THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

Directing: B-
Acting: B-
Writing: C+
Cinematography: B
Editing: B
Special Effects: B-

Christian Bale. Russell Crow. Sam Neill. Melissa McCarthy! I swear to god, whether it’s a lead role or a cameo—and eventually, honestly, probably both at different times in most cases—every working actor today will one day find themselves in one of these Marvel movies. How does anyone find it in any way novel anymore?

There was this period where it felt like MCU movies were getting more consistently good. Now there’s a burgeoning attitude about post-Infinity War movies on average waning in quality. I’m thinking there is some truth to that. How many MCU movies have featured Thor as a character? This is the fourth in the “Thor series,” but I had to Google it: Chris Hemsworth has appeared as Thor in yet another four of the movies. He is hardly the only character for which this is an issue.

Much was made of how much life director Taika Waititi breathed into Thor with Thor: Ragnarok in 2017. The previous two films, directed by Kenneht Branagh in 2011 and Alan Taylor had taken themselves too seriously, the first one in particular given an unearned sense of “pedigree.” Taika Waititi came in with Ragnarok and gave it wit, made it fun in a way other MCU films thus far had not been, and it became widely regarded as one of the best of all the Marvel films. Even I think it remains one of the most fun.

So, Thor: Love and Thunder, also directed and co-written by Taika Waititi, arrives after hot anticipation—and a general let down. The trailers certainly titillated fans with the return of Natalie Portman as Jane Foster from the first two films, but attempting to mashup the sensibilities of the earlier films with that of Ragnarok resulted in something uneven at best, using an actor of Portman’s caliber only to leave her ample talents wasted. This kind of “quirky superhero movie,” in which her “Lady Thor” is trying in vain to come up with a catchphrase that sticks, just isn’t a good fit for her. Every minute Portman is onscreen is collectively the weakest element of Love and Thunder.

On the upside, we get to see Chris Hemsworth nude from behind for a split second in this one. And, Russell Crowe as Zeus is pretty fun, with the significant exception of a moment when he prances in a way that turns being effeminate into a punch line. There is another sequence, like in the previous film, with a re-enacted play featuring other actors playing the “characters” of Thor, in which several name actors make cameos. For a moment we get to see another Hemsworth.

The villain this time around is Christian Bale, playing “Gorr the God Butcher,” giving his all in a performance of a character who ultimately lacks substance, or even half the depth we’re supposed to feel. He is let down by gods who do nothing about his dying child, somehow gets his hands on a sword that can kill gods, and sets out to exact revenge on all gods as a result. Curiously, Gorr is the one character never afforded any humor; we are meant always to pity him. Villains in a movie like this always work better if they can offer at least some level of comedy. But, Gorr seems to exist in a different movie.

Honestly, Thor: Love and Thunder feels a bit rushed, with some CGI effects that feel like their seams are showing, and a sometimes incoherent plot. This movie has four credited editors. By and large the ensemble cast of actors have enough collective charisma to keep the proceedings engaging, so I was relatively entertained. But, it also tries to be all things to all people, and winds up being not-great for anyone. Well, except for the eager fanboys in the row behind me, I guess. Those kids would have lapped this movie up no matter how bad it was, though. One of them declared the movie “hilarious” when it ended, and I just found myself thinking about how that guy needs to broaden his horizons.

To be fair, a lot of it is funny. I got a few good chuckles out of it. But, this far in, it also feels like what genuine cleverness is left to Thor is being wrung out like a spent sponge. It’s feeling once again like these superhero movies are becoming more of the same shit, different cast. Except it’s just the supporting cast that’s different, because the principals are still the same. And as always, what reason is there to get emotionally invested when we know that gods never die? Even those supposedly threatened by a “god butcher” predictably find a way to better him in the end. Oh, oops. Spoiler alert! Thor: Love and Thunder is, in the end . . . adequate.

She doesn’t even look like it’s a comfortable fit.

Overall: B-