Thor: Love and Thunder - Review! (No Spoilers)

[@NedBaker]

Everything after Endgame is like you finish the main campaign and now you’re just doing side missions

[@DanielDoesItLive]

You said it perfect

[@RJ-Ramen]

This is a great way of looking at it

[@pr0fess0rbadass]

@@DanielDoesItLive thats because he stole it from someone else

[@ggs27]

@@pr0fess0rbadass bruh

[@Rememberleegs]

I completely agree. This one really fell flat for me as a story by itself and as a story that’s supposed to be a part of a larger interconnecting world. But at the same time, I had a lot of fun watching it. I just think that it wasn’t very substantive, just quick and easy and I don’t think I would be missing out if I never saw it again.

[@nzcsx]

Totally agree! I expected its flat plot, so I shut down my brain to watch it, and I had HUGE AMOUNT of fun! (The ending is a bit predictable but still good)

[@kingkiller5325]

You just spelled out my feelings for all recent MCU films. They're okay. And I have fun watching them. But once the movie is over. I don't feel like I'll miss anything if I never rewatch it again. The movies are fun but have no impact.

[@Paul94096]

I REALLY enjoyed it despite it's issue. For me Jane Foster was the nest part. And I came in for her and I was no disappointed. I feel similarly about MOM. I came for Wanda and I was completely satisfied.

[@800Ms-k6n]

It's basically entertaining but you'll soon forget it after watching it, atleast that's my experience cuz I barely remember anything from the movie after watching it. Probably the most memorable characters in the movie were the goats because they're cute and actually funny, the rest were just so disposable and throwaway

[@uhuhuh1966]

Hit the nail on the head, it was cute I had fun but that’s all, I rewatch Ragnarok all the time but won’t with this one. I’m one of the few that hated Multiverse of Madness but didn’t hate this just didn’t love it

[@Obi-ThreeKenobi]

Ya know, one thing I really love about Dan's reviews, is that even if he doesn't like something, he always has a compliment to it. Like he said, he didn't like Eternals, but I remember during that review that he said he hopes the reaction to that movie doesn't discourage Marvel from taking chances like Eternals again. They tried and just came up short, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try for new things. Dan can be hard, and as Kevin Smith said, have a high bar, but he's always fair and honest, rather than just hating like some other YT critics. Keep'em coming, Dan, you die hard Seminoles fan, you! (had to channel drunk Napzok lol)

[@stormtraitor6545]

Yeah, I always liked Dan’s attitude, unlike Jeremy Jahns and Chris Stuckmann who tend to be just harsh for the sake of it.

[@travisbickle4360]

@@stormtraitor6545 Chris has changed and he no longer reviews movies he didn't like

[@my5head]

@@stormtraitor6545 Chris became hard to watch when he started just mocking films he didn't like. It's nice that he's humbled himself a bit.

[@TheDalinkwent]

The problem with Eternals and "trying new things" as always is..."is that what your audience wants?" If I ordered a steak...and they served with a new sauce or seasoning to freshen it up...then thats cool. Yet, if I ordered the Steak and they gave me Tofu passing off as Steak to..."try something new" I would be pissed. Thats the problem with projects like Eternals. Theres subverting expectations...and pissing off your audience.

[@Obi-ThreeKenobi]

@@my5head Honestly, once Chris started getting his sleeve, his whole attitude shifted to a somewhat snarky tone. I'll still give him a view here and there, but I usually check out Dan and Jeremey. I kinda respect that Jeremey hasn't changed his format and one of the first with the quick cuts, but yea sometimes he can go easy on things he likes or be extra hard on things hes doesn't. Guess its the nature of the beast.

[@davidlaid1146]

My biggest problem is that it feel super super rushed. Like i was honestly surprised when we went from the shadow realm to infinity's place within the span of like 10 minutes it felt like. Nothing had enough time to build up and breathe. Gorr was an amazing character but had NO time to build up! He went from a random guy to a god killer within too short of a time. We didn't see like any progress to show us and give us that sense of impressiveness. Then there is the way that everyone just seemed to know where everything is. Thor knew exactly where the god city was, yet Zeus didn't want him to leave because he knew now knew where the city was...then they just knew where infinity was?? It's really unfortunate. Awesome ideas and the romance with jane and thor was great, but just not enough time for everything they wanted to do in this movie. Edit: Also, there were too many fake out deaths lol. Zeus, valkyrie, siff, korg, potentially Jane? Just takes all the emotional impact out of everything.

