Review “Thor: Love and Thunder”: A High Stake Attached to the Comics

Officially, Marvel Phase 4 is in the middle of its journey.  With several of the first Avengers dead or retired, the new generation of UCM superheroes has made its way little by little and everything indicates that we will continue to see new faces. However, the dangers are not over yet and they are not only lived on Earth, but also outside of it, and in "Thor: Love and Thunder" we will discover what these new threats are.

After the events of "Endgame", Thor left Valkyrie in charge of New Asgard to seek her new purpose, so he joined the Guardians of the Galaxy to start from scratch and leave the planet behind. For this fourth installment, starring Chris Hemsworth, his character will have an important change that will serve to face a villain who promises to be up to the task, such as Gorr (Christian Bale).

But although "Thor: Love and Thunder" promises to be a film full of action and with moments of comedy, just as director Taika Waititi himself did in "Ragnarok", this time the special touch will be given by love, an ingredient that the title already anticipated it and it will encompass the entire plot. In addition, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Thor's ex-partner, will play a decisive role by becoming Mighty Thor after his connection with Mjolnir.

For its part, after the latest releases of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, which are also related to the Multiverse, it is still not clear where this film would be in the Phase 4 timeline. The only certain thing is that it gives continuity to Thor's story and that, in turn, it would be happening before what we will see soon with the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Will this be the last adventure of the Norse god?

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An extravagant, emotional film with good music

If there is something that most Marvel fans love, it is that the movies have a strong link with the stories of the comics. Precisely, those references are noted in "Thor: Love and Thunder", whose winks are closely associated with "The Unworthy Thor" by Jason Aaron and Olivier Coipel. And it is that in both plots we see the protagonist's crusade to return to be worthy of Mjolnir, which is in the hands of Jane.

On that last point, it is worth noting that the director knew how to handle the threads of the story. At times, the leading role falls directly on the character of Natalie Portman, who, despite not being in good health, is capable of emanating that positive and moral energy that makes her worthy of lifting the hammer to, in this way, offer emotion to the adventure. Even her version is one of the most attached to the comic to the point of being the most brilliant of the film.

In turn, part of the strengths of the film are shown in the emotions of its protagonists. And it is that despite the frantic pace that the film may have, you cannot ignore the suffering that Thor has gone through with the loss of his loved ones and that have led him to want to straighten his path, although that manages to balance with his reunion with Jane and the romantic comedy narrative that works by the minute.

In addition, another character that does not go unnoticed and that leaves an interesting reflection is Gorr. Christian Bale brings to life a bloodthirsty creature who is driven to take actions very much in the style of Thanos or Ultron, displaying an analytical sense of his reasons and motivations for destroying everything in his path. And it is that Gorr raises the question of why the gods have abandoned people and allow so much suffering.

Precisely, one of the aspects that has generated the most confusion in the film goes hand in hand with the introduction of the gods of Olympus. Here, Zeus (Russell Crowe) shows his most twisted and unpleasant side that leads us to understand Gorr's motives, also making it clear that behind all those powerful entities there is more darkness than a sense of justice.

On the other hand, a factor that completely nourishes the film, and that we had already anticipated in the trailer, is the music. Taika Waititi knew how to play with the vibrant and exaggerated aesthetic that only eighties rock can give, with Guns N' Roses as the main axis. Added to that, the best scenes are adorned with big hits that are better left unmentioned to keep the surprises going.

In short, "Thor: Love and Thunder" is a journey of emotions that manages to surpass its previous installments. Regardless of what it means for the MCU, this film shows a message about life and love that will touch many of us. It is, without a doubt, an extravagant and colorful adventure that makes it clear that the thunder does not end here.