving her a meatier role. She vacillates between embracing heroism and being haunted by tragedy. Comics readers won't be surprised by the path her story takes, but it is satisfying nonetheless to see Portman adding some more complexity to Jane. Her romance with Thor, which we only saw the beginning and end of, is explored further and Portman and Hemsworth's chemistry is delightful on screen. Their relationship is all about finding the balance between living every day like it's your last and investing in yourself for the future. It is also impossible not to smile when she becomes the Mighty Thor, in full gleaming armor, beating the crap out of shadow monsters.

King Valkyrie gets a break from her royal duties to head back on an adventure, and while Thompson is always perfect in her role as the capable warrior with a dry wit, the film doesn't go as deep as one would like with Val's character. It feels like there's more than enough material for Val to get her own spin-off, but that all depends on whether Marvel is ready to fully embrace Val's sexuality, out loud and proud. There's some of it here, and the movie is delightfully gayer than expected, but there's room to grow with Val. Instead, the film lingers on her blossoming friendship with Jane, which, is not an equal trade-off but is still enjoyable.

With Love and Thunder , Waititi fully leans into his brand. Having co-written the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson , his DNA is all over this film. Eccentric and funny, with touches of slapstick, and a heavy dose of heart and some melancholy – it's a familiar formula when it comes to Waititi's work, but not one that has lost its charm. Many of the shots in the film look directly plucked from comic book pages, with drastic shadows, dramatic colors, and sweeping landscapes. There's no mistaking what kind of movie you're watching. It's bizarre and bombastic, which doubles down the best of what a movie based on a comic based on Norse mythology could be.

You could easily describe Love and Thunder as over-the-top. The movie is excessive, it introduces a new superhero, a new villain, multiple new characters who we are sure to see more of in future stories, and hands us new Marvel lore to gobble up. It's a lot, which means the exposition lasts a long time. The film's first half might have stumbled a bit with so many moving parts, and it might not have worked without the strong performances holding it together. The second half soars, delivering spectacle fight scenes and elaborating on the film's main theme of embracing love of all types – romantic, platonic, familial. It's about being open and vulnerable, willing to fall in love, even if it means you could get hurt, that's the lesson here.

The film is not perfect, but for the fourth movie in a franchise, Love and Thunder exemplifies the new directions a character's journey can take while still being fresh and exciting. We are thankfully not subjected to a slew of cameos that make less sense plot-wise and are meant more as Easter eggs for the future of the MCU – looking at you Multiverse of Madness . The film embraces Thor as the flawed and sometimes silly man that he is. He has moments that easily prove that he is a god in more than just his name, but also moments where he can be a himbo. He's not stoic or difficult to connect to, there's genuine emotion there, happiness and heartache.

So, while there might be complaints about the film's pacing or weaker first half, Thor: Love and Thunder recaptured exactly what charmed me about these MCU movies. I never once rolled my eyes at a joke that was clearly dropped in, so it could be a zinger and make it to the trailer. It successfully silenced a rather jaded MCU fan by offering a story that had it all without having to sacrifice its soul to the MCU machine that is eager to churn out stories for future phases.

Thor: Love and Thunder comes to theaters on July 8.

Check out more mighty stories about ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’:

'Thor: Love and Thunder': Who Plays [SPOILER]'s Daughter?
When Will 'Thor: Love and Thunder' be Available on Disney+?
Every Damned Spoiler for 'Thor: Love and Thunder'
'Thor: Love and Thunder': Those Screaming Goats, Explained
'Thor: Love and Thunder': All the Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed

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DVD & Streaming

Thor: Love and Thunder

Action/Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

July 8, 2022
Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Natalie Portman as Jane Foster; Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher; Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie; Taika Waititi as Korg; Jaimie Alexander as Sif; Russell Crowe as Zeus

Home Release Date

September 8, 2022
Taika Waititi

Distributor

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Movie Review

For the God of Thunder, it’s been a dark and stormy time.

Over the last several years, Thor has grieved over the death of his father, his mother and his brother (three times). His sister broke his favorite hammer. Thanos proved to be a serious downer. He lost an eye. He lost his planet. He lost his abs.

And then there’s Jane Foster—sweet Jane Foster, the astrophysicist around whom Thor’s heart orbits. Thor lost her, too.

But finally, after a few years and presumably several trillion sit-ups, Thor’s feeling more like himself. He’s fit (as a thunder god should be). His hair has never looked better. And with his new pals, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor occasionally fights bad guys, too—rescuing helpless planets from the villainous armies that might plague them.

And if he sometimes destroys half the planet he’s trying to save? Well, let’s not cry over spilt infrastructure.

So when Thor learns that his old friend, Sif, is chasing down a mysterious evildoer who’s apparently killing gods, Thor’s in position—physically and mentally—to do a bit of chasing himself.

But this god-killer is a formidable foe. When Thor finds Sif, she’s nearly dead, having lost her arm a fight with him. Sif tells Thor that the villain wants to kill all gods—and he’s on his way to New Asgard, the Earth-bound town where the remnants of Asgard’s former population now live (and entertain tourists).

Thor’s already lost one Asgard: He’s not interested in losing another. He quickly zaps to Earth to defend the place, but he discovers that Asgard already has a Thor on watch: a hammer-wielding do-gooder who looks an awful lot like—

Yes, it’s a small universe. Through a complicated chain of events that we won’t get into now, Jane Foster is now Thor. Sort of.

But a reunion between Thor (the original) and the slightly shorter, prettier and more human facsimile will have to wait. The villain—Gorr the God Butcher—is in town, too. And as Thor and Thor battle tentacled and toothy shadow monsters, Gorr snatches Asgard’s children. He takes them far, far away, and he wants Thor (the original) to try and get them back.

It’s a trap, of course. But still, Thor must rescue the children. And in his quest to bring Asgard’s youngest back home, he’ll need help. Help from Valkyrie, the fearsome warrior now serving as New Asgard’s queen. Help from Korg, a stone gladiator who befriended Thor a few movies back; help from Jane Foster, who wields his old, magically repaired hammer, Mjolnir.

Oh, and a couple of giant, screaming goats. Can’t forget the goats.

Positive Elements

Thor: Love and Thunder is aptly named. Let’s concentrate on some of the love here. Despite his protestations, Thor still loves Jane Foster—and his love goes well beyond mere romantic affectations. He wants what’s best for her. His desire to love and protect her, in fact, was instrumental in their reunion and Mjolnir’s reappearance. (We learn that he magicked the hammer to protect Jane, no matter where or when; when Jane comes to New Asgard, Mjolnir does as it was bidden—transforming Jane in the process.) And when Thor learns that Jane’s dealing with an adversary even deadlier than Gorr—cancer—he tries to help her in any way he can. She likewise helps Thor when she can—even when she knows that it might spell her end. And, of course, they and others are trying to save the kids, too. Believe it or not, Gorr is not beyond a measure of redemption himself. He sets himself on his dark path because of love, after all—the love of his precious daughter. Nothing can be quite as horrific and vindictive as love gone wrong, but a kernel of real love remains in Gorr’s soul.

