Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) Review

One of the most hyped films, Thor: Love and Thunder is out and I have now finally had a chance to watch it and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Thor attempting to work himself out when he must team up with his ex Jane Foster in order to stop a new enemy. 

Main Character

Chris Hemsworth has now played Thor for 11 Years and he could play the role in his sleep. He is great in this film and he is just so good as the character and has made him into a really fun lead character. Thor had a great story arc in Avengers Endgame and it kind of continues here with his character getting an interesting deep dive with a continued progression which is good to see. 

Supporting Characters

Natalie Portman as Jane Foster was a pretty dull part of the previous Thor films but I actually liked her here and I definitely feel like this is the best she has done. Seeing her take up the role of Mighty Thor is really entertaining and seeing the two Thor's in action adds something fresh to the film. The story between the two of them is well handled and I thought this was the most chemistry that Portman and Hemsworth have had. Tessa Thompson is back as Valkyrie and she is pretty fun once again, her character doesn't get much development but she is always entertaining and Thompson is clearly having a lot of fun in the role. But there are some falters here, Christian Bale plays Gorr The God Butcher and it just didn't work for me. He was a dull villain who wasn't given enough time for you to really care and Bale switches from intense to goofy too often for me and it just makes his character feel inconsistent. Korg is one of my favourite characters in the MCU but he is in this film way too much and his overuse of comedy is too forced and takes away from the overall product. I think it shows that he is best in smaller doses and they shouldn't have him as front and centre as he is here. 

Story 

The story is at its best when it focuses on the relationship between Thor and Jane. There is some real drama here mixed with some nice humour, in interviews it was claimed it would be the biggest part of that film and it succeed here. But the story just feels incredibly rushed and a bit all over the place, it tries to balance really serious moments with comedy and it really doesn't work at all with an ending that also didn't quite work for me. 

Script 

The script is actually quite funny, its not as funny as Ragnarok but there are some chuckle worthy moments. There is some good drama here that is actually quite dark which I don't think people would be expecting to see here. But the film goes way too hard on the comedy and it just doesn't work, the two things clash and create this mess of a script. 

Style 

The film looks really good, the action is pretty exciting and in this day of age the CGI looks really good. Seeing the two Thor's in action is really fun and made the action scenes a bit more fun then it would have been if it had just been Thor. But the film isn't paced very well, it clocks in at around 1 hour 45 and it feels rushed. Also as good as it is, there wasn't one action set piece that really stood out for me. 

Overall

Overall, Thor: Love and Thunder is an above average film that has its moments but it falls way short of expectations and I think only big MCU fans will appreciate it as much as me. 

Rating - 6/10

Thor: The Dark World (2013) Review

Next on my list of MCU films to watch is Thor: The Dark World and tonight I did that and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees an ancient force looking for a powerful weapon that forces Thor to return to Earth and reunite with Jane Foster.

Main Character

Chris Hemsworth is always good as Thor, for me this is probably the weakest he is playing the role but he is still good here. After the events of the first film it is pretty cool to see Thor in a solo film with all of his powers and he has plenty of time to throw down and does it well. The film also has clearly showed the development of the character from his first film through The Avengers to The Dark World and it is one of the better elements of the film. He starts to show some of the comedic timing we know he has and it leads to a pretty decent lead performance. 

Supporting Characters

Tom Hiddleston is back as Loki and for me he is easily the best part of this film, he is so charismatic and has the best lines here. He is more of an anti-hero in this film and it is a nice development of the dynamic between Thor and Loki that we had seen at this point in The MCU. Anthony Hopkins was always a good choice as Odin and his character has an interesting character arc here, in the first film he seems to be the all knowing wise king but he has some issues in this film that requires Thor to sort them out and it provides an interesting wrinkle. Idris Elba, Rene Russo & Jaime Alexander are all decent in their roles but they are much smaller so seems a bit unfair to talk about them too much. Natalie Portman is back as Jane Foster and she didn't work for me here. I thought their romance worked in the first film, but here it feels like she is just a damsel in distress and no a well developed character and just a really bland element here. Christopher Eccleston plays the villain Malekith and this is one of the most boring villains in The MCU. He has nothing interesting and unique about him at all, he is so forgettable and the film does a terrible in making him a threat to Thor and it really hurts the film. I also wasn't a fan of the use of Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard here and felt like they annoyed me, especially when everything is going down in the final battle. 

