The first reviews for Thor: Love and Thunder have arrived, but after those glowing social media reactions, what do critics really think about Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok sequel?
We'll kick off this roundup with the trades, and Deadline wraps up its review by stating, "Waititi seems to still be finding his footing with this franchise and it may take him directing another film to find the right balance for these Asgardian heroes. But nonetheless, it has some exciting moments of action and hilarity that keep it from falling into complete disarray."
The Hollywood Reporter wasn't quite as impressed as their spoiler-heavy review explains that "Waititi pushes the wisecracking to tiresome extremes, snuffing out any excitement, mythic grandeur or sense of danger that the God of Thunder’s latest round of rote challenges might hope to generate," adding that the "movie [is] too busy being jokey and juvenile to tell a gripping story." Variety clearly doesn't agree as their critic says, "by the end I felt something unusual enough to feel at a Marvel movie that it seemed almost otherworldly: I was moved. Moved by how two Thors could come together to love each other and to save the universe."
Empire awards Thor: Love and Thunder 4* and calls the movie "a big, beautiful blast" and "a classic Thor adventure." Total Film's review goes with the same score and echoes those comments by concluding, "Unashamedly absurd, wildly entertaining and face-achingly funny, Love And Thunder makes Ragnarok look like Bresson. Another classic Thor adventure."
IGN wasn't quite so enthusiastic with a 7/10 score that ends with, "Thor: Love and Thunder is held back by a cookie-cutter plot and a mishandling of supporting characters, but succeeds as the MCU's first romantic comedy thanks to Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman's chemistry." USA Today counters with, "[Waititi] gives us a surprisingly personal superhero jam with extraordinary depth, infusing the delightfully fizzy narrative with queer characters, religious themes and a compelling conversation about the differences between mythic gods and all-powerful good guys."
Forbes, unfortunately, wasn't remotely impressed. "Like too many of the most recent MCU projects, it only exists because Disney can’t afford to stop this train," the site's review reads. "Bale, Thompson and ‘Guns and Roses’ tunes aside, this fourth Thor is a real chore."
The consensus appears to be that Thor: Love and Thunder doesn't quite manage to live up to its predecessor, a point driven home by io9's verdict. "Thor: Love and Thunder is not nearly as cohesive or propulsive as Thor: Ragnarok, but it’s more ambitious and heartfelt...Love and Thunder can be a bumpy journey at times - but the destination is well worth the trip."
ComicBookMovie.com's Rohan Patel concluded his review by stating, "Thor: Love and Thunder is Marvel Studios’ most heartful and emotionally satisfying film to date, with absolutely rockstar performances from its cast." He'd later add that "[Thor] is all grown up and has become the God he was always destined to be, full of Love and Thunder."
We'll find out whether this holds true later this week, but reviews for the blockbuster seem a little less glowing than they were for Waititi's first MCU adventure. Thor: Ragnarok reinvented the hero, but it sounds like this movie packs a lot in and doesn't quite do its characters, and the story it's telling, justice.
However, it's also apparent that Thor: Love and Thunder is a funny, action-packed, and emotional ride, so there's no reason to believe this won't be one of the MCU's best movies...we hope!
Thor: Love and Thunder arrives in theaters this Thursday.