Spiritual Elements

So. In a superficial sense, Love and Thunder just might be the most spiritual superhero film ever. Its hero is a “god,” the villain is called the god butcher, and we see, literally, hundreds of lowercase deities. Most of them hang out in Omnipotence City—a nice little metropolis where the gods do very little but meet and party. Zeus (the Greek god of lightning, amongst other things) heads this divine-heavy metropolis (Thor admits the guy is something of a hero to him), and he shows off on his magically suspended dais in a god-infested assembly room. Earth-based gods are disproportionately represented: We see some representatives from Aztec and Mayan mythology, for instance. (Thor and his friends sneak in after swiping some robes from some emotion -based gods; the robes ae supposed to change color depending on the mood of the wearer.) While the film suggests that the gods are supposed to protect and safeguard their various worlds, most seem way more preoccupied with their own happiness and well-being to spend time thinking about their worshipers. (Which, when you read the myths of many of the gods represented, seems surprisingly accurate.) And while one of them grumbles about how little devotion and fear they’re striking in mortals these days, these gods certainly have no interest in dealing with Gorr. You can see why. In Gorr’s onscreen origin story, we see him on a barren, dusty world, praying desperately to his chosen deity as his daughter slowly dies of thirst. His prayers go unanswered. After he buries his daughter, Gorr suddenly discovers a lush oasis, where a golden-armored god chats with a trio of sentient flower-creatures. They’re celebrating the death of the holder of something called the Necrosword —a weapon that we’re told can kill any god. Gorr tells the golden god that all his devotees are dead now. The god says he’s not worried: More will come, and he mocks Gorr’s devotion. “Nothing awaits you after death, but death!” he says. The Necrosword makes its way into Gorr’s hands after this brutal disillusionment, and Gorr uses it to kill his god. We see the gigantic corpse of another god that Gorr felled (“one of the nicest gods you’d ever meet,” someone says), and we hear that he’s dispatched others. Gorr mocks believers for offering up prayers that he believes will go unanswered. “The gods will use you,” he says, “but they will not help you.” The children of Asgard, though, insist that Thor will save them—believing in the face of Gorr’s mockery. And it does seem as though Thor’ the only god here who can be bothered by the supplications of his followers. A couple of notes: Thor does say that Omnipotence City is a gathering place for “the most powerful created gods in the universe”—suggesting that these gods have their own creator. And Gorr, in an effort to speed up his god butchery, petitions an even greater power than the gods themselves—one who can grant, apparently, any wish. We hear several references to Valhalla (the Norse version of heaven), and [ Spoiler Warning ] even see the place in one post-credits scene. Various weapons seem to have at least a bit of sentience, and one curses its bearer.

Sexual Content

While in Omnipotence City, Thor’s stripped down to his birthday suit as he petitions Zeus. The movie audience sees Thor’s exposed backside, but the gods themselves get an eyeful of the front (which is, of course, strategically covered for us). The female contingent gathered ‘round Zeus (called the Zeusettes in the credits) collectively swoon at the sight, and other women and female gods ogle. Zeus also speaks repeatedly of a planned orgy in Omnipotence City. We see flashbacks to Jane and Thor’s relationship (where, it seems, they lived together). They kiss and snuggle and have a lot of relatively innocent fun together, but we don’t see anything remotely erotic or raunchy. They profess their love for each other, as well. (We also see how their relationship turned sour, as well, and they at least partially blame each other for its implosion.) We see quick flashbacks to some other women that Thor has wooed (featuring him kissing most of them). It was long rumored that Valkyrie (who’s bisexual in the comics) would be coming out for the first time onscreen in Love and Thunder , and indeed she does. She kisses a woman’s hand and briefly recalls the many women with whom she’s had relationships with. But that’s not the end of Love and Thunder’ s LGBT forays. Korg wistfully remembers how his two dads made him (clasping their hands over a pool of molten lava), and at the end of the movie, he apparently does the same with a “bloke named Duane.” (One thing to note, though: Korg’s race of rock aliens may not actually have any women to mate with.) As is common in superhero movies, we see both men and women in formfitting clothing. A Guardian of the Galaxy crew member announces that he’s gotten married while they’ve been visiting a planet. “You can’t get married on every single planet we land on!” Guardian leader Peter Quill tells him. Thor directs Jane’s attention to a pod of space dolphins. “They mate for life in packs of six,” he tells her.

Violent Content

This review is already surprisingly long, so I won’t belabor the action and violence we see here. You already know this is a superhero film, which means you can expect to see scads of battles (both individual skirmishes and war-like melees) featuring fists, weapons, lighting bolts and the like. But a few special things to make note of. Thor and others fight with several golden guards in Omnipotent City, slaughtering most with extreme prejudice. The blood they spill looks like liquid gold. But had it been red, this scene alone would’ve garnered Love and Thunder a hard-R rating. The shadow monsters under Gorr’s control might be quite scary for younger viewers. They, too, are gutted and torn asunder grotesquely. Gorr stabs someone in the jaw with a sword and rips the head of a creature. Someone is skewered through the chest with a lightning bolt, leading many to believe he’s dead. (He’s not.) We see a dead child. Thor talks about feasting once the children are rescued. “But not on the children,” he adds. “We don’t do that anymore. Those were dark times.” There’s apparently some sort of recognition in Omnipotence City for the deity that scores the highest number of human sacrifices. We see lots of property damage.

Crude or Profane Language

Nearly a dozen s-words join several other profanities, including “a–,” “d–n,” “h—,” “crap,” “p-ss” and two misuses of God’s name.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Valkryie and Korg hang out in a bar, sipping drinks. Zeus invites Thor to stay in Omnipotence City and just drink his cares away. “Anything goes in Omnipotence City,” he says.

Other Negative Elements

None, unless you count Thor’s boundless, clueless confidence.

The last superhero film that director Taika Waititi helmed was, of course, Thor: Ragnarok, a genre-busting fever dream that turned Jeff Goldblum into a supervillain, Chris Hemsworth into a first-class comedic actor and Matt Damon into Loki. Thor: Love and Thunder makes Ragnarok look like a PBS period drama. When Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) asked director Taika Waititi how the script was shaping up several months before filming, he told her that it “feels like we asked a bunch of 10-year-olds what should be in a movie and just said yes to everything.” So, yes. Translated, Love and Thunder is silly, often funny and, in truth, quite entertaining. But let’s also stress that if you said yes to everything a 10-year-old wanted to do in, say, your house , you’d be lucky to have a house left. And 10-year-olds are not known for their entertainment discernment, either. Movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—at least in a post Avengers: Endgame world—seem to be getting progressively more problematic, both spiritually and sexually. Love and Thunder may be a better movie than Eternals and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness … but content-wise, it’s a step or two worse. The film’s collection of bargain-bin gods offers opportunity for discussion—but I think for many Christian families, their presence makes this a tough sell from the get-go. Add in bare backsides, LGBT content, some really creepy monsters and a surprising level of profanity, and you’ve got yet more to wade through. Some parents will ignore these notes of caution. They’ve seen all the MCU movies, they reason. What’s one more? And, of course, that’s fine. You know better than Plugged In does about what’s right for your family. But it’s possible that, upon seeing it, it might not be just the film’s goats that feel like screaming.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct. Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct. Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.

Taika Waititi
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Chris Hemsworth
Natalie Portman
Christian Bale
4.2K User reviews
363 Critic reviews
57 Metascore
3 wins & 21 nominations

Jane Foster …

King Valkyrie

Peter Quill …

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Sons Sasha Hemsworth and Tristan Hemsworth play young Thor (at different ages).
Daughter India Rose Hemsworth plays Gorr's daughter.
Brother Luke Hemsworth plays a stage actor portraying Thor.
Wife Elsa Pataky plays a former lover of Thor (the wolf woman in the opening sequence).
Goofs In the opening scene, when Gorr is in the garden, notice that Christian Bale 's eye mole switches sides - some shots were obviously flipped.

Gorr : [wields the Necrosword] It feels more like a promise than a curse. So, this is my vow: all gods will die.

Crazy credits SPOILER: There is a scene in the closing credits: Jane arrives in Valhalla, and is welcomed by Heimdall.
Connections Edited into Marvel Studios: Legends: Mantis (2022)
Soundtracks Only Time Written by Enya , Nicky Ryan , and Roma Ryan Performed by Enya Courtesy of Warner Music UK By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

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$250,000,000 (estimated)
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Jul 10, 2022
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Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, the Mighty Thor, and Chris Hemsworth as Thor Odinson.

