Love and Thunder is definitely a Marvel film for the TikTok generation.
Taika Waititi’s ‘bonkers’ sequel to 2017’s much-lauded Ragnarok has as many ‘misses’ as ‘hits’ by being tonally all over the place – but is still a fun ride despite its many misgivings.
It’s almost as though the fame has gone to director Waititi’s – the man allegedly tasked with the next major film instalment in the Star Wars universe – head, as he seems to experiment with multiple genres in one colourfully zany and eclectic mish-mash of ideas.
But it ultimately doesn’t come together as one cohesive piece, and leaves it toiling at the bottom end of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ladder.
Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Avenger and former King of Asgard – who abdicated to Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie at the conclusion of Endgame – finds that inner peace (which he has been trying to find after a mid-life crisis) is short-lived when Christian Bale’s vengeful Gorr throws a spanner in the works.
Bale – who as the villain of the piece is arguably the best thing about the movie – is impressive as the man known as ‘The God Butcher’, who is moving through the cosmos murdering gods across multiple universes – with Thor eventually on his radar.
To tackle this new galactic menace, the God of Thunder enlists the help of warrior Valkyrie, rock-powered pal Korg (Waititi), and inadvertently his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who becomes The Mighty Thor after wielding Thor’s old Mjolnir hammer. Refer to her as Lady Thor at your peril.
But unbeknown to her former flame – Portman hasn’t starred since 2013’s The Dark World – the reason she’s carrying the iconic hammer is due to it being the last hope to keep her ‘Stage Four’ cancer at bay.
Throw in cameos from the likes of The Guardians of the Galaxy – Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and company – Thor’s childhood friend Sif (Jaimie Alexander), and Russell Crowe as the most famous of God’s Zeus, and you’ve got plenty going on in terms of ‘fanboy’ service.
Bizarrely, it’s actually the ‘love’ aspect of the actioner – between Thor and The Mighty Thor – that is probably its most endearing theme, even beating out the ‘take it or leave it’ comedy from Waititi, that sometimes even borders on out of place as it tries to be the eye-brow-raising ‘thunder’ of the piece. Arguably a too extreme move from left field.
But despite it being a bit all over the place there’s no denying that using the fourth instalment of Thor as some kind of ‘moving the needle’ guinea pig still adds up to a pleasurable yarn. Even if it’s a little more unconventional than expected.
And it comes complete with the most swearing – usually the s**t word – than all the other Marvel movies combined.
So at the very least it’ll be remembered for that.
ESP Rating: 3/5
Gavin Miller
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough, Out Now
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Jaimie Alexander, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgard, Matt Damon, Sam Neill, Melissa Mccarthy, Luke Hemsworth, Kieron L Dyer, India Hemsworth, Idris Elba & The Voices Of Vin Diesel & Bradley Cooper
Running Time: 1 Hr 59 Mins
Director: Taika Waititi
Go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux
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