Taika Waititi had no problem staying busy after Thor: Ragnarok hit theaters in 2017. Since then, he’s visited the Star Wars universe, helped develop several acclaimed TV shows, and even won an Oscar for his work on 2019’s Jojo Rabbit. So naturally, fans are excited to see him return to the MCU with Thor: Love and Thunder. Waititi hasn’t shied away from expressing his confidence in the long-awaited sequel. Now, it’s time to see if that confidence paid off. Love and Thunder reactions
Last night, Love and Thunder had its world premiere in Hollywood, and several critics have begun sharing their first impressions of the film online. Overall, it sounds like bringing Waititi back for a second round of Asgardian mayhem was the right move, because the sequel is already being hailed as one of Marvel’s best. Check out a few highlights below.
Many of the reactions cite Waititi’s unique vision as the lynchpin to the film’s success. Luckily, it doesn’t seem as if Marvel forced him to make any compromises along the way. Because according to critics like Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier and /Film’s Hoai-Tran Bui, Love and Thunder proudly flies the director’s freak flag in the best way possible.
#ThorLoveAndThunder is like what I imagine living in the mind of Taika Waititi might be like. It’s wild, funny, a little all over the place in the middle but by the end it all comes together in a surprising, touching, satisfying way. So much Guns n Roses too. So much. pic.twitter.com/FCuilspvHH
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) June 24, 2022
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER: Pure Taika Waititi. There are moments of indulgence (esp the comedy bits) that could’ve been reined back, but otherwise a crowd pleasing ride buoyed by Natalie Portman’s guns and a terrifying Christian Bale doing a million accents. The goats are GOAT
— Hoai-Tran Bui (@htranbui) June 24, 2022
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Other reviews had nothing but kind words to say about the main cast, specifically Natalie Portman and Christian Bale as Jane Foster and Gorr the God Butcher, respectively. Critics are applauding Portman’s transformation into the Mighty Thor, especially when she gets to share the screen with Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. But Bale (in his MCU debut) steals the show as the film’s primary villain, turning in a performance that’s both “campy and creepy.”
#ThorLoveAndThunder is a vivid and vibrant blast that delivers. Hemsworth’s Thor remains a jewel in Marvel’s crown. Bale’s Gorr is a killer boogeyman blending the campy and the creepy. Portman’s Foster and Thompson’s Valkyrie are a top notch pairing. Crowe’s Zeus is *chef’s kiss* pic.twitter.com/PDb5SZRWOo
— Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) June 24, 2022
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER is a rockin’ great time with electrifying action, lots of laughs (the screaming goats!) & a profound story on absent gods & our desire for love. Natalie Portman makes a mighty return & Christian Bale slays it as the terrifying Gorr. The best Thor film yet! pic.twitter.com/s42SkqxlJj
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) June 24, 2022
Wow!! #ThorLoveandThunder is great! The best entry in Phase 4 behind Shang-Chi and No Way Home. I laughed. I cried. Then I laughed and cried some more, in that order. Natalie Portman is FINALLY given her due. Dr. Jane Foster is more than worthy of being the Mighty Thor. pic.twitter.com/oOop89P1uf
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) June 24, 2022
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The general tone of the film is earning top marks as well. As with his other projects, Waititi successfully mixes lots of heart with his signature brand of humor, and that’s to say nothing of the action scenes. According to Inverse’s Jacob Kleinman, we can also expect some of the most dazzling VFX shots that Marvel has ever produced.
#ThorLoveAndThunder is the GREATEST movie Marvel has made so far! I’m not joking. I haven’t laughed that hard since Ragnarok and I feel invested in Marvel again in a way that I haven’t since Endgame. Also, bring tissues. The journey is *chefs kiss* from start to finish! pic.twitter.com/bJYVxCJoQS
— Lyra Hale SDCC (@TheAltSource) June 24, 2022
I saw #ThorLoveAndThunder. It can’t quite match the visual or comedy bombast of Ragnarok, but Taika Waititi makes up for it with an emotionally mature Marvel movie. It’s also very funny (Natalie’s got jokes) and features one of the most stunning visual sequences in MCU history.
— Jake (@jacobkleinman) June 24, 2022
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Of course, Kleinman wasn’t the only one who compared the film unfavorably to Waititi’s last Marvel outing. Although most critics are praising the director’s offbeat style, others found it a bit too indulgent this time around, arguing that the jokes don’t land as well as they did in Ragnarok. Regardless, the cast finds a way to make up for this.
#ThorLoveAndThunder gets better when it’s not trying to desperately recapture the magic of Ragnarok. Most of the humor doesn’t land as well as it did the first time, but Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, & Christian Bale do the best with it.
More coming soon to @DiscussingFilm pic.twitter.com/2jkZD8TJAi
— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) June 24, 2022
However, you can’t be that breath of fresh air twice, so you need to up the emotional connection to the characters and the plot. See the Guardians movies. #ThorLoveAndThunder tries but can’t quite hit it, and comes across as weirdly restrained, which is a shame. pic.twitter.com/KhE13qEc7x
— Kaitlyn Booth (@katiesmovies) June 24, 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder opens on July 8.
Are you happy to see that the early word on the film is positive so far? Tell us what you think in the comment section below! Thor: Love and Thunder reactions
Recommended Reading: Thor by Jason Aaron: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
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