Once upon a time, Marvel Studios’ Thor movies were overwrought slogs that only catered to the most diehard comic book fans — until one day, when director Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok revitalized the franchise with colorful whimsy and a hulking but lighter sense of humor . While reframing Thor as the MCU’s himbo god of jocularity was a solid way of renewing interest in the character, an overabundance of jokes and reliance on the Odinson’s comedic chops are some of the big reasons why Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder feels like an awkward step back.

Like most of Marvel’s recent Phase 4 films, Thor: Love and Thunder is a sequel that tries its best to work as a standalone movie, but its story works best if you come to it having seen some of the studio’s other recent tentpole movies. Set some time after Avengers: Endgame , Thor: Love and Thunder gets right back to the ongoing story — or myth, depending on how you look at it — of how Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) became one of Earth’s most legendary heroes after leaving the original Asgard.

Both because the Avengers don’t exactly exist anymore as an organization and because Thor chose King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) to lead New Asgard at the end of Endgame , Love and Thunder finds the Asgardian thunder god and Korg (Taika Waititi) somewhere out in space with their newest chosen family — the Guardians of the Galaxy. Though Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Nebula (Karen Gillan), and the other current Guardians feature largely in one of Love and Thunder ’s first set pieces, they’re only part of the film for a brief amount of time, meant to illustrate the aimlessness and codependence Thor feels in the wake of everything he’s recently lost (like his beer gut).

Thor hanging out with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Similar to Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness before it, Thor: Love and Thunder ’s an excellent example of Marvel still not being quite sure how to pick up ongoing narratives that get interrupted by massive crossover events. Love and Thunder clearly wants to keep its focus fixed on Thor, who hasn’t headlined his own film since 2017. But so much has happened within the MCU since then that Love and Thunder ’s ability to create a cohesive and compelling sense of shared continuity with its predecessors is initially limited.

While Love and Thunder feels almost as if it’s clearing its throat as it’s catching you up on Thor’s life, the movie’s far more sure of itself as it introduces you to Gorr (Christian Bale), an ordinary single father who becomes a butcher of the gods after his prayers to save the life of his daughter go unanswered. After years of leading with the idea that all of its characters inspired by deities were actually different kinds of aliens, Thor: Love and Thunder marks the return of Marvel framing them as supernatural beings whose powers aren’t just highly advanced forms of technology.

Gorr’s desire to rid the universe of gods gives him a unique motivation in the MCU, but what’s really intriguing about his presence in Love and Thunder is how he helps the movie work as a study of what kind of person Thor is. Before Love and Thunder even pits Thor and Gorr against one another, it hammers home how, despite all Thor’s Avengers-related heroism, as a deity, he’s never been the most responsible or attentive to the needs of the humans who love and worship him — all of which makes it easy to understand Gorr’s hatred.

Like Gorr, Jane Foster’s (Natalie Portman) feelings about (at least one of the) gods are complicated and deeply personal, but Love and Thunder brings her back into the MCU in part to show you how her world didn’t really end after her being ghosted by the divine. Dr. Jane Foster, astrophysicist, had an entire life before Thor crashed into her life, Love and Thunder matter of factly points out, and it’s what she got back to after he left.

In addition to establishing Jane as a bestselling author, Love and Thunder complicates her story by introducing elements from writer Jason Aaron and artist Russell Dauterman’s Mighty Thor comics that transformed Jane into a new kind of Thor as she also battled breast cancer. While there are some echoes of comics Jane’s path to becoming the Mighty Thor present in Love and Thunder , the movie approaches the character in a markedly different way that plays like a deliberate pivot away from Marvel’s approach to rolling out big-name female heroes in recent years.

When Marvel began teasing out Jane’s Thor turn with an announcement on The View (yes, that The View ) back in 2014, it felt very much like Disney making an effort to spotlight Marvel’s larger project of revamping legacy characters to appeal to a new generation of readers. Canon-challenging comics centering characters like Carol Danvers are what laid the groundwork for them to join the MCU, and the financial success of films like Captain Marvel spoke to how many of these all-new, all-different heroes resonated with audiences. But rather than tapping into the Mighty Thor comics’ ideas about what it means to be worthy of bearing the responsibility that comes with being a hero, Love and Thunder largely leaves Jane in the realm of jokey love interests where she’s robbed of some agency in a surprising way.

Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor, Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie, and Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

Love and Thunder ’s frequent detours into romcom territory in between action-heavy set pieces feel like Marvel’s attempt at testing out just how much the Thor movies can be used to give viewers a taste of other genres. Both Portman and Hemsworth bring a lighthearted joviality to Love and Thunder that works well in moments when the movie’s highlighting the emotional connection that first brought Thor and Jane together. But the film struggles when it has to shift gears to focus on Gorr, a grieving zealot who Bale portrays with an intensity that falls short of being terrifying.

Thor’s history of prioritizing glory over duty and Jane becoming a newly minted member of the Asgardian pantheon could, one imagines, make their confrontation against a god killer the sort of showdown meant to crown a movie working with some relatively lofty ideas. Instead, Love and Thunder generally positions itself as a fairy tale for children about star-crossed lovers who are afraid to tell one another how they feel even as they stare down the one thing that might actually be able to kill them.

Thor: Love and Thunder doesn’t come anywhere near being as much of a letdown as Multiverse of Madness was, but the two movies are alike in how they both seem to be the products of the MCU settling into an era where its future is still being figured out. At least some of that future’s teased out in Love and Thunder ’s mid- and post-credits scenes — both of which are almost certain to be crowd-pleasers that satisfy those who show up already certain they’re in this for the long haul. But as the latest piece of lore defining the Odinson and his allies in the present, Thor: Love and Thunder is a clunky chapter in what feels like a franchise that’s still figuring itself out.

Thor: Love and Thunder also stars Russell Crowe, Jaimie Alexander, Matt Damon, and Luke Hemsworth. The movie hits theaters on July 8th.

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Thor: Love and Thunder review: Hectic, starry fourth installment goes full Waititi weirdo

The Ragnarok director returns with more space-Viking shenanigans, and a new villain in Christian Bale.

Leah Greenblatt is the critic at large at Entertainment Weekly , covering movies, music, books, and theater. She is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle, and has been writing for EW since 2004.

Is the multiverse eating itself? When Thor: Love and Thunder lands in theaters July 8, it will be the fourth Marvel movie in less than a year after Eternals , Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings , and the latest iterations of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange . (Which doesn't even account for some half-dozen TV offshoots.) If Thunder , with its cheerful melee of starry cameos, in-jokes, and Cliffs-Notes mythology, feels a lot like franchise fatigue, it also has frequent moments of gonzo charm, thanks largely to the Technicolor lunacy of writer-director Taika Waititi and a cast that seems inordinately game to follow his lead.

Christian Bale , his hairless body wraith-pale and lips blackened like a day-walking Nosferatu, has been handed the villain's mantle this time, a denizen of some parched, barren planet spiraling into into Mad Max-ian end times. When he turns to the heavens for help in the opening scene, his desperate pleas for his dying child are treated with casually cruel dismissal by a Dionysus too busy peeling grapes and burnishing his crown to care. And so, disillusioned and depraved by grief, Bale's Gorr becomes the God Butcher, armed with a death-eating blade called the Necrosword.

And God Butchers are exactly the kind of business Thor ( Chris Hemsworth ) and his cohort were born to thwart — if only the former king of Asgard, now essentially unemployed, can pull himself out of an immortal-life crisis adrift in beer and bad ponchos. Getting back to his former glory involves a general glow-up (farewell, poncho!), a brief, noisy reunion with the Guardians of the Galaxy — Chris Pratt 's Star-Lord, Dave Bautista' s Drax the Destroyer, assorted Groots and racoons — and a return to Asgard, where Tessa Thompson 's Valkyrie now benevolently holds the throne.

