With Thor: Love and Thunder now playing in theaters, it seems like as good a time as any to better explore both the good and bad aspects of Marvel Studios' latest blockbuster.
More than any recent MCU movie, the Thor: Ragnarok sequel feels like a real mixed bag in terms of quality. It's a far cry from that 2017 classic, and as a result, we'd argue that it's one of those lower-tier Marvel Studios outings (joining the likes of Ant-Man and The Wasp and, for many fans, Eternals).
Still, as much as this movie often disappoints, there are plenty of moments that we loved. In this feature, we're breaking down what did and didn't work, getting into spoilers in the process. From botched character arcs to the scenes that stole the show, we're taking a deep dive into Thor: Love and Thunder, so turn away now if you haven't watched the movie yet!
To check out this in-depth breakdown, though, simply click on the "Next" button below.
Did Work: Some Fun Surprises
Whatever faults Thor: Love and Thunder may have (and we'll get to those), it still manages to surprise us in a lot of fun ways. The biggest is arguably the MCU debut of Eternity, an omnipotent being that looks like "he" has just stepped straight out of the comic books.
We're not sure about the character being portrayed as a being that basically just grants wishes, but it works, and is a clever way to better explore the MCU's cosmic side.
Elsewhere, characters like Darcy, Selvig, and Darryl (yes, Team Thor's Darryl) all show up, while Thor: Love and Thunder's clever explanation for how Jane Foster becomes The Mighty Thor is arguably an improvement over the comic books.
We just wish those Eitri and Grandmaster scenes with Gorr hadn't been cut...
Didn't Work: Not Enough Gorr The God Butcher
One of this movie's biggest issues is, without a doubt, the amount of screentime dedicated to Gorr the God Butcher. After a clunky opening that sees him gain the Necrosword, the villain later attacks New Asgard, taunts the children he kidnaps, and has a couple of battles against Thor and company during the final act.
That's the extent of his role, and it's really not much.
Gorr is an effective villain thanks to Christian Bale's work, but he desperately needed a few extra scenes for us to better understand his plans and motivations. We get a glimpse of the destruction he's caused, but not enough to make us believe he's a true "God Butcher."
It's a shame as Gorr could have gone down as a classic MCU villain. Instead, he's another forgettable bad guy.
Did Work: Meet The Mighty Thor
In many respects, Thor: Love and Thunder rushes through Jane Foster's cancer diagnosis and subsequent transformation into The Mighty Thor. The latter happens off-screen, and while it's not too detrimental, it makes us wonder if this is a story that should have played out over two movies.
Regardless, what we do get here works well. Flashbacks to how Thor and Jane's relationship broke down are welcomed, as is an exploration of their feelings for each other in the present day.
The best part about this movie, though, is seeing The Mighty Thor in action. She's a true force to be reckoned with, and the fun both Natalie Portman and Jane are having comes across effortlessly on screen. We'd have liked the character to stick around a little longer, but as a whole, this story arc works nicely.
Still, we'd be shocked if she doesn't eventually get the chance to leave Valhalla!
Didn't Work: It's Just Too Silly
The MCU has relied heavily on comedy ever since Joss Whedon was enlisted to helm The Avengers, and it's an approach to storytelling that has worked well for Marvel Studios.
Thor: Ragnarok was a very funny movie, but Thor: Love and Thunder relies too much on overly silly comedy. Humour is subjective, of course, and there are a lot of moments that are legitimately hilarious. However, the blockbuster too often veers into stupid, dumb gags, many of which undermine the serious moments (like Jane's battle with cancer, for example).
It's a shame, because this is an emotional movie at times, but it's one you may struggle to take seriously as it has a tone akin to the sort of goofy kid's comedies you can find on the Disney Channel.
We're not sure if Waititi is losing his touch or his act is becoming stale, but we do know that Korg has, unfortunately, overstayed his welcome at this point.
Did Work: Another Fresh Start For Thor
Thor: Ragnarok established an exciting new status quo for the God of Thunder, as did Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
This is clearly a character Marvel Studios plans to continue putting a fresh spin on with each appearance, and the end of the movie lays the groundwork for another drastic alteration to the hero's place in the MCU. Having adopted Gorr's daughter (who was imbued with Eternity's powers when she was resurrected), he's a father now and even has Mjolnir back.
Love isn't based on any specific characters from the comic books, but she wields Stormbreaker in battle at the end of the movie, while Thor is back to using his old hammer.
We can't help but wonder if she'll be tied to a comic book character in the years to come, but for now, we're as excited and intrigued as we've ever been to see where Thor goes next.
Didn't Work: "It's-A-Me, Zeus! Very nice!"
We wanted to love our visit to Olympia, but it's not a destination we're overly keen to return to. Full of goofy-looking Gods (including a Bao God), this sequence offers an idea of just how bad Waititi's Star Wars movie could end up being.
However, the biggest disappointment may be Zeus himself. Russell Crowe isn't necessarily bad, but it's hard to buy into this guy being a credible threat when he's just so daft. The actor sounds like a cross between Super Mario and Borat, and while the Greek God is supposed to be an arrogant ass, he's arguably too much of an idiot for us to really buy into him as a character.
That does little to help a mid-credits scene introducing Brett Goldstein as Hercules. The Ted Lasso actor is talented, but a baffling choice to play this Avenger (at least the costume is 100% comic accurate).
Clearly set up as a future antagonist, we can't help but think he'll be just another goofball character.