[@Windupchronic]

For me what worked were Jane and Gorr. I could have had more of them. My issue was the tonal shifts. The movie moves way too fast, and needed to be paced better, to move more seamlessly between the different tones. I liked the humor. There wasn't a single joke I disliked, But there were humorous moments that felt inorganic because they were moving to them too quickly and didn't take the time needed to get there. That said, I still enjoyed it more than the first two Thors. And there are things I liked about it, a lot. The fight scenes were great, and Mighty Thor was everything I'd hoped she would be.

[@Khkh-bv5gf]

Bruh what? I think Jane was the worst part of the movie. Am I the only onev

[@flyswatter0182]

Yes you are. She was fantastic

[@chumlanthungshitiri199]

Hahaha Jane was the worst part Imo

[@gbdeck200]

Yeah it's bad, audience so Strange with I still enjoyed it as if they can't just say its mid Wastes the potential of ideas for marvelisms they refuse to let die, over comedy and scene break up for the sake of it

[@Cash42]

Completely agree, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale really killed it.

[@MilesSomerville]

Since Endgame, Feige's taken on a much bigger role at Marvel as a whole and I think it shows. He's clearly not as involved with pre-production as he's been in Phase 1-3, because the MCU has never felt more directionless. I think he should bring more people on-board so he can be a bit more hands on with all of the projects.

[@maverickcreations8864]

Or. JUST. SLOW. DOWN... Instead of 3 movies, you can keep it to 2 movies a year like phase 1-2 with one or two TV shows max! So that the quality of what is being made is top notch.

[@adityamenon5186]

It's not always about having direction. You shouldn't be watching a movie knowing that it leads to 5 movies later. Phase 1 and 2 worked because (Feige was vocal about this) each movie should act as a complete well made standalone movies with their own intricate stories so that the movies attract fans on their own merit (like any other movie). Any link to any other movie just needs to be an Easter egg to tease people. And that was why the quality of those movies were awesome! I haven't watched this one yet, but I'm betting it won't be having the same quality as even Iron man 2. Let's take that as an example. Iron man 2 was leading upto something resembling the avengers but it only made $350M. But compare that with iron man 1 where no one who watched it knew where the story was leading to... 95% of the people didn't even know about the post credits scene and walked out. But the movie made $500M on its own merit like a boss! And even today, it still holds up. Plotwise, acting, dialogue wise and with some of the cleanest CG ever (to be fair, even Iron man 2 had good CG) That is how movies should be. Nobody cared (or even knew) about the Guardians of the Galaxy or even knew how it could possibly connect but it made $700M simply because the movie was great Even consider a movie like captain America the 1st avenger... The 1st 20 minutes have the scrawny Steve Rogers and it has some of the best unrecognizably real rotoscoping work than even the biggest budgeted Avengers 3 and 4.

[@adityamenon5186]

Feige has forgotten the one thing he assured he would stand by... Give us one well made, inventive movie - with a complete storyline and character arcs - at a time. Marvel won't get any new audience anymore. While we are glazed over and will accept anything mediocre. A random person walking into a theatre should have an amazing movie to become a fan.

[@ironfox4990]

If the MCU needs to gain momentum, they should take a note from the comics where they let new creatives come in with new takes and liberties to add on and refresh the universe and Feige can just take a seat back.

[@luiki4189]

Is he still working on Star Wars project?

[@lacolem1]

How many times is Thor going to rediscover himself? 5? 6 times? There has to be some reasonable tonal layer between Ragnorak and Dark World

[@harshbaid2511]

Bang on, rediscovery was plot for Ragnarok and they made it again.

[@bubbashore6450]

I enjoyed the movie and think it's accessible to a younger crowd and I appreciated a lighthearted approach in such dark times.

[@Noirlore]

Idk, Gore is pretty scary looking for young kids, plus they swear more in this than most other mcu films

[@DanV900]

It shouldn’t be that lighthearted with Gorr as the villain and there wasn’t much depth.

[@jeffypaul8835]

@@Noirlore they have been swearing more in allot of the recent films I have noticed. I guess with social media and the world becoming a shit show everyone is just getting used to curse words and stuff

[@FreelancerLA]

Definitely feels like it's skewing a bit younger, especially with (spoilers) . . . . . . ...Thor literally leading an army of children against Gor (favorite part of the film for me).

[@matheuslascasas134]

I just came out of the movie and I gotta say... This is a high point for phase 4 for me. I feel like I'm gonna be defending this one. Really like the themes and how the story unfolds. Besides, I laughed a lot watching it

[@Jim-Halp1234]

I loved it as well.

[@MZ99698]

As a Greek I personally loved Russell Crowe’s Zeus. Obviously it was a comedic take but I thought he was hilarious and did a surprisingly decent accent. Looking forward to seeing more of him in the future!

[@christianlynn2046]

Dan, you have literally encapsulated exactly how I feel about this film and the MCU perfectly 🙏

[@suhasinishantharam9337]

Knowing Taika's humour and style of directing, I went to this movie with the only expectation to be entertained and was not disappointed. The visuals were icing on the cake.

