The first reactions to Thor: Love and Thunder are already here. According to some, not only does it top director Taika Waititi’s previous MCU effort Thor: Ragnarok, but it could be one of Marvel’s best.
Thor: Love and Thunder is “absolutely AMAZING” according to one who attended the world premiere (opens in a new tab). “It blows up every other Marvel movie and doubles the charm of Ragnarok.”
Perri Nemiroff from Collider (opens in a new tab) describes the film as “a wacky, high-energy delight with a cast full of aces smashing through scene after scene.”
another wrote (opens in a new tab) that Thor 4 “is the perfect combination of Taika at his best with comedy and a punch to the stomach all rolled into one. I left this movie emotionally sated while sobbing and it was just perfect.”
Drew Taylor of The Wrap (opens in a new tab) was equally effusive, saying “it could be [his] Favorite Marvel movie and might as well be the best. A sublime mix of extreme silliness, dreamy surrealism, and genuine emotion, with some of the most visually inventive sets in the MCU.”
Natalie Portman, who returns to the Thor franchise, this time as The Mighty Thor, received a lot of applause. Critic Scott Mantz described her (opens in a new tab) as a “total badass” and that Love and Thunder was “even better than Ragnarok”. A also loved (opens in a new tab) the “buddy cop” dynamic between Portman and Tessa Thompson’s Vakyrie.
Christian Bale, who plays Gorr the God Butcher, also gets high praise. “Christian Bale was highly anticipated as Gorr, and he delivered,” commented one (opens in a new tab). “One of the best villains in the MCU.” Other additional (opens in a new tab) that he was “top notch”.
However, lightning didn’t hit Taika Waititi twice everywhere. A said (opens in a new tab)“the comedy prevailed over the film” and another warned (opens in a new tab) that “most of the humor doesn’t land as well as the first time”.
Thor: Love and Thunder will be released on July 7 in the UK and July 8 in the US. For more on the film, be sure to check out Total Film’s exclusive coverage of its new issue, including how Natalie Portman prepared for her superhero role and Christian Bale’s horrified reaction to Googling Gorr.
