I don’t think Chris Hemsworth would mind if people rave about his latest Marvel flick, Thor: Love and Thunder mainly because of the presence and glorious performances of Oscar winners Christian Bale and Natalie Portman.
The movie opens with an impressive scene from Bale; for a couple of seconds I initially thought this must be another trailer for an upcoming movie because its tone felt different than what we’ve been accustomed to in a Marvel movie.
And if that is any indication of the movie’s direction, then it’s a good sign. That opening sequence was a delight.
Bale was so good in it it felt like–and I say this with all due respect–his performance is deserving of a movie that’s on a different league.
Every second he’s on the screen is a treat.
And then there’s Portman, who we haven’t seen in this universe for 9 years. Her gracing the screen adds more legitimacy and the star power to the already formidable cast (plus the amazing cameos).
She reprises her role as Dr. Jane Foster, the hammer-wielding god’s love interest who is grappling with some struggles of her own.
I’m sure most of us are excited to see her reunite with Thor–and see how they’re going to pick up from last time. But, to be honest, it’s much more interesting to learn how and why she became the Mighty Thor.
It’s even more interesting than the danger that Thor faces: Gorr, a God butcher, who hops from one universe to another, hellbent on killing gods.
Or maybe because the way the script was written didn’t put proper emphasis on the more urgent concern about the massacre of gods? Possibly.
The good thing is, the Thor movies have always had this quirky side of it that allows it to get away with silliness. Thor: Love and Thunder is no exception.
Taika (and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson) masterfully blended together drama, action, and suspense with comedy. For the movie to be able to pull off many of those bits without diluting the impact of the movie (or becoming cringey and stupid) shows how much Taika has mastered his craft.
It’s also good to see that the film’s action scenes aren’t too CGI-heavy. The combat scenes are choreographed well. There’s one scene on a moon that I think many will enjoy.
That, and any fight scene that involves Portman, who, I have to admit, is admirable for her willingness to be a bit silly at times.
This isn’t the best Marvel movie, nor is it among the top 5 best. However, it is very, very entertaining. I’ll give it that. There’s no dull moment at all in Thor: Love and Thunder.