[@Tzgrey77]

Exactly- like I was expecting humour and visuals and got that- definitely was not forced MCU humor and I think it had some heart

[@johndonatucci737]

I just came out of the theatre. My biggest takeaway was that it was good. It didn’t blow me away like Ragnarok, but that’s too be expected. I worry tho, cause all these movies are just following up on past drama. Not building towards anything, nor addressing what happened in other films or tv shows that have come out recently. This movie was really cool, but feels like a filler episode on Thor’s longer journey.

[@lordbauer5983]

“Filler episode” can describe most all of Phase 4. It’s certainly the most meandering era of the MCU so far.

[@a.block.of.tofu.]

After MoM I thought to myself "At least we have another Tiaka Waititi Thor coming, there's no way that will disappoint!". I was wrong, I left the theater maybe even more disappointed than I was in MoM. This movie felt so off to me, some stuff was funny, but some went way too far and it at times felt like a Thor parody. Christian bales performance is great but Gorr as a character leaves you wanting more, it felt like he was barely in the movie. It doesn't feel like a Taika Waititi movie it just feels like an algorithm made it. I've felt the same as you about the phase 4 films and as a huge MCU fan I'm wondering what the hell is going on.

[@ZT2783]

This is exactly my feelings. Like spot on exact.. the "what is going on" feeling is strong. I'm in shock how movies I used to love wholeheartedly now just disappoint me.

[@lawnjart16]

Dan makes a lot of points regarding things I have been thinking about for the last few months. Marvel films used to be event films and now they are just films and TV shows. Same thing with Star Wars. Disney makes a ton of money off of these films and shows, and I thought for a long time now that it would be like killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Yet, they still continue to make a lot of money and have fans. I won't watch new Star Wars films/shows as the more I watch the more I lose my love of the original trilogy (I stopped watching after Rise of Skywalker, and decided to restart when Obi came out, but bailed). I never had that passion for Marvel so now that I have to learn so much from many shows/series to understand latest ones, it was easy for me to bail. And...so why am I watching this review when I am fatigued with Marvel? Got to show support for Dan, right?

[@titanguy7316]

Agree on Marvel, disagree on Star Wars.

[@stormtraitor6545]

I do miss when Marvel movies were big like ‘The Avengers’ or ‘Captain America: Civil War’ or ‘Avengers: Endgame’. And tbh, I miss when ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ was coming out as we had gone so long without ‘Star Wars’. I feel like Disney needs to slow down, but money talks.

[@joanieph]

I ugly-laughed at the beginning pun. Haven't seen the whole video yet, but just wanted to give you some engagement anyway beforehand. Love and appreciate you, Dan! (And speaking of which, belated congrats on your actual engagement!)

[@mark2graves-movies689]

This is an excellent cautionary review for the MCU as a whole. As fans, I feel like we've gotten to the point where the phrase "I saw it because it's Marvel. It's fine. Go see it because it's part of the bigger MCU story" is getting harder to believe and harder to do if you're a casual fan. I know a lot of people who aren't watching the TV shows and haven't seen all the movies. If Marvel doesn't give those people a reason to care, and they don't show us (the "no matter what" crowd) the bigger story sometime soon, I'm worried that more of us will become casual fans. More casual fans means eventually people will stop caring. And that does not translate into good news for the longevity of the MCU as a whole.

[@jimmyboy7817]

I found the tone inconsistent. Lots of goofy humor, especially Russel Crowe playing Zeus as a cross between Hulk Hogan and Con the Fruiterer , a character from the Australian 1980s sketch comedy series The Comedy Company. However, the opening scene with Christian Bale pre titles felt like a different movie entirely.

[@evie9732]

now I'm going to have to see it just for the con the fruiterer reference 😊

[@marcocrolygracia3179]

I really think this movie needed to pick a different theme. One of the reasons I was so excited that Gorr the God-Butcher would be the main villain is that it would also go over the same ideas in the comics; the problem of evil for religion and active nihilism. Instead were given a story about love and connection where the story just jumps between Gorr and Jane in a way where events just happen there is no room to explore ideas, no buildup, like the Rise of Skywalker. Gorr in the comics is relatable as someone who lost his faith to due perceived indifference of his deities because of his suffering and is expelled from his tribe for it and sets out to destroy the gods because to him they are selfish. Its roughly the same though he is alone with his child from the start but sees for himself the callousness of his god. Jane's Almighty Thor explores similar ideas but has its own focus. Thor is also shown as sympathetic in the comics as does respond to the prayers of a people on the brink and summons a storm to bring them water showing that he is not an indifferent god, in the movies he isn't so relatable, he defeats an occupying force sure but he also destroys their sacred buildings, sure he shows up and helps New Asgard but he also gets caught up meeting Jane again allowing Gorr to seize the children.