Story 

The story feels like a pretty natural sequel to The Avengers in how it treats certain characters and that is nice to see. I liked how the development between Thor and Loki was handled and the fact we got to spend more time on Asgard, also the film has a great pretty clifhangery ending. But the film lacks real weight to it, the bad guys plot is generic, half the characters are useless and there is a romance I didn't care about. The film just doesn't have great storytelling and overall it shows despite it doing some things okay. 

Script

The script is similar to the story, there are some fun exchanges and a few dramatic moments but overall it lacks bite and a real sense of scale and intrigue. There is just too much of the film that I found boring and actually make no sense which on this occasion really hurt the overall product. 

Style

Along, with Hiddleston and Hemsworth, the other best thing about this film is the style. The action scenes are great and feel very grand and exciting with a fresh feel to it. Also the film is paced well, with the film not having too much downtime which is effective. 

Overall 

Overall, this is a good film that is an entertaining watch. I don't think it is as good as the first Thor film but if you like super hero films then this is a decent way to pass 2 hours. 

Rating - 7/10

The Avengers (2012) Review

On my way to reviewing all the MCU films I have now made it to the end of the first phase which means I have made it to The Avengers and I re-watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of superheroes have to come together to save the world from an alien force. 

Main Character

He was the first star of the MCU and he is one of the main focuses here, I'm talking about Robert Downey Jnr as Tony Stark AKA Iron Man and I think he is great in the film. He has so much charisma and the one liners are coming at a really high rate in the film, the key thing for me though is that his character develops and I think what this film does really well is show you how much has changed in him since the first Iron Man film. Chris Evans is back as Captain America and it is fun seeing this man who is from another time having to deal with modern times, I also like how his character interacted with the others, also in the action scenes Cap still shines and this film doesn't even montage past all of it. The dynamic between Downey Jnr & Evans is great here and shows just how different their personalities are and how difficult it is for them to work together despite the world literally being on the line. 

Supporting Characters

Okay, there are so many characters so in order for this review to not be longer then it needs I will try and keep this as short as possible. Chris Hemsworth is great as Thor, he adds more humour and presence in the role and like all the other characters he really gets to excel by bouncing his presence off of the other characters. Tom Hiddleston plays the villain Loki and what a shock he is great too, we saw the start of the character in Thor but he has clearly progressed since then and I liked how the relationship between the two brothers develops from the previous film. Scarlett Johansson is back as Black Widow and she is much better here then she was in Iron Man 2, she is actually given a character and real time to shine and the best thing I can say is that she stands alongside these gods and super powered beings and doesn't look out of place. Jeremy Renner plays Hawkeye and they don't give him that much to do, or more like they handle the character poorly, but by the end of the film I came around to Renner in the role and given more to do he is a great fit for the character. Over the first phase of the MCU we have seen flickers of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury but this is the most we get of him so far and he is great, he is just so cool and interesting with his motivations not being as black and white as you would expect for this film. Now onto The Hulk, Mark Ruffalo takes over the role in this film and he is great as Banner, yes it is different to Edward Norton but he feels like a natural fit and I really liked his character here. But The Hulk is the star of this film, when he gets going he is amazing and looks incredible, The Hulk has never been better then he is in this film I believe and credit has to go to him for that. Clark Gregg, Colbie Smulders & Stellan Skaarsgard are also all good in their roles. 

Story  

As you can see by the lengthy cast list there is plenty going on here but it all balances nicely. I love the fact that the film shows that despite these characters all being heroes they don't all necessarily get along and have different views on things and it adds some much needed drama. I think the fact that we have seen their solo films aids in that as the film doesn't have to waste time with backstories and that allows the film to move at a really fast pace. Yes, there are some conveniences but I don't care, this film is so fun and the final act is comic book film greatness and delivers truly memorable moments. 

