Oscar-winner Christian Bale, playing one of the creepiest villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and two screaming goats steal scene after scene in Thor: Love and Thunder. Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher is easily the best thing about this latest addition to the Thor franchise, but those weird goats definitely make a lasting impression, too.
The powers-that-be at Disney are obviously well aware of how popular these goats will become after Thor: Love and Thunder opens; they’ve already made Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder (I had no idea they had names!) stuffed animals.
But I digress…
Writer/director Taika Waititi is once again at the helm of a Thor film after delivering the best movie of the solo character series, Thor: Ragnarok. Waititi is also back providing the voice of the walking pile of rocks known as Korg – a master of malaprops who’s become Thor’s BFF and right-hand man/creature/rock-thing.
We’ll get to Korg and his backstory in a bit, but first, Thor: Love and Thunder kicks off by introducing Bale as Gorr prior to becoming a God Butcher. There’s a devastating, heart-wrenching reason Gorr didn’t just turn his back on all gods and instead vowed to wipe every one of them out. That reason actually serves to make Gorr a much more sympathetic character than expected.
Following a tragic event, Gorr picks up the only sword capable of killing any god and sets about delivering death to all deities. However, as Gorr wields the sword, the sword takes over his body until there’s very little of his will or conscience remaining.
Meanwhile, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) whips his “dad bod” back into shape and heads out on a few adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy. But don’t get too attached to that team-up as the Guardians are nothing more than minor distractions in the overall story that focuses on Thor, the return of the love of his life, and Gorr’s quest for vengeance.
Thor, now completely out of retirement and itching to get back in the game, is called upon to protect Earth’s New Asgard – a sleepy little fishing village in which plays are staged depicting the history of Asgardians. And, no, the play we’re treated to isn’t nearly as much fun in this Thor outing. Instead, it feels like recycled material inserted just to squeeze in a few cameos. (That also describes a fair amount of Thor: Love and Thunder scenes.)
Thor’s got King Valkyrie (Emmy nominee Tessa Thompson) fighting on his side – along with Korg – as Gorr descends upon New Asgard with hell demons. As the battle rages, Thor’s shocked to discover his beloved Mjolnir has a new favorite master – his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Oscar-winner Natalie Portman) who now goes by Mighty Thor.
Apparently, Jane has stage four cancer and in a weird twist of fate, becoming Mighty Thor gives her strength and returns her lust for life, if perhaps only temporarily. Thor’s never gotten over Jane (in fact, he’s been downright mopey) and has only just come to the “better to have loved and lost than have never loved at all” stage of acceptance when she makes a surprise reappearance vanquishing Gorr’s henchmen.
Gorr’s going around chopping down gods right and left, but it’s his kidnapping of Asgard’s children that demands immediate action, despite Thor’s lack of powerful comrades/superheroes-in-arms. Thor, Jane, King Valkyrie, and Korg – plus two screaming goats – are forced to make a stand and save the universe from the God Butcher.
Thor: Ragnarok set the bar high and Thor: Love and Thunder makes a valiant attempt at living up to its predecessor. The villain’s the best of any Marvel film, and the chemistry between the leads rivals that of the best buddy comedies. That said, the tone’s all over the place and Thor: Love and Thunder doesn’t really settle into what it needs to be until the third act. By that time, some of the antics in the film’s first two acts seem a little like filler material rather than necessary bits and action set pieces.
Korg, once again, is a bundle of laughs and the perfect sidekick for the God of Thunder. And as for his backstory…if you haven’t yet seen the film, be sure to pay close attention to the introduction of the leader of Korg’s people. And, in particular, to what he’s sitting on. I can honestly say no one I spoke with right after the press screening caught it, which explains why I was the only one cracking up during the character’s intro.
It’s terrific to have Natalie Portman back and Thor: Love and Thunder is all the better for her reappearance in the franchise. The banter between the newbie Thor and the Thor who’s jealous over Mjolnir’s preferred partner is a lot of fun, and the shared jokes make their emotional journey all the more compelling and heartbreaking.
Waititi and co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson created a compelling journey for Jane, from a cancer patient with a short time to live to an incredibly powerful superhero to rekindling the love she found with Thor. It’s a beautiful love story packed inside a crazy action-adventure, with the romantic comedy/drama at times overwhelming the story of Gorr. Which, when it comes down to it, is the more compelling of the two plotlines.
Chris Hemsworth’s got incredible comedic timing and he continues to prove why he’s the best “Chris” in the superhero world. I’d go with Chris Evans as #2, unless he’s playing with puppies. Then, sorry Hemsworth, but Evans takes the best Chris title. And Hemsworth and Taika Waititi are a match made in comic book-inspired movie heaven, even if their second Thor outing doesn’t quite live up to their first.
Christian Bale’s Gorr is extremely creepy and could be too frightening for younger kids. Honestly, he’s likely to give a few adults in the audience nightmares as well. Bale sinks his teeth into this complex character who starts off as a true believer before events force him to reconsider his relationship with his god. Gorr’s reason for seeking revenge isn’t necessarily justified but it is understandable, and Bale fully embraces Gorr’s transformation from a decent man to god slayer. Bale’s delightfully twisted approach to Gorr’s diabolical deeds provides this fourth film of the Thor series with its best moments.
Bale’s Gorr disappears from the screen too often, and the rom-com only works to a point. Yet there’s enough exhilarating action sequences, goofy humor, and heart to carry the film over its rough parts. The big finale’s worth waiting for through the erratic lead-up. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy screaming goats and a Marvel version of Voldemort?
GRADE: B-
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sci-fi vViolence, action, language, partial nudity, and some suggestive material
Running Time: 1 hour 59 minutes
Release Date: July 8, 2022