[@icantbelieveitsnotbutter8851]

Thor Jane could of been a movie by itself and Gorr needed screen time to character build. Rather than some fat god, in the beginning, making jokes about him. Show his people suffering and no God answering their prayers and his family dying still believing etc. Then he finds the necrosword etc. kill his 1st God then go about it like that. Then you can have goofy Thor from previous movie enjoying himself, not knowing Gods are dying. Then from on it pure seriousness once he finds out, then add some good plot where he less goofy and take on responsibility as a God etc.

[@dj_matanzaa]

Right - had the movie just delivered on its promise of exploring those themes, I could look past the tonal shifts. It just wasn’t well written; or rather, it was obvious the creators went into it aiming to make a superhero action-comedy rather than anything more meaningful.

[@dj_matanzaa]

@@icantbelieveitsnotbutter8851 See, that’s the simple answer to fixing this movie! It’s frustrating when the film could have been so much better with those minor and basic tweaks.

[@toefoo8183]

Exactly. They could easily make a simple "classic thor adventure" that's all about laugh and slapsticks. But they instead adapted a heavy themes about nihilism, apathetic gods, and dying from illness and turn that into jokes

[@MatiZ815]

I agree with everything you said about MCU. The formula wasn't a problem when they were making just few movies a year but now, with the massive amount of content they put out, it's becoming a problem and the fatigue is slowly setting in. They need more variety. The consequence free storytelling also doesn't help: it's hard to get invested and feel the drama when I can't be sure if that dramatic event has actual permanent consequences.

[@fdm2155]

At this point I feel like we're on the road but have no idea where we're headed! For several movies leading up to End Game it was clear that Feige has mapped out a plan. Now, I'm not so sure.

[@MatiZ815]

@@fdm2155 With that I disagree. It's quite clear to me that they're leading to a multiversal war.

[@benzaiten933]

I must say I'm not keeping up with some MCU shows as I'm too lazy to put in hours and hours of time and when it feels like a chore it's never a good thing. I only watched 'Loki' two months ago, haven't seen (and don't plan to) Falcon and Winter Soldier and Hawkeye, perhaps I'll watch Moonknight yet and I'm not sure about Ms Marvel. all those shows are just too long!

[@MatiZ815]

@@benzaiten933 I gotta say that Loki is my least favorite show so far. As for length: sorry, I don't get your point. The shows are VERY short.

[@benzaiten933]

@@MatiZ815 I meant the shows are long hours/minutes wise. if you watch a movie it'll be 2-3hours but a show will be 8hours plus, all episodes put together, and I'm too lazy to invest that much viewing time. but that is not to say the contend of the shows is bad, but simply that it takes more time than a simple movie.

[@TheBigTunaMunster]

I personally loved this movie. Not as good as Ragnarok but still a great fun movie. We went opening Thursday night and there were at least 6 times when the crowd cheered and clapped during the movie.

[@JackOsborneFilm]

I teared up multiple times - it worked on an emotional level for me. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@lacolem1]

I’m looking forward to your spoiler review and your opinion on the ending , which seems to be a running theme in every marvel and Star Wars story now and it’s kinda hilarious

[@rakoonshampoo2608]

Spoilers Disney: Can you really call yourself a badass character is you aren’t a badass dad?

[@sheevpalpatine6139]

@@rakoonshampoo2608 People have a problem even with that?

[@rakoonshampoo2608]

@@sheevpalpatine6139 I don’t really know if people have a problem with it. It’s just, between Logan, The Mandalorian, and now Thor apparently. And also some animes like Spy x Family and A Certain Magical Index, it’s a trope I’ve seen a lot, and one that’s starting to get old *for me* is all.

[@draftacriss]

I watched it at the London premiere with the most excited crowd you can possibly get to watch a MCU film and yet you could tell from the crowd reactions that something was missing. Sure, we all cheered and laughed a few times, but it was so wildly different from any other MCU film. Even when I was watching it something was bothering me and sleeping on it for a few days, I still can’t tell exactly what it is. It’s like tasting a dish and knowing it’s missing a key ingredient to tie it together, but you don’t know what that is. The closest I’ve decided on is the tone being all over the place. I can’t exactly say it’s not serious enough, because Gorr definitely brings a surprising depth (Bale is certainly my highlight of the film) and even some moments between Jane and Thor were very moving and serious. It certainly was funny, but sometimes it really felt like they were throwing everything at the wall and asking “ISNT THIS SO FUNNY”. Maybe it’s the editing that made everything not work together well, but something felt off. I still enjoyed it, but it’s the first Marvel film in quite a while that I didn’t come out of it dazzled by it.