Script

The script is great, it just has that very snappy dialogue with plenty of one liners and dialogue that just fits the characters appropriately. There is also some depth and drama to this popcorn blockbuster film and that is good and credit to the people behind the script as this aids in making these god like characters interesting and a bit relatable. 

Style 

The style of the film is one of the best things about the film. As I mentioned above, the pacing of the film is incredibly quick and that aids in making this an incredibly fun film. The action scenes are huge in scale and the CGI is at its best here then any MCU film that came before. Which brings me onto The Hulk, he looks amazing, the action scenes involving him are the the most exciting part of the film and finally the MCU had a Hulk that delivered in looking and fighting like he deserved. 

Overall

Overall, The Avengers is a special film that is a must watch for not just Marvel fans but all film fans. I think because of what The MCU now is we sometimes forget about this film and take it for granted. But without, The Avengers there wouldn't be an MCU and it is an amazing film that is honestly one of my favourite movies possibly ever. 

Rating - 10/10

Thor (2011) Review

Next on my list for MCU films that I am reviewing is the first Thor film that came out in 2011 and really started this franchise up and here is my review for it. The premise sees an arrogant Thor forced to Earth and without his power where he has to attempt to recover his power in time to save both Earth and his home of Asgard. 

Main Character 

It's funny that when this film came out in 2011, Chris Hemsworth was not a well known star and this film threw him into stardom and he is really great here. He actually plays a layered version of the character and you see a really good character arc, he starts the film in one way and by the end you feel like he has earned his acclaim and it would be the start of a bright future for him and the character. 

Supporting Cast

This film also has a fantastic supporting cast with the best being Tom Hiddleston in his first portrayal of Loki. The film is best when it focuses on the relationship between him and Hemsworth and that is due to the great performances between the two of them. Hiddleston nails the real tragedy and depth to do with the character and he easily rises above a one note villain and a character that you can feel real sympathy with and despite being the villain having some sort of connection with him and want to see him put back on the right track. Anthony Hopkins plays Odin and he is also great and actually an important part of the film. With Hiddleston and Hemsworth being lesser known actors Hopkins had to aid them and provide plenty and he did here with him being the strict father very well and if you are gonna have some drop exposition you might as well have Anthony Hopkins. Natalie Portman plays Jane Foster for the first time and I think she is decent in the film, I feel like her character isn't particularly interesting but the dynamic between her and Hemsworth is good here and is a decent romance here. Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Stellan Skarsgard & Idris Elba also do decent jobs here and really lead to this having a very good cast and maybe one of the better ones in the MCU. 

Story 

The story is decent, as I said above the film really thrives when it focuses on the relationship between Thor & Loki and how there characters act and develop as the film progresses. Also it is interesting seeing Thor weakened for the majority of this film and seeing him have to work to improve himself does work for this story. But for a first introduction to the character it does feel like Thor is missing for quite a bit of the film in his glory and maybe something could have been changed there. Also this films plot definitely goes through a lull in the second act and it can't keep the intrigue up but it does recover by the end of the film. 

Script 

The script is really well written, Sir Kenneth Branagh who has been known for his Shakespearean fields directed this movie and he took that knowledge and naturally fit it in here, especially in the relationship between Loki and Thor. This film also has some good comic relief and this film had good drama but also plenty of laughs to be had. 

Style

The style of the film is okay, there are some alright action scenes and the film moves briskly by and keeps moving throughout. But the film does have some issues and that is mainly due to the big action set pieces being poorly filmed and the fact that the CGI looks pretty bad which is a big issue when it is film like this. Obviously, this was Thor's first outing so I guess this could have been expected but it is a criticism for sure. 

Overall

Overall, this is a great first film in the Thor franchise. It brings this character to the mainstream and provided a really fun film that fits the MCU tone and is an easy watch that if you are a fan of the universe or want to be then give this film a watch. 

Rating - 8/10