A world away, Thor's estranged love Dr. Jane Foster ( Natalie Portman ), undergoing her own crisis, is compelled to Asgard somehow by her ex's now-freelance hammer, and her arrival provokes Thor's still-tender feelings for both the girl and the weapon that forsook him. His Viking ego must absorb the blow that Jane's possession of the hammer invests her with powers comparable to his, which the actress dutifully takes on in a much-vaunted transformation that mostly manifests in tawny hair extensions and a pair of terrifying biceps. (If you've seen the trailer , you have some idea of the leather-and-lightning rivalry to come; Portman wears it well as a costume, though she still seems more at home as an earthly scientist.)

With those story pieces more or less in place, Waititi, who co-penned the skittering script with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, is free to turn up his style dials to 11. Four Thor s and 11 years ago, Kenneth Branagh gave the first entry an air of grand Shakespearean drama, steeped in sober gray-scale and intra-familial clashes. The aptly titled Thor: The Dark World (which director Alan Taylor later partly disowned ) followed in 2013, to clearly diminishing returns, before Waititi took on 2017's Thor: Ragnorak , a movie so audaciously cheeky and weird it came off like less like a reboot than a full personality transplant.

Love and Thunder is pretty much all that again, poured into a centrifuge. If the MCU at this point has become a mood ring for its various directors — Chloe Zhao's spacious, slow-churn Eternals ; Sam Raimi's squishy, trippy Doctor Strange — New Zealand native Waititi is the impish Kiwi outsider, his psychedelic visuals and offbeat humor so infused with chaos and camp, it often feels as if the film has passed through a fine mist of ayahuasca. In the best moments, that yields inspired scenes like Russell Crowe as a portly, imperious Zeus addressing a summit of the Gods. (Have you really lived until you've heard Crowe roll the word "Babycake" across his tongue like butterscotch?) A-list drop-ins ( Matt Damon , Melissa McCarthy ) come and go so quickly, they may not have earned a full day rate, and several stalwarts of the series, including Idris Elba and Stellan Skarsgard , seem to appear simply to be marked off a contractual checklist.

Hemsworth remains almost absurdly well-suited to the title role, a golden-god himbo with crack comic timing and a seemingly bottomless well of Aussie goodwill. Bale is appropriately ghoulish and sepulchral, though the difficulty-setting on this part seems low for an actor of his caliber; mostly, he just has to snarl from dark corners and not lose too much squid-ink spittle when he talks. The movie suffers from none of the self-seriousness or draggy exposition of other Marvel outings, even when its patchwork plot feels stuck together with rainbows and chewing gum. (And so much Guns N' Roses — Axl Rose is essentially the spirit animal of this soundtrack.)

Even in Valhalla or Paradise City, though, there is still love and loss; Thor dutifully delivers both, and catharsis in a climax that inevitably doubles as a setup for the next installment. More and more, this cinematic universe feels simultaneously too big to fail and too wide to support the weight of its own endless machinations. None of it necessarily makes any more sense in Waititi's hands, but at least somebody's having fun. Grade: B

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ review: Marvel’s most metal movie yet

There's plenty of fun and games in Taika Waititi's Guns N' Roses-obsessed romp

I t’s been quite the ride for Marvel ’s God of Thunder since he first strode into the MCU. From battling his brother Loki to getting his head crunched by the purple-headed destroyer Thanos to becoming a hermit and growing one almighty “dad bod”, Thor’s gone from Shakespearean tragedy to comedy, partly thanks to Taika Waititi. The Kiwi director reinvented him in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok , slicing in the sort of quirky humour that’s characterised his best films, like Hunt For The Wilderpeople and What We Do In The Shadows .

This dream team are reunited for Thor: Love and Thunder , a film that if not quite as fresh as Ragnarok , still bounces to the Waititi beat. It also rocks with a roster of Guns N’ Roses tunes, beginning with the best use of ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ since the advert for video game masterpiece Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas . Clearly, Waititi has been playing ‘Appetite for Destruction’ on repeat, with ‘Paradise City’ and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ also popping up, bringing the thunder if not the love. Axl Rose even gets a nifty little name-check.

After a brief sweetener that sees Thor battling alongside the Guardians Of The Galaxy team, the story proper kicks in with the arrival of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a vengeful being who really has it in for the immortals. To combat him, Thor teams up with Ragnarok alumni Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg, the film’s wry CG-stone creature/narrator voiced by Waititi. But the real reunion is with Thor’s former flame, Dr Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). Despite ailing health, when she ventures to New Asgard, the touristy tribute to Thor’s home world, and touches his broken hammer Mjölnir (not a euphemism), she’s suddenly channelling his powers.

Soon enough, Jane aka ‘The Mighty Thor’ is battling Gorr alongside her ex in the meet-cute to end them all. Hemsworth and Portman’s chemistry could charm the birds from the New Asgardian trees, as Thor comes to figure out what love’s got to do with it. But there’s more, with a sojourn to Omnipotence City, where the team implores the thunder-blasting Zeus (Russell Crowe) to help them battle Gorr. Crowe’s gut-wobbling god is a comic delight, one of the best characters the Gladiator star has played in many a moon as he swans around his cosmic citadel surrounded by a bevy of female admirers.

Fans of Hemsworth will certainly enjoy ‘Naked Thor’, an amusing consequence of his attempts to ask Zeus for help. He even sports an “RIP Loki” tattoo on his back, just one of many delicious blink-and-you’ll-miss-them details that battle for space alongside more Waititi-esque moments (a talking bao bun anyone?) Meanwhile, Bale’s terrifying Gorr comes on like an intergalactic version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ’s Child Catcher, kidnapping some Asgardian kids to lure Thor into battle.

Credit Waititi and co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who ensure Love and Thunder builds to something more profound than simply another hero/villain showdown. Parenthood, relationships, responsibility, and mortality all come into play as Thor, well, grows up. Best of all, like Ragnarok before it, it’s tremendously entertaining. Welcome to the jungle, indeed.

Director: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman
Release date: July 7 (only in cinemas)
Related Topics
Guns N' Roses
Marvel Cinematic Universe

REVIEW: Thor: Love & Thunder Exceeds Mighty Expectations

Thor: Love and Thunder lives up to its title, delivering a cosmic, Viking adventure full of humor and heart, comedy and drama.

Becoming the first original Avenger with a fourth solo movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is already a mighty task. Also taking that opportunity to introduce one of the best villains from Thor's comics and give viewers the welcomed return of Natalie Portman's Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor ensured that Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder was certainly up against high hopes. Thankfully, Thor's fourth film more than meets these expectations as moviegoers are taken on a cosmic Viking adventure that has tons of heart and humor.

Last time viewers saw Chris Hemsworth's Thor, he appointed Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie as King of Asgard as he set off on a soul-searching journey alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy. When gods across the universe are being murdered in brutal fashion, he parts ways with this crew, teaming up with Korg, Valkyrie, and Jane Foster, who is now wielding Mjolnir and transformed into The Mighty Thor. Together, they go against Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher, an alien who promises that all gods will die.

RELATED: Kevin Feige Has Plans for the Asgardians After Thor: Love and Thunder

Bale delivers one of the best villains the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to offer. Along with a captivating physicality, thanks in large part to the makeup and FX crews behind his design and application, Bale reminds audiences that a villain is often a hero in their own eyes. While his actions are horrific, Bale brings an empathy to Gorr, and audiences can feel his heartbreak. However, this tragic character also commands the room with bloody action, a vengeful mission, and brilliant moments of sinister humor.

Waititi has a talent when it comes to developing heart-wrenching stories that are masked as comedies. Thor: Love and Thunder falls in a similar vein, delivering a radical, fun ride that is pure rock 'n' roll but also a story about love, loss, and how to deal with heartbreak. Viewers have seen in past films inklings of how much Thor has lost over the centuries, and Love and Thunder brings this full circle, with Hemsworth finding an enjoyable and empathetic balance between action, comedy, and tragedy.