[@jimbrown5091]

I enjoyed this movie for exactly what it is...2 hours spent with old friends...yeah, you're gonna replay "the hits" from college or whatever, but it's still a good time and 2 hours well spent. As for "emotional investment"? I read Marvel comics for 20 years...nobody stays dead...it's a comic trope...comes with the concept. It also worries me that everyone expects every movie to be "HUGE" and they simply can't be. Also...new fans are born everyday. There are kids watching MCU movies today who weren't born when I sat down to watch Iron Man...

[@dzd2371]

Exactly, I said pretty much the exact same things earlier. I think the loudest critics of the MCU recently were probably very young when Iron Man was released so they're viewing those movies with rose tinted glasses, and people complaining about there being no "stakes" have probably not read many comic runs. I enjoyed this a lot for exactly what it was, and I really didn't like the Infinity saga for how seriously it was trying to take itself.

[@sunnysied713]

Comics have to use many gimmicks to sell issue-after-issue and to reinvigorate fan interest with new runs. Therefore, it's imperative to kill and bring back characters for new runs. The MCU is a cheesey superhero soap opera. Killing and resurrecting characters reminds the general audience that it's a cheesy soap opera. Love and Thunder had two fake deaths. Korg was absolutely destroyed with a lightning blast, which would be insta-death for any rock men in Ragnarok. Nah, he's immediately fine because Thor finds that his face has survived?!?!?! Incredibly dumb. Zeus takes a massive lightning bolt through his chest, which should also be an insta-kill. Nah, he's gonna put a bandage on it in the post-credit scene. The fake deaths are awful.

[@sunnysied713]

@@dzd2371 Stakes. Thor and friends were joking around and goofing off when they were supposed to be saving kids from a God Butcher. Lol. Next, the movie clearly shows us all the gods are selfish, cruel A-holes. Period. Even Thor was a selfish, irresponsible moron. The movie clearly told us it was okay for Gorr to kill the gods bc the gods were mostly all awful. Stakes are so low that I need scuba gear to find them. Stakes are when there's actual tension and a palpable goal with real consequences. Lastly, Marvel Studios has played out the OMG End-of-the-World/End-of-the-Universe/End-of-the-Multiverse tropes. If you read the Thor Gorr Saga and Mighty Thor comics, then you would readily admit that Love and Thunder failed with a thoughtful adaptation.

[@dzd2371]

@@sunnysied713 I haven't read The Mighty Thor, but I have read the Gorr run. I thought Christian Bale nailed it... could it have been fleshed out more... of course, but it's a movie and I'm glad it wasn't three plus hours long or split into three parts. It will only make it better if/when I rewatch it someday. I also have never had expectations for a movie/tv show to do source material justice since The Shining. So I tend to enjoy things more when they at least entertain me.

[@sofiekaterina]

Honestly seeing quite a few Greeks in the comments not having a problem with Crowe’s portrayal and that’s fine. Each to their own. For me, as a Greek Australian old enough to remember characters like Con the Fruiterer and Acropolis Now, I knew exactly what Crowe was going for when I heard the accent and I groaned out loud. It was terrible and inconsistent tbh. It sounded like a mix of Greek Australian, Italian Australian (ala Sooshi Mango) and stereotyped Hollywood Russian. I was glad when we finished his scene and didn’t need to see him again. I’m not going to complain about the characterisation because that was consistent with everything else in the movie. But I just find it odd that we’re fine with Thor (a Scandinavian god who should by this movie’s logic, have a Nordic accent) having a Shakespearean British accent, but then try to go “authentic” and give a Kiwi Aussie the role of a Greek god and and he tries to put on an accent.

[@andrewchapman4267]

Great review, Dan, agree with everything you said there. As far as Thor's characterisation goes, I do think that Waititi's added humour in the past two films has definitely lead to a change in his character and inconsistencies with how he's been in previous films. Also, yes Crowe was definitely going for a Greek accent, not sure if it added to the high camp nature of his performance, but boy was it camp.

[@GoldZephonian]

It was a direct homage to Australian Greeks, it was bang on!

[@andrewchapman4267]

@@GoldZephonian ah ok, that makes sense,thanks for that

[@toefoo8183]

Is it a breath of fresh air after seeing far too many zeus portrayal with a british accent? Yes. Does it work? Eh...

[@jperkinstheatre]

I think they are building to Young Avengers as the major through line for a lot of the current phase, they just added "Love" to that list in this movie. Edit: also i loved this movie personaly

[@vasiliskoutsokostas]

As a Greek Russel Russell Crowe nailed it!!! Everybody in the theatre had so much fun with his performance

[@kylecasey9254]

I liked the ending scene. It was sweet.

