by Chris Snelgrove
| Published
when Thor: Love and Thunder I was disappointed like most Marvel fans who wanted more quirky, comforting, flawless vibes Thor: Ragnarok. Director Taika Waititi's sophomore superhero effort certainly isn't as good RagnarokBut it's not as bad as the haters make it out to be. As I was re-reading the old Thor comics, it occurred to me that this movie is much better than its reputation and much better than other MCU films that didn't get the same amount of enthusiasm from fans.
After Ragnarok
First, let's start with the hard fact: critics almost universally agree on this Thor: Love and Thunder The follow-up film was disappointing. on Rotten tomatoes, Love and Thunder It has a rating of 63 percent, meaning it's dangerously close to being… well, corrupt. Meanwhile, Ragnarok He holds a high position on the Asgardian throne at 93 percent. If these two movies were precocious young goddesses attending school in Asgard, Ragnarok The student will be the prize while Love and Thunder He would be the class clown who would barely make it through the class, let alone the assignment.
I'm ripping off the bandaid now because I don't want any of you to think I'm saying Love and Thunder Better than Ragnarokwhich effortlessly combines humor and action while relying heavily on comedic chops Chris Hemsworth (It turns out they're as developed as the rest of his muscles.) However, this fourth Thor movie is infinitely better than the fourth Thor movie bull 2a film that at the same time managed to squander the talents of both Chris Eccleston and… Natalie Portman. In that regard, Taika Waititi deserves full credit for bringing Portman back into the movie world MCU In an important way Love and Thunder.
Compared to Iron Man 3
Additionally, although I personally love the movie (Shane Black can do no wrong in my opinion), Iron Man 3 It is considered one of the first failed MCU films, one that many fans criticize for (among other things) wasting the Mandarin reveal. Common criticisms of Thor: Love and Thunder Added to that, it's a bit goofy, but ask yourself: Are there very few jokes in this film more disturbing than the reveal of Ben Kingsley's terrorist mastermind as a junkie actor? Plus, even I have to admit it Love and Thunder It has a clear plot (albeit uneven tone) while… Iron Man 3The film's plot is a convoluted mess.
In addition, although this is completely subjective, I can't help but feel that Waititi's great and creative fluctuations in… Thor: Love and Thunder It led to more memorable moments than we have seen in most modern times marvel films. Like, the screaming goats are annoying, and the whole “Jane has cancer” plot was setting up, but almost every frame of this Asgardian adventure is more memorable than anything I've seen in Black widow or Shang-chi. And this Thor movie will likely leave you smiling and cheering…just compare that to movies like Quantity Which leaves you confused or Eternity This will just put you to sleep.
Not perfect but not bad
Again, none of this can be said Thor: Love and Thunder It's a flawless film… it's truly a tonal mess, and things like Jane's death and Gore's tragic backstory seem crazy next to the scenes of Chris Hemsworth taking off his clothes. But I can't help but rank movies on their entire merits (it's literally my job!), and it turns out that a bunch of mixed-up but memorable scenes add up to a movie that's memorable and (most importantly) entertaining. The fact that I didn't have to watch anything on Disney+ for “homework” before listening to it is just the icing on the cake for Frost Giant.
If you decide to reconsider Thor: Love and Thunderyou may find it just a refreshing respite from the endless number of holiday programs. Plus, if you're disappointed with modern Marvel out dead pool & WolverineIt's great to return to a classic comic book that's better than you remember. If we can accept that Tony Stark is flawed but brilliant, then surely it's time to accept that in terms of Thor's most damaging cinematic outing.
Thor: Love and Thunder Available to stream on Disney+.
