The world premiere of Thor: Ragnarok, which was already a stark departure from Thor's previous movies.
After the events of Love & Thunder by Gorr the God Butcher, a vengeful man who is hellbent on killing the gods for letting his family die. Thor has to strap on the armor one more time and bring together a team of heroes including Korg (Taika Waititi), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), his ex, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and his two very good (if screamy) goats, Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, to save the gods of the universe.
The first wave of reactions to Thor: Love and Thunder are officially out and, unsurprisingly, they're nearly overwhelmingly positive. It would appear Waititi has another hit on his hands for Marvel. Here's what the reactions to Thor: Love and Thunder reveal about the movie.
Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher Is Genuinely Terrifying
Though Marvel has moved far away from its one-dimensional villain problem of the MCU Phase 1, a few of its more recent villains have been hit or miss. That appears to not be the case with Thor: Love and Thunder. Reactions have praised Christian Bale's performance as Gorr the God Butcher. Simon Thompson of Variety says Bale is "a killer boogeyman blending the campy and the creepy."
Meanwhile, doing Christian Bale things and giving another memorable performance.
Thor: Love & Thunder Is Full Of Zany Taika Waititi Humor
If audiences thought Thor: Ragnarok was entertaining, apparently it doesn't hold a candle to Thor: Love and Thunder if reactions are to be believed. Marvel clearly let Waititi have the reins on this one, leaning even more into his distinctive brand of humor. Courtney Howard of Variety and The AV Club says that "Waititi delivers a subversive, irreverent spectacle."
High praise for the humor came from Eric Italiano of BroBible, who claims Thor: Love and Thunder is "the funniest film in the MCU." Clayton Davis of Variety assures that it "delivers big laughs." Germain Lussier of iO9 says it's like a peek into Waititi's head: "Thor: Love and Thunder is like what I imagine living in the mind of Taika Waititi might be like. It’s wild, funny, [and] a little all over the place." Joey Magidson of Awards Radar confirms "Taika Waititi knows how to make Thor a blast." Lastly, Perri Nemiroff of Collider says Thor 4 is "a wacky, high energy delight" that delivers "LOADS of laughs."
But Thor: Love & Thunder Is Also Surprisingly Romantic
Thor: Ragnarok was a blast for audiences, but it did earn some criticism that the humor overshadowed a number of opportunities for the movie to show an equal amount of emotion and heart. That doesn't seem to be the case with Thor: Love and Thunder, with a number of critics praising it for its surprising amount of heart and romance in between the laughs. Erik Davis of Fandango says Thor: Love and Thunder also offers "a hopelessly romantic story about discovering love in unexpected places."
Echoing that, Jacob Kleinman of Inverse says Waititi delivers "an emotionally mature Marvel movie." Matt Neglia says that in between the laughs, it also tells "a profound story on absent gods & our desire for love." Yahoo's Kevin Polowy says Thor: Love and Thunder "had me choked up by the end." And Eric Eisenberg of Cinemablend says it "balances heart and humor unlike any we've seen in the MCU."
Last but not least, Thor's goats, Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher, are getting lots of praise for being the very best boys of the movie. Likewise, Russell Crowe's turn as Zeus has more than a few critics claiming he's the secret scene-stealer of the movie. As Thanos might say, Thor: Love and Thunder appears to be perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Only two more weeks until the whole world can see for itself.
Want more Thor: Love & Thunder articles? Check out our essential content below...
- Thor: Love & Thunder Trailer Breakdown: 18 Story Reveals &; Secrets
- Thor 4: Every Character Confirmed For Love & Thunder