This applies to everyone in the core cast, too. Jane's personal journey is not just about beating the bad guy. She's fighting for others, but also herself, and the joy Portman has in this role captures what any mortal with a worthy heart would feel if they got a chance to fight alongside their favorite superheroes. Major credit to the writing of this film for giving Jane the story she deserves and making her a hero so many can relate to and look up to.

RELATED: Thor: Love and Thunder Is a Love Letter to '80s Rock

Meanwhile, Thompson's turn as Valkyrie tops what was on display in Thor: Ragnarok . Along with a solid storyline building off what was established there, Thor: Love and Thunder further delves into her past, highlighting what she's lost, how she's moved on, and what she holds on to. The way Thompson carries herself alone conveys that immense weight on her shoulders. Valkyrie continues to be one of the most badass heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, relishing in the fun of Love and Thunder and feeling like she should be the protagonist of her own swashbuckling, intergalactic pulp novel.

Thor: Love and Thunder is one of the most visually stunning movies in the MCU, and it is a great reminder to moviegoers of how wild and fun the source material can get. The use of color, in particular, is jaw-dropping, especially during one of the climactic battles, which embraces the use of black and white, using little bits of color to enhance certain elements on screen. Meanwhile, other moments feel pulled straight from the side of a spray-painted van in the best possible way.

RELATED: Thor: Love and Thunder Director Explains What the Odinson Needs to Be Complete

Along with that, the action itself is captivating. This is a fun movie through and through, and that's on full display with the fights. Valkyrie taking such joy in her combat and the clever use of blood in those instances is glorious. Meanwhile, how Jane and Gorr use their respective weapons shows off some innovative uses of FX to deliver unique fighting styles. Even Thor and Zeus (Russell Crowe) have a few tricks up their sleeves.

Accompanying these beautiful visuals is a soundtrack that audiences will rock out to on the way home from the theater. Battles accompanied by Guns N' Roses is exactly what the God of Thunder deserves, and with all of this combined, viewers see Hemsworth's Thor at his best, as he leads the charge in several epic moments. Waititi's vision for Thor is not just what the God of Thunder needs -- it's what the MCU needs, as he brings so much fun and heart to the big screen with Thor: Love and Thunder .

For those who were not fans of Thor's more comedic treatment in Ragnarok , Love and Thunder may feel disappointingly familiar. There are also moments that are primarily there for a recap, but even then, it's done in a tongue-in-cheek way that's entertaining. Meanwhile, those who love seeing this side of the self-proclaimed strongest Avenger will not be disappointed. Thor: Love and Thunder lives up to its name and sets the stage for an exciting future for this corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Chris Hemsworth's Thor returns in Marvel Studios' Thor: Love and Thunder.

Catch Thor: Love and Thunder in theaters July 8.

Movie Review — “Thor: Love and Thunder”

Grim stakes and goofiness, gods-bashing and GNR — that’s the latest Taika Waititi take on “the Space Viking,” “Thor: Love and Thunder.”

Sure, every Marvel movie panders, cluttered with cross-over characters, self-aware jokes, Easter eggs and cameos. As someone who figures that all of these movies should be played as a lark, emphasizing the silliness of it all, the “Thor” movies have long been my favorites. But this is the first one that really feels as if it’s pandering to me. And that shifting back and forth in tone from the deathly serious to the profoundly silly isn’t going to be to every taste.

That’s not to say that packing four Oscar winners into the cast — one of them the leading lady and another of them that rarity, a deadly villain with legitimate grievances — doesn’t pay off and give the film gravitas in the beginning and pathos in the finale.

But it’s the jokes that make it, with the self-mocking man-mountain Chris Hemsworth setting the tone and making it fun, and Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson and the rest taking their cue from him. The flippant funniness balances against this universe’s crisis of faith subtext, with Thor reassuring kidnapped and perhaps doomed children with the last thing they want to hear, dogma that’s no substitute for a long and happy life.

Not to worry, “If you die, you’ll end up in VALHALLA!” Yeah, that goes over like a beating the family puppy.

A somber opening has Gorr ( Christian Bale ), a pious alien who discovers his faith is wasted on a god who doesn’t answer prayers, such as ones to save his daughter. His eyes opened by meeting his (literal) idol, callous and cruel and dismissive in the flesh, a magical talisman, the Necro Sword, transforms Gorr into “The God Butcher.” The entire supernatural universe becomes his prey.

Eventually, he’ll have to get around to the God of Thunder, right?

One mercifully-short bit with the last and least of the Chrises — Chris Pratt — and his barely-in-the-first-act Guardians of the Galaxy later, lovelorn and losing-himself-in-his-work Thor finds himself assembling a fresh team to go deal with this new threat.

The ex-girlfriend “Jane Fonda, no, Jane Foster ” (Portman) is back, with bad news on the health front and one busted and restored hammer on hand to pitch in with. There’s also “King” Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson, working on her posh Brit RP accent ), who gets to give up running the tourist attraction New Asgard to join Thor in his quest, along with his old stone-faced chum Korg (a CGI Waititi).

Saddled with those story/cast requirements, Waititi finds ways to play around with all the seriousness, beginning with Korg amusingly narrating our “Space Viking” tale to a cave/classroom full of kiddies, a tale that involves kidnapping and the possible “extinction” of gods if our villain gets his way.

Thor’s acknowledgement that “This ends here, now, ” has become Thor’s catchphrase, Hemsworth’s meaty meathead thrown-for-a-loss by love and Thor’s tactlessness never fail to amuse. Parents are fretting about the outcome of his free-the-kidnapped-children quest?

Not to worry, he and his crew will find and free them, “and then we shall FEAST!” Pause. “NOT on children.” Pause. “We don’t DO that anymore.” Pause. “SHAMEful time!”

Waititi gets laughs out of cameos — check out the “actors” in a Thor/Odin/Loki/ stage show attraction at New Asgard. And guess who plays a grumpy, blustery, Greco-Roman accented Zeus, as if you haven’t read the credits?

The “cool parts,” as you’ve seen and heard in the movie’s trailers, are turn-the-tide brawls all set to Guns’n Roses Greatest Hits, and they’re nicely timed to turn up once in each of the film’s three acts.

And Waititi doesn’t so much curb Marvel’s elephantiasis in running times as draw a line and stick with it — two hours of this is enough. Always.

The “message,” a better to have loved and lost and earned “that sh—y feeling,” comes through loud and clear. But that whole Guardians bit seems shoehorned in and does those characters and actors playing them (save for the scowling Dave Bautista ) no favors.

The finales in these films are preordained and formulaic. The best you can hope for is that the CGI fights will at least be visually coherent, which they are in this case.

But Waititi is to be treasured for simply seeing all this as lightweight fun, a bit of nonsense with a bunch of movie stars dressing up like gods and having a laugh. A heroine who rides into battle on a unicorn? The Viking longship tourist attraction converted into a spaceship by the addition of screaming alien goats? The whole idea of supernatural deities reduced to needy, petty bullies or “Zeussettes” who faint at the sight of an accidentally naked Thor?

Hard to take any of that all that seriously, and Waititi, no matter how big the budget or how high the fan-fantasized stakes, never does. Bless him.

So no, “Love and Thunder” isn’t as much fun as its trailers. But it’s close enough, Sweet child o’mine.

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, (profanity), some suggestive material and partial nudity.

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.

Credits: Scripted and directed by Taika Waititi, based on the comics by Stan Lee and others. A Marvel Studios release.

Running time: 1:58

About Roger Moore

3 responses to movie review — “thor: love and thunder”.

