WARNING! This list contains MAJOR spoilers for Thor: Love and Thunder!
His journey sets him hunting after Gorr the God Butcher and ed by Valkyrie and his ex-girlfriend turned godly hero, Jane Foster aka Mighty Thor. It goes from joke to joke, exciting moment to exciting moment, mixing in deeply moving beats and emotional stakes all throughout. Overall it was vastly entertaining and eager fans have already taken to Twitter to share their unfiltered reactions.
What a Fun Ride
There’s really no better word to describe Love and Thunder other than “fun.” Taika Waititi amps up the wackiness and humor from Thor: Ragnarok and adds in exuberant, youthful energy. It is pure entertainment and a great addition to Phase 4, which has focused heavily on trauma, guilt, and regret.
That’s not to say that Thor: Love and Thunder are lacking in those regards. Thor is clearly trying to understand what his role is in the universe and is still not over Jane, eight years later. However, the movie takes a zany approach to this and doesn’t get lost in the morose. Overall, it’s a funny and compelling new entry into the vast MCU.
Spoilers, No Context
The film was thrilling both tonally and visually. It maintained the vibrancy of Thor: Ragnarok and other space-bound films in the MCU – actually playing with it incredibly by inserting grayscale when Thor and his team reached the Shadow Realm. Another stunning visual was at the end when Thor, Jane, and Gorr are brought before Eternity. The water is serene and Eternity is just the stunning silhouette of the cosmos.
All that beauty is constantly surrounded by ridiculousness and frivolity. As shown in the trailer, there was the sequence when Zeus flicks off Thor’s clothes. It naturally elicited regaling laughter, especially when his tattoos were shown too. When looking at everything out of context, it will look quite strange, but it all does work together pretty well in the end.
THE Mighty Thor
One of the biggest selling points for Thor: Love and Thunder was the return of Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. She was last seen in real-time in Thor: The Dark World, nearly a decade ago, but this time she’s back and she’s the new Thor. Like in the comics, she wields Mjølnir and takes up the moniker of Mighty Thor.
Jane’s still getting the hang of these new powers, but she’s eager to be the best hero possible, and part of that in the MCU is the catchphrase. She gets some fun bits when she’s practicing what it could be, and in the end, it comes together during her showdown with Gorr. However, this tweet does put up an even better idea, poking fun at Morbius.
Valkyrie, MVP
Tessa Thompson returns in her fan-favorite role as Valkyrie, now the King of New Asgard and still just as cool as ever. Fans have been gushing over her in Thor: Love and Thunder endlessly, so they were also exceptionally nervous they might lose her as they watch Gorr stab her with the Necrosword. Thankfully, she and all her swag survived.
It had long been teased that the film would incorporate a romantic relationship for her, but it did not deliver in that regard. However, it did delve into her romantic past briefly. All this means is that she is even more deserving than ever of a solo project, whether a film or a Disney+ show.
A Masterclass In Villainy
Christian Bale is the first character on screen and from that moment on he steals every scene. It’s quite remarkable to see such a stellar performance in a superhero film. There are very few villains who could rival Gorr as a well-established and performed villain, ing the likes of Thanos, Hela, and Killmonger as the best of the worst.
It strangely felt like a return to the feel of There are many great villains to come, so hopefully, Christian Bale’s Gorr and the others will be ed by someone new soon.
It Runs In The Family
Something that fans might not have expected was how much of a family film Thor: Love and Thunder – and that doesn’t just apply to the audiences, but also to the filmmakers. Waititi, Hemsworth, Bale, and Portman’s children were all featured throughout the film, so it really became a true labor of love. Importantly, Hemsworth’s daughter, India, played Gorr’s Daughter Love, and by the end of the film, Thor adopted her.
It was likely something no one expected to happen, but once it did, it made perfect sense. The final scene showing them together building a family and traveling the galaxy helping people is already great, but the fact that it is actually father and daughter together, just makes it land. Perhaps Love will be included along with Kate Bishop, Patriot, and America Chavez as a member of the Young Avengers.
The Guardians Send Their Regards
The true team-up between Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy could’ve been a film all on its own. Unfortunately, here that was all covered in the exposition, and they parted ways. The Guardians continued on their journey helping people around the galaxy, while still searching for Gamora. Though their inclusion was brief, it was still just as fun as ever.
Each member got their own little bit to shine before they left off. They’ve evolved far from the ragtag team they were in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in May 2023.
The Real GOATs
The movie introduces two of Thor’s strangest and certainly loudest ing characters, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, giant magical space goats based on Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr from Norse mythology. Funnily, Chris Hemsworth thinks that Taika Waititi actually voiced the dogs. If he did that could give him one of the best MCU voiceovers yet.
Fans will actually be seeing them quite soon as Chris Pratt recently revealed that they will appear in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special too – though hopefully not as the meat the team wanted them for. Perhaps, they even up with the likes of Goose the cat, Cosmo the Spacedog, Alligator Loki, Morris, and more to make a truly weird Pet Avengers team.
A New Kind Of Love Triangle
Move over Cloak of Levitation, the MCU just found its latest sassy sentient artifact. Both Mjølnir and Stormbreaker were arguably the best weapons in the MCU already, but Thor: Love and Thunder made it even better by giving them personalities. There were many theories going into Thor: Love and Thunder, but one thing fans likely didn’t expect was to see a love triangle between Stormbreaker, Thor, and Mjølnir.
It led to some very funny bits when Stormbreaker would be there, jealous and watching their partner flirt with someone else. Building such a relationship even made the moment when Stormbreaker was taken by Gorr have more feeling. The two weapons now seem to be getting along as Thor, Love, Mjølnir, and Stormbreaker traverse the cosmos.
The Wait Begins
Thor: Love and Thunder is a first for the MCU. It is the first time a character got a fourth solo film – something possibly only to be followed by Spider-Man since Captain America 4 is Sam Wilson’s first in the titular role. Many did actually expect that this film would be Hemsworth’s swan song as Thor, with Natalie Portman coming in to replace him. Of course, that wasn't the case.
Nevertheless, the film already set up a great premised for Thor 5. He's now a father figure to a strangely powerful new character. Theories are already forming with some suggesting Love could be an adaptation of Singularity, a cosmic character connected to the Multiverse. Furthermore, they now seemingly have another god hunting them since Brett Goldstein was revealed as the popular hero, Hercules, in the mid-credits scene. Hemsworth, Waititi, and fans alike are eager to see more and hope to learn more soon.
