Thor: Love and Thunder

   Frankly, I’ve never been a huge Thor fan—Iron Man was witty and cool, Captain America had his strong moral righteousness, and Hulk had his green skin and spicy personality, but Thor was nothing more than an attractive guy with a hammer. That was until Thor: Ragnorak in 2017, in which director Taika Waititi took the tone of the film in a completely different direction, leaning further into comedy and science fiction absurdness. This movie brought life to the Thor franchise which hadn’t existed before. Many fans became excited for the sequel, which Waititi would also direct.

   The sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder was released in theaters on July 8, 2022 and on Disney+ on September 8. The plot of the film centers on Gorr the God Butcher, played excellently by Christian Bale, a terrifying being with the sole purpose of killing all the gods in order to avenge his daughter’s death. Gorr becomes at odds with Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, and Korg, played by Watiti himself, and they all battle for the fate of the universe: standard Marvel fare.

   Taika Waititi’s comedic tone persisted from Ragnorak, but the heart that came with it didn’t continue to quite the same extent. The performances are still enjoyable, but the humor doesn’t land quite as well and the characters are generally less likable and feel like bland caricatures of themselves compared to how they are written in other Marvel films.

   Although many have criticized the visuals of the film, especially the occasionally shoddy visual effects, the film is generally pleasing to look at, with bright colors and fantastical locales. These visuals are highly reminiscent of Jack Kirby, a legendary comic book artist who was the primary designer for Thor himself. In fact, the way color is used in the film is noteworthy, acting as the main highlight of the film (no pun intended).Gorr being completely monochromatic, contrasting well with Thor’s blue lightning.

   Overall, although the film is certainly entertaining, it has neither the humor nor the intricate writing of Thor: Ragnarok. And although it may not be the best Marvel film in the last few years, it is still exciting to see where Thor, and the rest of the characters, will be taken next.