Well, sadly I have to agree. Jokes were funny. The movie wasn’t so much. The love triangle among Thor, Mjolnir and Axe, were funny at first, but boring and weird as it got carried away. Personally, Christian Bale felt like a waste. Brought in the best material to act the best villain of MCU, then given a plain mediocre villain instead. I wish Gorr’s scenes were more serious and dark. Not just black and white in color, But giving real chills in the spine. I would say his path of God Butcher should have been more visual to the audiences, so we could feel his rage and disappointment so we could relate to his pain and resentments towards gods. The narrative given by filthy Zeus(Russell Crowe) to portray shallow gods wasn’t just enough to convince. Also the Jane’s story wasn’t impactful enough. Felt rushed to a conclusion.

What a disappointment. My score would be 4 out of ten.

Not sure if we watched the same movie. The one I watched was a dreadful attempt at a mix of romcom, adventure and superhero genres which failed dismally. One of the worst movies of the 21st century to date.

A lark that took the genre as seriously as it deserves? Ahem. Your hyperbole suggests you’re not seeing many movies and thus utterly lack perspective, to say nothing of any appreciation for what Waititi tries to do in most of his films, even the fan-pandering comic book adaptations. “Love & Thunder” wasn’t particularly comic-book-movie-addict friendly, Nor is it remotely on the same level as the “worst movies” that came out, say, the same week that it came out, much less “the 21st century.” I see far FAR feebler films on pretty much a daily basis. Try sitting through “Death Count,” which came out the same day as “L & T.”

Movie Review: Torture Porn set to “10 Little Indians” — “Death Count”

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Why ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Was So Much Worse Than ‘Ragnarok’

Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder were both from the same director, Taika Waititi, and featured much of the same cast, including Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder. They both have very similar plot structures; they start with humorous recap monologues that lead to big fight scenes followed by a return to Asgard (or New Asgard), when a new villain with a personal beef with Thor is unleashed, then Thor heads to another planet where a comedic secondary villain tries to imprison him, leading to a big battle, an escape, and then an ending that involves Thor making a noble sacrifice to attain victory.

So why did one work and one fell flat? There’s one central scene in both films that explains it all. In our latest ScreenCrush video we break down these two Marvel blockbusters and show why one was a huge favorite with fans, and the other disappointed audiences. Watch our full breakdown below:

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READ MORE: The Evolution of Marvel’s Iconic Logo

If you liked that video comparing Thor: Ragnarok and Love and Thunder and figuring out why one worked and the other didn’t check out more of our videos below, including one on Deadpool & Wolverine’s CinemaCon footage and Marvel’s whole presentation, one on all of the Easter eggs and secrets in Episode 5 of X-Men ’97 Episode 5, and an explainer on Marvel’s the Maker and why he could be the perfect replacement for Kang in the MCU. Plus, there’s tons more videos over at ScreenCrush’s YouTube channel . Be sure to subscribe to catch all our future episodes. Deadpool & Wolverine is scheduled to premiere in theaters on July 26.

Screen Rant

The new avengers line-up: predicting captain america’s replacement heroes.

The first Captain America: Brave New World footage teased the creation of a new Avengers team, and some heroes are perfect for Sam Wilson's squad.

War Machine could step into Iron Man's role in the new Avengers.
Thor has unresolved storylines and may play a significant role in upcoming Avengers films, possibly meeting Loki and Jane Foster again.
Sam Wilson, as Captain America, should be the new leader of the Avengers.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe needs to assemble a new Avengers team, and based on new information, it is possible to predict which heroes could be part of the superhero squad alongside Captain America. There have been four Avengers movies so far, all being released during the Infinity Saga. The MCU's Multiverse Saga chose to let the team on the side for a couple of phases, with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars finally bringing the team back.

A lot of speculation has gone into which MCU characters will continue as the Avengers following 2019's Avengers: Endgame ; however, new Captain America: Brave New World footage confirmed the Avengers are inactive . The footage revealed at CinemaCom from the upcoming Captain America movie included Harrison Ford's Thunderbolt Ross asking Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, to set up a new Avengers team . Based on a few factors around that exchange and the Multiverse Saga so far, a few heroes emerge as great candidates for the new Avengers.

10 Harsh Realities Of The Original MCU Avengers Team

10 war machine, rhodey's mcu role is about to change.

After playing a supporting role in the MCU for several years, War Machine could be graduating to a key role in the Avengers soon . Similar to Sam Wilson, Rhodey will finally get to lead an MCU project in the future, with the character being the star of the announced Armor Wars movie . With Iron Man gone, War Machine could occupy the hero's role in the Avengers.

More than that, Rhodey would make sense for the new Avengers team for a couple of reasons. Ross was the one to talk to Sam about restarting the Avengers, which means there could be some level of government oversight going on for the team . As War Machine was on Iron Man's side of the Sokovia Accords and is a man of the military, Rhodey would easily comply with that requirement.

The Character Has Some Story Threads Left

Thor: Love and Thunder was far from the success fans were expecting from the repeat of the Chris Hemsworth-Taika Waititi actor/director duo that reinvented Thor with 2017's Thor: Ragnarok . While the movie suffered heavy criticism for its two conflicting tones, Thor: Love and Thunder 's ending set up a couple of stories for Thor's MCU future, with the hero having to raise Love and Hercules coming for him. Meeting Loki and Jane Foster again could be in store for Thor's next appearances.

The character was not present in Captain America: Civil War to pick a side; however, Thor would be a hard one to agree with any government oversight of the Avengers. That said, new Deadpool & Wolverine footage revealed a Thor cameo, with the hero crying over a dying Deadpool in a vision from the " distant future ," which should mean Thor will be around for at least one of the upcoming Avengers movies.

8 Yelena Belova

Black widow's avengers spot is available.

Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova has quickly become an MCU fan favorite despite her few appearances. The character will return to the big screen next year as part of the star-studded ensemble of Marvel's Thunderbolts* . The movie serves to show how Yelena would be game to be a part of the new Avengers team. Not only will the character be working as a member of a superpowered squad, but the Thunderbolts have been assembled by a prominent US government figure.

After making cameo appearances throughout MCU projects in recent years, Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the MCU's Director of the CIA, will return in Thunderbolts* to command the team she has assembled. Besides her being part of Valentina's team, Yelena Belova joining the Avengers as the new Black Widow could be how she continues to honor Natasha Romanoff's legacy.

The MCU Still Needs The Original Avengers

Only three of the original Avengers remain in the MCU . With Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop in play, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye could finally retire and pass on the baton. However, like Thor, Mark Ruffalo's Hulk still has more story to tell in the MCU. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law 's finale saw the Hulk return from Sakaar and introduce to his family — and a present Matt Murdock — that he had a son, with Skaar making his MCU debut.

Skaar's backstory and future have yet to be explored in the MCU, and given how a new Hulk solo movie is unlikely, the character could join the new Avengers team. With so many younger heroes or recent additions to the franchise, the Avengers will need the experience of veterans to take on the Council of Kangs and more, and Hulk could help them immensely.

6 Falcon (Joaquin Torres)

Captain america has a new partner.

Joaquin Torres made his MCU debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier . The character had a previous friendship with Sam Wilson, as both served together in the military, and that bond only deepened after Joaquin risked his life to help Sam in a time of need. Top Gun: Maverick 's Danny Ramirez will return as Joaquin Torres in Captain America: Brave New World , cementing his role as Sam Wilson's new partner in crime in the MCU.

In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , as Sam Wilson embraced his new role as the MCU's Captain America, he passed on his mechanical wings to Torres, making him the new Falcon. Given his career in the Air Force, Torres would be okay with being part of an Avengers team that is regulated by the government , standing by his friend's side.

5 Doctor Strange

The hero is a must-have for the avengers films.

There is no way Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange is absent from the upcoming Avengers films . The MCU's Multiverse Saga has surprisingly used the multiverse not as much as expected, which leaves only a few characters with deep knowledge of how it works. One such character in Stephen Strange, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sending Cumberbatch's hero on a sprawling adventure across the multiverse to stop the Scarlet Witch from taking America Chavez's multiverse-hopping powers.

