Thor: Love and Thunder: A stellar experience alongside the axe-girlfriend
If you've never been a fan of Thor, or Chris Hemsworth as the actor who plays the character, 'Thor: Love and Thunder' definitely has the potential to win you over.
On paper, the latest instalment in the franchise is still somewhat what we have come to expect from Disney's MCU; a blend of comedy, action, adventure, fantasy, and science fiction. Yet, the movie managed to feel fresh and different.
Thor was a layered character; not only was he a handsome charming action hero, but he had also been carrying the weight of great loss and tragedy. He had been hanging out with the Guardians of the Galaxy since Avengers Endgame and it has helped him deal with his mental state.
Thor's new direction in life does not really contribute much to MCU at large, but it explores the character on a deeper level.
This time around we also got to see a reunion fans had been longing for. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) comes back into the franchise, wielding Mjolnir no less. Foster was intelligent and the explanation of why Mjolnir deemed her worthy of Thor's powers felt earned. Without spoiling anything, the movie takes its time explaining why and how things happened, and she was a fantastic addition to the film.
The main antagonist in this instalment is Gorr (played by Christian Bale), a butcher of Gods. The film reveals the reason behind his oath to kill all Gods, but the character felt underused. Perhaps a lot of his scenes were left on the cutting room floor. The movie could definitely use more of him.
Chris Hemsworth was phenomenal as Thor and we got to see a completely different side of him. Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson, yet again stole hearts with her extremely savage and bold personality.
The theatre echoed with laughter from the very beginning. As a member of the audience 'Thor: Love and Thunder' has exceeded my expectations. It had great cinematography, action, and CG; even more so than 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'. Furthermore, the runtime was also just perfect. If the film went on any longer, it would have dragged on and messed with the flow of the story.
The film wasted no time unravelling its plot and the tone and direction of the story from the start and the ending had the entire audience go bananas. It stays with you long after the credits start rolling.
However, remember to sit through the credits because there are not one but two MCU post-credits waiting for you.