[@samazwe]

I felt it just seeing the trailers that this would just be another standard MCU film. Will wait for digital release. My theatre going dollars will be best spent on smaller films, thank you very much

[@TFalconwing]

I would not call it the "best" Marvel movie, but it was a fun movie. The visual and auditory design alone was worth the price of admission simply because of how stylish and colorful this film is, and that's something I will always appreciate. I'm not sure anything will ever supplant the original Kenneth Branagh version of Thor as my favorite, but I know I'm in the minority on that opinion. I think this is the best that Natalie Portman has ever been in these films, which is like saying that a slice of apple pie is better than a hollowed out pie crust. I think Christian Bale's take on Gorr was the highlight of the film, which is more impressive due to the narrow scope that the role is written with. His aura was so creepy and sinister but contained a relatable and understandable sentiment at its core. I also appreciated how campy the movie could be at times. I do not see that as a minus if the film embraces its camp. Some of the humor didn't land, which is typical of any Taika film I see, but I liked it well enough. Finally, I think that very last credits scene was very well deserved. That legitimately brought a smile to my face. As a Marvel fan I'd give it a 9/10 based on a gut reaction, but time will tell if my opinion sours on it over time or if I see new gems within to be delighted by. It's hard to tell with Marvel movies sometimes.

[@800Ms-k6n]

It's a good movie but it's unfortunate that it's a downstep from Ragnarok. The biggest issue was the out of place humor that ruined the tone. I wish MCU would fix the use of humor. It's fine for Thor to make jokes but not overused it to the point it made him look like an idiot. And Korg was absolutely useless in the movie. Other than being a comic relief that's just unfunny, there's really no remarkable reason for him to be in this movie

[@SydneyTravellersGuide]

He's played by Taika and he really gave himself way too much screentime (both directing it and writing the script) . Just wasn't funny.

[@800Ms-k6n]

@@SydneyTravellersGuide I know that he was played by Taika, it's obvious from his voice, it's the fact that I'm questioning what was Korg's reason to be in this other than just being an unfunny comic relief? Erase his narration and the movie wouldn't have changed at all. As for Valkyrie, atleast she does something, Korg was just there and forgettable

[@SydneyTravellersGuide]

@@800Ms-k6n he could whistle and get the goats? i'm kidding. Thor could have done that.

[@800Ms-k6n]

@@SydneyTravellersGuide to be completely honest, I found the goats to be a lot more funnier than the other characters lol. I only laugh at the goats' scene, definitely not the human character or even Korg. Oh the cameos from Matt Damon, Sam Neill and Luke Hemsworth were funny too for me

[@solvseus]

@@800Ms-k6n You should read up on their history. As a mythology nut, take my word for it, it's bonkers.

[@andrewketteridge]

I love the MCU. But it now reminds me of an open world video game. We’ve finished the Main story with Endgame. Now we are doing the side missions. While I still love the world/game, you could keep playing the side missions as we’ve spent hours to get where we are, but if you turn it off and play another game now, it’s fine, you’re not missing that much.

[@AntonioCruz-jp4bh]

I disagree, I have liked phase four more then most of marvel because it focuses on character rather then big giant picture. It’s only been two years since it started, I am not looking for connectivity until later on in the franchise. I don’t want them to force a big overarching story so soon from endgame. Idk I get peoples criticism but I love all of it and this was no different, I love every new concept and character here and the growth that our preexisting characters have is great

[@linkjag]

Having finally seen it, I think it's good but not great. I feel like Thor isn't portrayed as crazy dumb necessarily I think it's just Taika's version of a Himbo is just as extreme as all of his other characters tend to be. I feel like Taika got to be a lot more in charge of this than directors usually do and so the script especially feels pretty taika esque. I saw a theory that maybe the original intention was to cut back to korg telling the story multiple times and make it clear that the reason everything is kind of a heightened level of ridiculousness is that it was supposed to all be Korg's version of it. Obviously if that was ever the intention, it got cut and whether it was or not, what we got in the end kind of pulled away from the legitimate story beats

[@Noirlore]

Great review Dan

[@Bar-Lord]

I saw it last night and I have to agree with everything pointed out here. For me, it was more meh. Very fun, don’t get me wrong. And I loved seeing it, but there was something missing for me that Ragnorok had. The comedy did go too far in a few places for me. I found myself thinking they should dial it back some in certain moments. That said, you’ll likely enjoy it if Ragnorok was something you enjoyed.

[@justinparker7712]

I think the MCU is kinda looking for the next big thing in the new characters this phase and the last, they're just largely all duds with audiences (Miss Marvel, She-hulk, Eternals, Cpt. Marvel, Valkyrie, ...hmm sensing a theme).