In the film, Doctor Strange learned of the concept of incursions, the collision between two or more universes, which should prove vital to at least 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars . With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ' ending seeing Strange himself go stop an incursion he accidentally created, the character is uniquely equipped to help the new Avengers.

Even Marvel Admit The Reason Avengers: Secret Wars Is Going To Make Billions

4 white vision, vision could connect two avengers teams.

While White Vision could offer some resistance to the Avengers possibly being regulated by the government, given how the original Vision's body was treated, the character would be perfect for the new Avengers team for a couple of reasons. In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania , Kang the Conqueror showed how powerful he was. Disney+'s Loki expanded that to all Kang variants, which means the Avengers could use powerful characters like White Vision .

Vision's MCU return has been rumored to be linked to the debut of the Young Avengers . Given how he is the father of two possible members of the team, it would make sense for the character to be an active presence in the team. White Vision could then connect the new Avengers and the Young Avengers, with both teams likely being in play for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty already.

3 Captain Marvel

Carol danvers has a multiverse mission.

Brie Larson's Captain Marvel has a job to do, and the next Avengers movies seem like the best place to get it done. The Marvels ' ending saw Teyonnah Parris' Monica Rambeau get trapped in another universe, with Captain Marvel just barely missing her as she flew to Monica's rescue. Due to their history, Captain Marvel will be doing everything she can to get Monica back , and her story is perfect for the Avengers films.

Monica Rambeau is in a universe where the X-Men exist , with the character having met Beast and a version of Maria Rambeau, Binary. The X-Men could come into the MCU in Avengers: Secret Wars , which should include characters from Marvel's entire live-action history. Adding in her military experience and extraordinary power, Captain Marvel is a great candidate for Captain America's new Avengers.

The MCU Has The Perfect Solution For An Ongoing Multiverse Problem

2 spider-man, the hero is the mcu's new most popular character.

Tom Holland will return for Spider-Man 4 . The next solo movie for Peter Parker in the MCU is being developed, though a release date and a director have yet to be announced. With Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man and Chris Evans' Captain America out of the MCU, Spider-Man has become the franchise's most popular character. As the essential new main hero of the MCU, Spider-Man should appear in both upcoming Avengers movies.

Spider-Man: No Way Home allowed Holland's Peter Parker to get all the multiversal knowledge he needs for the new Avengers films. Adding to that, Holland's Spider-Man was on Team Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War . That could help him be more okay with the possible new direction the Avengers will have in the MCU. Now, out of high school, Spider-Man could even become a leader within the team .

1 Captain America

Sam wilson will likely lead the avengers.

Finally, Sam Wilson's presence as Captain America will be key to the Avengers . With Ross telling Sam he wants him to restart the Avengers, it seems like Sam will be repeating Steve Rogers' role as the leader of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. While he might not have powers, Sam has plenty of combat experience to be able to serve as a tactical leader for the Avengers, just like Steve.

After all, Sam was chosen by Steve to serve as the new Captain America for a reason , so it is fitting that the character could be in charge of setting up the new Avengers team. Besides, with the multiverse in play for the two Avengers movies, Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers could end up meeting, each with their Avengers team, which would make the theater explode with excitement.

The Avengers

The sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers is an action superhero film that sees the heroes assembled across the franchise face off with a deadly galactic threat. With the arrival of Thor's brother, Loki, heroes such as Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man, and Black Widow are brought together to stop him from unleashing an alien race upon earth.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Earth's Mightiest must reunite and work with newcomers Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch to battle a new antagonist Ultron, who receives an all-new origin story while dealing with a new level of inner conflict amongst the team. Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch may not necessarily agree with The Avengers and initially blame Tony Stark for creating the new villain and the death of their parents. Avengers: Age of Ultron was directed and written by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige for Marvel Studios. The movie was released on April 13, 2015, followed by its eventual sequels, Avengers: Infinity War in 2018 and Avengers: Endgame in 2019.

Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War is the third Avengers movie in the game-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film is positioned as the beginning of the culmination of everything that has transpired in the franchise to date. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War , have assembled the largest ensemble in a superhero film to date. Nearly every living character in the MCU is included as the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy to take down Thanos in a battle that has massive repercussions for the future of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. A sequel, Avengers: Endgame , was released in 2019 and marked the end of the Infinity Saga.

Avengers: Endgame

The penultimate chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame , marks the finale of the first three phases of the MCU and acts as part two of Avengers: Infinity War. With Earth's Mightiest Heroes failing to stop Thanos from wiping out half of all existence, the heroes discover one final chance to make things right. Journeying back through space and time, the surviving Avengers attempt to stop Thanos before all is lost.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against the omnipotent Kang the Conquerer. The Kang Dynasty will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.

Avengers: Secret Wars

Avengers: Secret Wars is the sixth Avengers film and takes place during phase six of Marvel's Cinematic Universe. The film will see several heroes from the prior phases return and battle against a cosmic threat to rival Thanos, and borrows elements of the Marvel Comics event of the same name.

Key Release Dates

Deadpool & wolverine, thunderbolts (2025), the fantastic four (2025), blade (2025).

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Chris Hemsworth Failed to Convince Kevin Costner to Cast Him in New Film, Costner Says He 'Will Have to Wait His Turn'

The Marvel star, 40, revealed the role he missed out on with Costner, 69, while attending CinemaCon last week

Shy McGrath/WireImage, Brenton Ho/Variety via Getty

Chris Hemsworth is sharing his disappointment over not getting to work with Kevin Costner .

While attending CinemaCon 2024, the Thor: Love and Thunder star, 40, revealed he was turned down by Costner, 69, for a role in a Western he directed — as the Yellowstone actor took the part for himself.

"There was a movie, a script that I'd read and loved and was like, 'I want to get that,' and then someone said, 'Kevin Costner has that [role],' " Hemsworth told Entertainment Tonight at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 11.

“I'd love [to have] him as a director. I was like, 'Goddamnit!' [I spent] an hour the other day trying to convince him and he was like, 'I'm doing it, kid.' Didn't work. I didn't get the part,” he explained. Hemsworth described the project as an "abstract" love story "about a man and a woman."

Jerod Harris/Getty

The actor's wife, Elsa Pataky , also wanted to see him in the film. “There's horses involved, he's a horse wrangler, and my wife read it and loves horses. We have 10 or 11 horses back home and so she's like, 'You've got to do this.' "

Despite losing out on the role, Hemsworth admitted the project is “better seen in [Costner’s] wheelhouse for sure, as far as the kind of Western environment.”

While also attending CinemaCon at the Warner Bros. Pictures presentation last week, Costner told ET in response to Hemsworth's story that the Marvel star would have to "wait his turn." He added, "as long as I'm still young enough to play it, I'll play it."

Brenton Ho/Variety via Getty

Costner however had nothing but praise to give to Hemsworth. "He's so handsome and he's so good," he continued. "He's going to have to go find his [own] love story. [But] I'm glad he likes this one.”

All hope isn’t lost for Hemsworth on working with Costner either, as the acting veteran said, “If I reach a moment where I [don't] think I could do that, I would [reach out]. He's certainly one of our great leading men right now."

Costner directs and appears in the upcoming Western film Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 . The first chapter of the project is released on June 28 and the second chapter will be released Aug. 16.

Hemsworth, meanwhile, next stars alongside Anya Taylor-Joy in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga , the prequel to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road , which is released on May 24. The actors provided a preview of the film, along with unveiled details, as part of a presentation at CinemaCon on April 9 as they were joined by writer-director George Miller.

Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy says the movie isn't actually Deadpool 3

Deadpool and Wolverine isn't quite Deadpool 3

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in Deadpool 3

Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy says that the movie isn't strictly Deadpool 3.

The upcoming threequel, officially titled Deadpool & Wolverine, will see Ryan Reynolds's Wade Wilson team up with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.

