Thor: Love and Thunder is finally in theaters, but many fans have already reported the film was a little less than electrifying. Citing poor pacing, underwhelming plot choices, and an over reliance on humor, some rank it among the worst Marvel Cinematic Universe films ever released.
With such full-throated apathy toward the project, it can be hard to feel even a little excited about the film’s release — despite the fact many fans have been waiting for this release since the start of Phase 4. However, not all is lost. There remain fair arguments this film will be better remembered down the line.
10 Jane Foster Was Badass As The Mighty Thor
After being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, Jane Foster briefly staves off her terminal cancer diagnosis by wielding Mjolnir and becoming The Mighty Thor. This turn was one of the most highly anticipated aspects of the film, following a similar plot in Jason Aaron’s Thor run.
Its a great place to take Jane’s character, and the film does her justice. Not only does Jane receive a heartwarming hero’s journey, but she gets a complete one. Even those who merely love seeing Foster as Thor will feel completely satisfied by this film.
9 Russell Crowe Is Ridiculous As Zeus
The jury’s still out on whether or not his Greek accent is horrifying, but apart from that, Crowe’s performance as the ruler of Olympus and head of Omnipotent City is just too ridiculous not to love. Setting aside all expectations one has for this film and this character, it’s a comedic performance ripped straight from ’80s classics.
The way Russel Crowe gregariously throws about lightning bolts, and so heavily commits to the character, it’s easy to see why Waititi and the Marvel creators chose the actor for this role. Hopefully, Crowe’s Zeus will make a return in future films.
8 It Brought Brett Goldstein To The MCU
Known for his loveably gruff character on the hit Apple TV show Ted Lasso, Brett Goldstein is one of the most popular actors on television right now. Just recently, he was nominated for another Emmy for playing Roy Kent, having already won the award for the same role.
In Thor: Love and Thunder‘s post-credits scene, Brett Goldstein is introduced to the MCU as the iconic Olympian superhero, Hercules. Given the events which took place in the film, there’s no doubt the character will play a crucial role in upcoming MCU projects.
7 The First Appearance Of Eternity In The MCU
Comic book fans have been eagerly waiting for even a crumb the Marvel Universe’s wild, cosmic side to make its debut on the big screen. While films like Guardians of the Galaxy take the adventures close to these areas, they don’t hold a candle to what Love and Thunder brings to the MCU.
Eternity was one of those old-school comic book entities that simply needed a decade of solid storytelling to introduce in any serious capacity. The fact Thor: Love and Thunder capitalized on this and introduced such a cool and unique character to screen was impressive.
6 It Gave Thor A Cool New Weapon
As the Viking of all Vikings, it’s only fitting Thor’s armory of mythical weapons should be ever-expanding. Thor gained a new weapon, Zeus’ Thunderbolt, which possessed a vast array of strange and unpredictable powers which he used to take on Gorr.
Considering Thor likely believes Zeus is dead, it’s possible Thor kept the Thunderbolt. Giving Thor new weapons did more than aesthetically boost the character’s style and appearance. It allowed the director to dig into the myths and traditions which originally laid the groundwork for the MCU’s Thor.
5 Some Of The Humor Is Still Funny
As the thousands of YouTube comments attest, comedy is subjective, and one’s mileage will inevitably vary when encountering any comedy. The biggest factor Love and Thunder has against its funny bone is the fact many audiences have come in expecting an emotionally grounded tale.
Audiences are by no means wrong for expecting this. However, if they lay this expectation aside, they may find it possible to enjoy Love and Thunder a bit more. At the very least, everyone can agree the goats are funny for a little while.
4 It Can Be Enjoyed By Younger Audiences
In a lot of ways, Thor: Love and Thunder is a mature kids’ movie. It involves kids in the plot without talking down to them. Chris Hemsworth himself describes the film as being the sort of thing a child would make. Doubting that Chris was dimissing Waititi’s efforts, this creative choice is likely intentional.
There’s a genuinely sweet childlike sense of wonder throughout the movie, right down to its ending. While some fans hold the notion comic book movies should primarily target adult audiences, Love and Thunder opts to retain comics’ other target audience: kids.
3 It Got Creative With Its Characters’ Powers
A lot of Thor-outings fall into the trap of limiting his powers to hammer-throwing and thunder-bolting. In reality, there are several cool things one can do with Thor’s powerset, something Waititi tapped in Thor: Ragnarok. The director wisely remembered another intriguing aspect about the Odinson’s powers.
As wielder of Mjolnir, former King of Asgard, or Son of Odin, Thor can imbue other weapons with his might. In the finale, he does this in spectacular fashion, providing one of the film’s most emotionally charged moments. Additionally, Waititi makes use of Mjolnir’s shattered state, giving it with new ballistic capabilities.
2 Introduced A New, Mystery MCU Character
One of the sweetest parts of Thor: Love and Thunder is its final scene, where Thor takes on Gorr’s daughter as his own, raising her to be a hero just like him. It’s even sweeter when one realizes Gorr’s daughter is Hemsworth’s real-life child, India-Rose Hemsworth.
Known simply as the “Love” to Thor’s “Thunder,” Gorr’s daughter may play a larger role in future MCU projects, possibly joining the next generation of superheroes. She may even be revealed as the Marvel Comics character, Singularity.
1 Christian Bale’s Performance Is Top Tier
Upon the announcement of his involvement, most fans justifiably expected Christian Bale to bring a powerhouse performance to the MCU. The Academy Award-winning actor has been just as beloved in artistic spaces as he has nerdy ones, so film buffs and MCU fans alike were excited.
The result was even more impressive than most expected. What could’ve been a great but out of place performance was firmly rooted in Love and Thunder‘s camp and tone. Adding yet another layer to the universe at large, Christian Bale proved there was nothing he couldn’t do.