It’s safe to say that Thor: Love and Thunder is the most disappointing film in Marvel’s phase four. The trailers looked amazing. Plus, Taika Waititi revived the Thor franchise thanks to Ragnarok. That makes the MCU film even more frustrating when the Oscar winner has proven he can write a strong Marvel film. Still, it doesn’t mean that Thor: Love and Thunder doesn’t have its moments.
Before the release of the 2022 film, it was reported that the feature had a four-hour cut that was “Batsh*t crazy”. In fact, Lena Headey was cut from the original film! There was more of a story to tell. However, the biggest issue with Thor: Love and Thunder is that it’s a jumbled mess of tones that never mesh well together.
Taika Waititi seems like he wanted to create the ultimate sci-fi, action, comedy, romantic, and drama feature but he severely undercuts major moments in Love and Thunder because there’s no true sense of identity within the film. Thor: Love and Thunder would’ve been better off as a mini-series.
It Would’ve Better Developed Jane Foster AKA The Mighty Thor
The idea of Jane The Mighty Thor making her way into the MCU was exciting. Natalie Portman was a fun presence in the first two films and her return was certainly welcomed. However, her entire arc was a mess. Jane has stage four cancer and the only way she could get better is to grab the magic hammer. The storytelling here felt lazy and contrived. How does a magical hammer have the power to slow (or get rid of) cancer?
A mini-series would’ve allowed Taika Waititi to expand on Jane’s arc. Why is Jane Foster worthy of the hammer in the first place? It would be great to see her character prove her worth instead of simply being given the hammer because…cancer. More importantly, it also could’ve better woven Jane’s development.
For some reason, she’s instantly a pro at fighting once she gets the hammer. Before Love and Thunder, Jane Foster wasn’t an elite warrior like Valkyrie. Oddly, she’s suddenly a badass fighter. Thor is still a great fighter regardless of whether he has the hammer or not. There should’ve been a struggle with Jane using her newfound powers, especially since she’s dealing with stage four cancer.
Gorr The God Butcher Would’ve Gotten More Time To Shine
Christian Bale‘s Gorr The God Butcher is criminally underused. Thor: Love and Thunder starts great; it documents the main villain in a sympathetic light where we understand his motivations. His origins from the comics cross over very well. The biggest issue is that we don’t get enough time with the villain and his journey in killing all of the Gods.
These moments should’ve been showcased. A mini-series would’ve allowed a greater focus on Gorr’s story and tied the bridge between him and Thor better. As it stands, the narrative is unfocused, so Gorr feels out of place in a film that’s trying its hardest to be anything but serious. The silliness often undercuts the serious moments of the film, which hinders Gorr in the long run. Extending Thor: Love and Thunder would’ve given the filmmaker a chance to properly balance the tones in the Thor saga, and truly establish why Gorr The God Butcher is one of the best villains in the MCU.
Thor Would’ve Gotten Much Needed Development
It’s not clear why Taika Waititi turned Thor into such a goofball. It’s more annoying than charming most of the time. Once the threat of Gorr The God Butcher became clear, silly Thor should’ve turned into serious Thor. It’s great that his character isn’t a one-dimensional superhero; however, the Oscar winner pushed him too far on the other side.
Some personal growth beyond his love life would surely help balance that out. Thor is a great character. When used correctly, he can be an extremely compelling hero with his own voice. With the multiple themes and plots in the film, a mini-series would’ve allowed Taika to properly flesh everything out and possibly give him the send-off he rightfully deserves.
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