So, it's thrilling to see her own now-famously beefy arms take up the hammer of Thor and fight against evil like an immortal, even as she privately battles her own mortal problems. Along with continuing to show off his impressive comedic chops, the star kindles an appeal chemistry with Portman not previously seen in their meetings as Thor and Jane.Īlready established as a formidable talent, Portman skipped out on "Ragnarok" after the first two "Thor" movies gave her little to do except occasionally spout scientific jargon and look pretty in Thor's beefy arms. Under Waititi's direction, Hemsworth has flourished in the godlike part he has now played for more than a decade over four standalone films and three "Avengers" outings. Jordan's Killmonger and Josh Brolin's Thanos. With Bale's legendary commitment and talents, Gorr immediately emerges as a top MCU villain on par with Michael B. When he gets the chance to meet the god he has worshipped face to face, the deity's callousness so enrages him that he takes up the vengeful mantle of the God Butcher. Similarly, "Love and Thunder" gives Gorr a stark introduction as a religious zealot who becomes the last person left alive on his dying desert world after the death of his young daughter.
The filmmaker's second "Thor" film boasts big '80s action movie energy with matching hard-rock soundtrack and Day-Glo palette, although the most visually striking scene involves our heroes pursuing Gorr into a shadowy realm where all but a few splashes of color are leached away to shades of gray.
'Thor: Love and Thunder' comes up big on style, performances, laughsĪfter two overly serious "Thor" films in 20, Waititi brought welcome color, style and - best of all - fun to the supercharged space Viking's MCU presence with the vastly entertaining "Ragnarok." With "Love and Thunder," which he cowrote with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (the MTV series "Sweet/Vicious") based on a couple of Marvel Comics runs penned by Jason Aaron, Waititi brings even more of his singular storytelling and eccentric humor to Thor's adventures.
Narrated by Thor's loveably loopy rock-warrior sidekick Korg (voiced by Waititi), "Love and Thunder" picks up after the universe-altering events of "Avengers: Endgame." Now back in fighting shape, Thor (the ever-charming Chris Hemsworth) continues (briefly, anyway) to zip around the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy, helping Chris Pratt's Star-Lord and Co. Hercules is poised to be the biggest MCU fight since Civil War and it's the main event fight to look forward to in Thor 5.A lavish space Viking feast of a movie, "Thor: Love and Thunder" is delightfully laden with Oscar-winning talent, scene-stealing screaming goats, kaleidoscopic color schemes, 1980s iconography, A-list cameos, the Guardians of the Galaxy, thunderous action sequences, witty one-liners, a diverse horde of mythological gods and a bombastic soundtrack featuring Guns N' Roses, along with Dio, ABBA and Enya.Īcademy Award-winning writer/director Taika Waititi's second cinematic serving in the apparently endless banquet of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a deliciously over-the-top treat that's sometimes refreshingly bittersweet.Īs with much of the New Zealander's distinctively quirky previous work - including his Oscar-winning Nazi satire "Jojo Rabbit," the Oklahoma-made comedy series "Reservation Dogs" and his previous MCU film, the 2017 smash "Thor: Ragnarok" - "Love and Thunder" veers wildly from madcap recurring jokes and silly sight gags to relatable and resonant moments of loss, grief and angst. But Hercules also has a nasty temper and Thor, who has learned to master his own, can use Hercules' rage against him.
Hercules' mythological and Marvel Comics feats make him, potentially, the most powerful enemy Thor will have ever faced. Everything about Hercules in the MCU so far is conjecture, but the son of Zeus likely has no lack of a killer instinct.
Yet Thor sometimes lacks a killer instinct and he'll hesitate instead of going "for the head," like he did against Thanos (Josh Brolin). The Odinson has shown many times that he's one of the most powerful beings in the MCU, and Thor can level entire armies when he wants to. However, Thor has powers and abilities that Hercules lacks, such as his inherent godly power to summon lightning. Related: Every Cameo In Thor: Love And Thunder Explained