Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher, a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson enlists the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
Thor: Love and Thunder squanders a genuinely compelling villain in Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale, clearly the best thing in the film) with an overstuffed, tonally inconsistent script that undercuts dramatic stakes with relentless comic deflation. The plot is thin and episodic, leaning on MCU formula without much invention. Taika Waititi's visual style brings some colorful bombast — the black-and-white shadow realm sequence is a genuine highlight — but much of the film feels garish rather than inspired. The revival of Jane Foster as Mighty Thor is an intriguing concept that isn't fully realized, and the ending feels rushed and emotionally unearned despite attempting poignancy. A mostly formulaic MCU sequel that coasts on charm rather than substance.