There's a saying that some acts can be tough ones to follow, particularly within the realm of Cinema. Such appears to be the case with Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe lacking some of the power of phase 3, which can also be said regarding the Thor franchise. Since his first appearance in 2011, the Thor series has spawned four films with their overall quality acting like a Yo-Yo in terms of one entry being a solid crowd-pleaser with the next being a disappointment. Wheras Kenneth Branagh's Thor was a solid start for the character, its follow-up: Thor: The Dark World represented a step back for the series before rebounding strongly with the franchises best installment with Thor: Ragnarock. Despite providing loads of fun and excitement for audiences, Thor: Love And Thunder ultimately feels like a disjointed rom-com that although flawed, still manages to entertain.
Taking place after Ragnarock, Love And Thunder has Thor (Chris Hemsworth) enlisting the help of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) to fight Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who intends to make the gods extinct. Love And Thunder's plot is one that raises some notable questions regarding Thor's place in the MCU post Endgame. It's execution however, leaves much to be desired as the film often finds itself struggling between its blending of comedy and drama. While Love And Thunder works as being a serviceable entry in the MCU, it never outdoes the previous installment despite struggling to land on the same equal footing. Despite never reaching the same heights as Ragnarock, there's enough that works to make Love And Thunder an honorable fourth installment in the Thor series.
As far as performances go, Thunder's cast is fantastic with everyone delivering fantastic work that compliments the films over-the-top silly tone while filling it with a sizeable amount of heart. With Thor, Chris Hemsworth proves that he's born for the role without losing any of the characters charm and wittiness. Natalie Portman's return as Thor's ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who now obtains powers to become the mighty Thor while undergoing cancer treatment. Portman owns her part and brings a refreshing sense of heart and energy to the story. Tessa Thompson once again shines as Valkyrie, the king of New Asgard and Thors ally whose now adjusting to the political aspects of ruling away from the battlefield. As the films main antagonist, Christian Bale delivers in a well-layered and scene-stealing performance as Gorr the God Butcher, scarred wielder of the Necrosword and manipulator of shadows who seeks the extinction of the gods. The rest of the supporting cast do well in adding to the films level of fun including Jaimie Alexander as Asgardian warrior and Thors childhood friend Sif, Taika Waiti in a hilarious performance as Kronan gladiator Korg, who befriended Thor, Russell Crowe as king of the Olympians, Zeus with the actor spawning a goofy accent. Overall, Thunder's cast appears to be having an absolute blast with playing their characters.
Directed by Taika Waititi who previously helmed Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi brings the same style of silliness and over-the-top nature which made that film a smash hit with fans. He maintains the same type of quirky humor that worked the last time around with it being heavily prevalent with characters like Bao, or referencing a not-so-kid-friendly orgy the deities have planned. In terms of overall look and visuals, Thunder is just as visually stunning as Ragnarock with both movies containing a striking retro feel which separates them from the first two Thor films. Whereas Rock 'n' roll was a huge part of Ragnarock's soundtrack, Love And Thunder's soundtrack makes use of Guns N' Roses' greatest hits, including "Welcome To The Jungle," and "Paradise City", which are cleverly utilized during key sequences. With a running time spanning 1 hour and 59 minutes, Love And Thunder is fast-paced, though it can't shake the feeling that its story moved too rapidly at times. As a whole, Waititi keeps the same style as Ragnarock, although the newer film feels like a less effective redux version of that one.
When it comes to its writing, Love And Thunder possesses the right questions that its story strives to answer such as what is Thor's role in the universe along with audiences finally getting answers regarding his breakup with Jane, which wasn't shown in Ragnarock. Love And Thunder's script is more romance oriented than most other MCU films with an emphasis on themes regarding the importance of choosing love, asking for help, and perservering despite the odds. Janes return in the story presents her as being "The One Who Got Away", with Thor being stunned not just by her reemergence but also her superhuman strength that enables her to carry the latters hammer. The script is jam-packed with tons of hilarious bits such as Thor attempting to call back his hammer Mjolnir from Jane. Though the strength of the movie lies within the characterization of Thor and his dynamic with Jane, the script often finds itself struggling between balancing out both the comedic and dramatic moments. The subplot involving Jane having Cancer doesn't carry as much weight as it should because it's often accompanied by unnecessary humor in an attempt to keep things light-hearted. As fantastic as Christian Bale is at playing Gorr, his character feels underused with audiences not being able to fully empathize with his characters arc despite his effectiveness as the films antagonist. While serviceable, Love And Thunder's writing feels uneven with unnecessary elements added such as the wasted appearance of Guardians Of The Galaxy's cast with little to no importance to the story.
Despite Thunder's struggle with balancing out it's silliness along with the more serious side of its story, there is still plenty to enjoy with it offering fast-paced fun. Although it doesn't top Ragnarock as the franchises best, it still offers up a reasonably satisfying sequel that's wacky, surprisingly moving, and works as being a worthy addition to the ever expanding MCU.
Final Verdict: Worth Watching for Thor and MCU fans, just don't expect it to be as good as Thor: Ragnarok.
Images Courtesy Of Disney
.jpeg)
No comments:
Post a Comment