[@joeljuen5528]

This movie did work for me. I felt its emotional core made up for some of its faults.

[@Noirlore]

The lame “love is what is important” trope they threw in at the end?

[@haroldsandahl6408]

@@Noirlore The movie was entirely about love and relationships so I don't think they threw it in at the end.

[@travisspazz1624]

@@Noirlore sounds like you need more love in your life.

[@Noirlore]

@@haroldsandahl6408 I mean threw in as that last thor line being so goofy to me

[@2uentin66]

Loved it, another classic Thor adventure.

[@paradisecity0406able]

It's nice to see Dan's puns *SPARKING* up the intro once again...

[@BillNyeGuy]

I was Loki ng for comments like this.

[@stevejames7930]

I see what you're saying about the Marvel films. They need to strike a balance between connectivity and non-connectivity in this Universe. We don't want that connectivity to be a formula that all of the films use, but we do want it to be the overall arc that all of the films are part of, whilst all having a totally different vibe. That being said I loved this film. So sick. It's very fresh.

[@mrvad3r198]

Wasn't really sold on the trailer and after this review will prolly just wait and watch it on streaming service.

[@The_SinReaper]

Miss your bad ass take downs in Movie Fights Dan. Glad to support your channel!

[@erickmelendez1603]

Spot on review as always

[@mchapmond]

I just watched the movie last night. I would've much rather seen the movie that Christian Bale thought he was in.

[@duvan.deschain]

This is a comedy, full on comedy, and I'm not sure that's suits some things that were in the film, specially when it came to Gorr and Jane Foster. Also, not a huge fan of the very ending, the scene before that was great, great acting from all parts involved, but the epilogue/last shot was just... meh. That being said, I kinda like this more than Ragnarok, just because I feel the villain was done a lot better (the way they killed off Hela was just ridiculous) and I'm absolutely in love with Natalie Portman, so I'm obviously biased. Anyway, I'm worried about this phase of the MCU, there is just no consistency. But will I continue to watch? Yes, yes I will, unless they hit Fantastic Beasts territory, if that happens I'm out xD.

[@atomiccris00]

I remember having more fun watching Thor: The Dark World than watching this movie. I definitely think it’s the Marvel Fatigue finally hitting. Back then, I didn’t watch Thor the Dark World until right before age of ultron

[@christoman2000]

I completely agree with you take on MCU fatigue. There is just too much overload with all the content and not nearly enough continuity threads to make me excited about what is to come. Most of phase 4 with only a few exceptions (imo Shang-Chi and NWH) is just going through the motions. And it is super fascinating to me since Marvel has to win back viewers who wanted to drop the franchise after Endgame. So maybe some risks are in order. Yes you sometimes get Eternals, but you may also have a huge hit on your hands that reinvigorates the fanbase.

[@dillonjose1318]

100%. NWH and Shang Chi were really good. Everything else was more of the same

[@Jim-Halp1234]

This narrative that marvel has to "win back viewers" is so nonsensical lmao with no actual evidence to back it.

[@ObscureDisneyReviewer]

I posted a review on my website about 4 hours ago and had some of the exact same thoughts, especially when it came to Russell Crowe. I am sure that Taika Watiti had something to do with his performance, but at the same time, Crowe did not have a clear direction on what his character's purpose was.

[@may.k_me]

I haven't seen it yet. I'll watch it a couple weeks later. I'm kinda sad because I was looking forward to this movie But most of the reviews were mixed. The Thor movies all had tonal problems, even Ragnarok. We never get to build to something within the movies and we never get to sit in our feelings. It's always travelling from point A to point B to point C. I'll still watch it because for better or worse, I am somewhat fond of Thor

[@l82classproductions8]

I think Russel Crowe was spot on. Zeus in Mythology has always been a bumbling fool who thinks he's the best and a showoff. Not a buff "chad" like some depictions claim he is. I loved it. Wish we saw more of the other gods though.

[@jim1242]

I just saw the budget for Love and Thunder. At $250 million, it puts it in the top 5 most expensive MCU movies (the others being the last 3 Avengers movies + Civil War). This means it will need to make at least $650 million worldwide to breakeven, right? It definitely has the potential to make a lot more than that, ( + being a summer movie it can bennefit from huge numbers during the week). But there now appears to be more pressure on this movie than I thought..

[@kmn2222]

its not fatigue, which i think is a bit of a lazy critique people come up with quickly, I think the movie just wasn't very good

[@travisspazz1624]

It's not as funny and messier than Ragnarok, but man it was a lot sadder! Last 10 minutes kinda snuck up on me! It was also a sweet touch seeing all the actors real life kids in the special thanks section.