"As far as crafting the Deadpool & Wolverine story, I just felt privileged every day because you're talking about two massive movie stars in their most iconic roles. It also gave me an opportunity. It's the third Deadpool movie, but it's not Deadpool 3," Levy told Screen Rant at CinemaCon. "It's a different thing that's very much Deadpool & Wolverine. And it's not trying to copycat anything from the first two movies. They were awesome, but this is a two-hander character adventure."

CinemaCon footage of the movie, which was screened behind closed doors, sees Matthew Macfadyen's Mr. Paradox telling Wade that the Merc with a Mouth's help is needed to save the Sacred Timeline. That has some people confused , though, considering the events of Loki season 2 . We'll just have to wait and see how that plays out…

The footage also includes a Thor cameo, which sees the God of Thunder crying over Deadpool's dead body, in footage reused from Infinity War . Just what's going on there is anyone's guess.

Deadpool 3 arrives this July 26, and it's the only MCU movie coming this year. Fittingly, it's also set to have an obscene tie-in popcorn bucket , Dune 2 -style.

You can keep up to date with all the upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows coming soon with our guide, or fill out your watchlist with our guide to the year's most exciting movie release dates .

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I'm an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.

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Thor: Love and Thunder movie review (2022)
Co-written by Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, "Thor: Love and Thunder" just doesn't truly flourish as it could. Part of its messiness kicks in with its big conflict when Gorr the God Butcher attacks New Asgard at night in a frantic impromptu fight scene that has Waititi's usually stable vision for Thor action losing control.
Thor: Love and Thunder
Movie Info. "Thor: Love and Thunder" finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he's ever faced -- a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer ...
'Thor: Love and Thunder' Review: A God's Comic Twilight
Every so often in "Thor: Love and Thunder," the 92nd Marvel movie to hit theaters this year (OK, the third), the studio machinery hits pause, and the picture opens a portal to another ...
Thor: Love and Thunder
Therein lies Thor: Love and Thunder's biggest issue, its inability to balance tone and spectacle. Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Feb 6, 2023. William Jones CBR. Thor: Love and Thunder's ...
Thor: Love and Thunder Review
7. Review scoring. good. Thor: Love and Thunder is held back by a cookie-cutter plot and a mishandling of supporting characters, but succeeds as the MCU's first romantic comedy thanks to Chris ...
Thor: Love and Thunder review
There are moments in Love and Thunder when the film feels like a $185m megaphone, dedicated solely to amplifying the voice of Taika Waititi. Response to the film will be neatly divided along the ...
'Thor: Love and Thunder' Review: Proves That 'Ragnarok' Was No Fluke
"Thor: Love and Thunder" has a pleasing, let's-try-it-on-and-shoot-the-works effervescence. Like most Marvel movies, the fourth entry in the Thor saga would seem to have weighty matters on ...
'Thor: Love and Thunder' Review: Hammer Time Again for Chris Hemsworth
The Bottom Line Muscles are no cure for Marvel fatigue. Release date: Friday, July 8. Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe. Director ...
Thor: Love and Thunder review
Thor himself has conquered his weight issues, and is now a fine figure of alpha-maledom who literally makes young goddesses faint in one scene after he is disrobed and his manhood (or rather ...
Thor: Love and Thunder review: a reasonably storming MCU adventure
Thor: Love and Thunder is the Norse god's fourth solo Marvel movie - the first MCU character to achieve such a feat. And, with Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi at the helm once more, Love and ...
Thor: Love and Thunder
If you loved what filmmaker Taika Waititi did for the MCU with Thor: Ragnarok, you'll also enjoy Thor: Love and Thunder, according to the first reviews of the latest Marvel movie installment.Whether it's better than its predecessor, though, is up for debate, as is the success of Love and Thunder's emotional and romantic elements and the stakes of its story.
Thor: Love and Thunder Movie Review
Children are in danger: kidnapped, kept hostage. Two references to orgies in the realm of the gods. Parents need to know that Thor: Love and Thunder is the sequel to 2017's Thor: Ragnarok and the fourth Thor movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This time around, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) bids goodbye to the Guardians of the Galaxy when a new ...
'Thor: Love and Thunder' review: If you liked 'Ragnarok,' here's the
Thor: Love and Thunder plays like a Ragnarok remix, for good and ill. For a villain, swap out Cate Blanchett's goth drag queen Hela for Christian Bale's creepy Gorr the God Butcher, whose title ...
Thor: Love and Thunder Reinvigorates Phase 4 With Comedy and Heart
With Love and Thunder, Waititi fully leans into his brand. Having co-written the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, his DNA is all over this film. Eccentric and funny, with touches of ...
Thor: Love and Thunder
Movie Review. For the God of Thunder, it's been a dark and stormy time. ... Thor: Love and Thunder makes Ragnarok look like a PBS period drama. When Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) asked director Taika Waititi how the script was shaping up several months before filming, he told her that it "feels like we asked a bunch of 10-year-olds what should ...
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Thor: Love and Thunder: Directed by Taika Waititi. With Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson. Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.
Thor: Love and Thunder review
Thor: Love and Thunder's a scattershot fairy tale about being friends with your ex. Marvel's fourth Thor movie is about as messy as any complicated breakup. By Charles Pulliam-Moore, a ...
Thor: Love and Thunder review: Starry fourth installment lets Taika
Thor: Love and Thunder review: Hectic, starry fourth installment goes full Waititi weirdo. The Ragnarok director returns with more space-Viking shenanigans, and a new villain in Christian Bale.
'Thor: Love and Thunder' review: Marvel's most metal movie yet
5th July 2022. It's been quite the ride for Marvel 's God of Thunder since he first strode into the MCU. From battling his brother Loki to getting his head crunched by the purple-headed ...
Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder Movie Review
REVIEW: Thor: Love & Thunder Exceeds Mighty Expectations. Thor: Love and Thunder lives up to its title, delivering a cosmic, Viking adventure full of humor and heart, comedy and drama. Becoming the first original Avenger with a fourth solo movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is already a mighty task. Also taking that opportunity to introduce ...
Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunder is a 2022 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Thor.Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, and ...
Movie Review
So no, "Love and Thunder" isn't as much fun as its trailers. But it's close enough, Sweet child o'mine. Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, (profanity), some suggestive material and partial nudity. Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Russell ...
Why 'Thor: Love and Thunder' Was So Much Worse Than ...
and Thor: Love and Thunderwere both from the same director, Taika Waititi, and featured much of the same cast, including Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder. They both have very similar plot ...
The New Avengers Line-Up: Predicting Captain America's Replacement Heroes
Thor: Love and Thunder was far from the success fans were expecting from the repeat of the Chris Hemsworth-Taika Waititi actor/director duo that reinvented Thor with 2017's Thor: Ragnarok.While the movie suffered heavy criticism for its two conflicting tones, Thor: Love and Thunder's ending set up a couple of stories for Thor's MCU future, with the hero having to raise Love and Hercules coming ...
Sophie Di Martino's Sylvie Wants To Meet Thor
With Lady Sif becoming Thor's love in Marvel Comics, it seems that Alexander's character is a pretty important character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is part of the reason why people felt that Jamie Alexander's character was underrated and a bit unappreciated during Thor: Love and Thunder.
Chris Hemsworth Failed to Convince Kevin Costner to Cast Him in Film
While attending CinemaCon 2024, the Thor: Love and Thunder star, 40, revealed he was turned down by Costner, 69, for a role in a Western he directed — as the Yellowstone actor took the part for ...
Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy says the movie isn't ...
The footage also includes a Thor cameo, which sees the God of Thunder crying over Deadpool's dead body, ... tales from the communities you love, and more ... GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS TV REVIEWS. 1.

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Thor: Love and Thunder

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Thor: Love and Thunder First Reviews: Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman Shine in Hilarious, Visually Striking Adventure

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