Thor: Love & Thunder (2022) - A Film That Is Easy To Love... And Hate! (!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!)

Thor has had a very rocky journey through his time in the MARVEL Cinematic Universe. From the lack lustre and Shakespearian inspired beginnings, to the controversial portrayal of his depressive state, post Infinity War, Thor has often found it hard to find his footing with audiences. But with the help of rising director, Taika Waititi, Thor was given a film worthy of his legacy with 2017's Thor: Ragnarok. So it was highly expected that Waititi could bring his blend of effortless humour and underlying heart to the space viking's next outing. And he does... kinda...

This film has exactly what you're expecting from MARVEL at this stage. Plenty of laughs, fun action, and a story that's simple enough for the general movie goers to grasp onto. Does it feel like another car off the production line? Yes, but as with most of MARVEL's productions, they still have their effortless charm and high production standards, and ultimately, provided these films continue to entertain, I don't see any issue with this never-ending production line. Taika clearly loves the characters he's working with, and is having a lot of fun with these visuals. The film's visuals and overall photography and colour pallet is by far a key point for me. This is the most beautiful looking MCU film that we have seen for a while. And unlike the latest Doctor Strange outing, we aren't just confined to a rather bland selection of worlds. Thor and his comrades go from world to world, and each is as breathtaking as the last. The colour pops with psychedelic levels of vibrancy, and each world feels unique in it's look. The use of colour is also beautifully handled, particularly on a world where the use of colour is seamlessly used sparingly. Again, it's small details like this that makes the MCU still worth investing my time in.

The relationship between Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) has never been stronger than it is here. Their chemistry in the first two Thor outings was lacklustre and felt like an obligation, rather than there actually being any chemistry between them. Here thou, we see how their initial relationship blossomed, and ultimately failed. But then we see that the spark never left them, and their time together in this outing is so sweet, yet ultimately tragic. Their relationship here is also integral to exploring Thor's mental stage post-Endgame. We see more of Thor's journey, and how Jane was integral to his growth as a character. On the other foot though, Thor's journey is also the biggest issue I have with this film. His journey in this film, is about finding his true purpose, and it's implied that Thor longs for a life with the woman he loves. Yet that aspired ending is ripped away tragically. Now while I don't mind that we don't get that ending that the film leaves you wanting, it's the ending we actually get that is disappointing.

Seeing Jane's story come to an abruptly sad end, it felt like they were going to have Thor accept his life alone, standing proud as a standout among a sea of gods. But the fact that they left him as a traditional step-father to the villain, Gorr's resurrected daughter felt... wrong. I don't like the idea of Thor being a father, and I don't feel like the villain getting what he ultimately wanted was justified. The MacGuffin in this film is all about the first person to find it getting what they desire most. The journey that Thor and Jane went on built them up as being worthy of this reward, the audience are left wanting to see them happy again. Whereas Gorr's actions proved that his internal selfishness proved he wasn't worthy of eternal reward. Sure, the idea of Jane being healed would've been clique in the grand scheme of storytelling, but it would've also felt justified. This pulling the carpet from under our feet trick doesn't feel earned as it does in other MCU twists.

I have seen lots spoken about the music being a huge stand out for this film, and truthly... I don't get it. Yes, this music does have it's own unique flare compared to other scores by Michael Giacchino, but is it a ground-breaking piece for the MCU?? No! It's more of the same style from Ragnarok, and just as forgettable. MARVEL really struggles to bring good music to the table, following the tradition of copy and paste wallpaper music that every big blockbuster annoyingly follows. The rock songs used throughout this film however fit the mood brilliantly, and do a better job of selling their respective moments than any of the actual film score. Composers in general need to go back, and look at films from the past. Whether you like films such as Back To The Future, Terminator, Indiana Jones or the original Star Wars trilogy, you cannot deny that their music was far more memorable than anything we are offered up today.

Ultimately, if you enjoyed what MARVEL and Taika offered up in Thor: Ragnarok, then you will likely find Thor: Love And Thunder just as enjoyable. It's more of the same that we were offered in that previous film. And if you're getting sick of the multiverse focused stories that MARVEL has dished out lately, this is a nice breathe of fresh air. However, it does feel like the tone is trying to juggle too much, and that ending sadly really left a sour taste in my mouth after it was done. Some might enjoy the outcome more, and it does appear that this film is generally going down a treat with the MARVEL fans and general movie goers alike. However, unlike other recent MCU outings, I won't be making extra trips to see this again on the big screen. It is still recommended, but I would be prepared for the film to potentially leave you polarised...

SCORES

Story - 2/5

Characters - 4/5

Production - 3.5/5

Acting - 4/5

Music - 2.5/5

TOTAL - 6.4/10