[@mrbean3470]

I'm still not quite sure what I think of it. Might take a few more days to sink in. I agree that the MCU certainly doesn't feel like it has much direction going for it now.

[@michaelcruice9009]

Love the Rock Town Distillery shirt!! Their tour is my go to for anyone who comes to visit Little Rock. Hope you've tried the coffee liquor!

[@zengamer21]

It's a mixed bag for me but I think the good still outweighs the bad. Perhaps Taika was given a bit too much freedom considering how successful he's been over the past 5 or 6 years. Sometimes it felt almost like a parody of the MCU or a Deadpool movie where the characters are talking and winking at the audience. Also, I was expecting a lot more from Gorr. Maybe he should have been a villain that spanned over multiple movies.

[@conniescorner9021]

I agree with a lot of this. can't wait for your thoughts on the end credit scenes. They were meh to me personally.

[@breesybird9207]

A character introduced in the first end credit scene looked so dumb.

[@lordcrayzar]

I wish this movie was like an hour longer.

[@Arcane_98]

I'm balancing on the fence on if I should go or not.

[@danielgillrup9518]

Completely agree with this take. I have seen every single MCU film in theaters so far. This was the first 1 I walked out of thinking..I could just wait for these for free on Disney+ and be fine with it. I’ll keep seeing them in theaters, but you’re right, all movies since End Game have been meh at best.

[@marianne5055]

Overall I really liked the message of choosing love. And there was a lot of heart and soul in this movie. But it also was a little undercut by the jokes sometimes. And I liked most of the humour but there was some jokes that were really corny and unnecessary. I actually really loved Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor. She was a great addition. I didn't particularly care for Christian Bale as Gorr though. He was borderline camp for me. I was a little disappointed with the after credits scene. First one reminded me of the GOTG 2 scene with Adam Warlock. And the second one was unnecessary. Overall though I had fun with the film and enjoyed myself.

[@arthand7672]

I liked it. Didn't love it. Spoilers: I feel like I liked the 1st and the 3rd act, but the second one was weird. The trip to Olympus felt weird and pointless. It didn't seem to bring the team closer together and the thunder bolt didn't seem worth the trip. I feel like if they had at least brought the guardians along to get a weapon to fight Gor they could have had a great second act.

[@cloudedsky88]

Well… the visit to the God city was kinda necessary to set up the story for the next movie so it doesn‘t come out of nowhere. And it was also there to show that the gods don‘t care about their subjects/followers and therefore giving legitimacy to Gorr‘s motivation and actions

[@arthand7672]

@@cloudedsky88 I don't have anything against there being a trip to God City. I guess I just didn't care for how it was handled. It just felt like Zeus gave a speech and then thor one shot him, then onto the next scene. They did fight some robots but heroes punching mindless drones is somewhat overdone now. I feel like they should have either brought the guardians in somehow or made the fight more interesting, maybe even brought in Hercules for a fight then and there instead of waiting until the end credit scene.

[@ShogunZIlla]

The guardians were criminally underused in this.

[@klass_1221]

I liked it. Not as good as Ragnarok but still made me laugh at bits. I wanted more Gorr. Bale was menacing. The movie felt rushed or some missing scenes. The romance between Thor and Jane feels more earned here. I liked Portman as Mighty Thor. I really liked the Children of Asguard. Overall, I liked it not really liked it. I dare say that I liked Doc Strange MoM more. Looking forward to Thor 5. EDIT: wait, what, Dan?? Didn't like Shang-Chi?? I am with you about Dark World. I liked it more than most. I'll say it, I liked Thor 2 more than Cap Merica 1st Avenger! Come at me. LOL

[@DanMurrellMovies]

I did like Shang-Chi. I didn’t like most everything else

[@RX552VBK]

Spot on, Dan. I'm a huge Marvel fan since childhood. And I really admired the way Kevin Feige was able to distill the "flavor" that the best of the comics had to offer in movies. Over the years, it has become increasing hard for me to defend the course the MCU is going; right now, there seems to be nothing really going on. The last film that made me feel like something huge is transpiring was Avengers: Infinity Wars. I agree with you too, DArk World is far from perfect but I'll take it over the Eternals any day. With Ragnarok, I really appreciate what Taika did with Thor and his franchise, as you stated it was breath of fresh air--but with Love n Thunder I felt like I was walking in place. Watching the film, because it felt "off kilter" I kept waiting for Thor to wake up, like he was dreaming all this (especially the first act with the GoTG). The film suffers from the same malady that a lot of MCU films/tv shows go through, as though there's no real threat, no villain is truly villainous, no sacrificial hero has really died bc he/she will be back. Sadly, Marvel Studios is now just cranking out hollow product after product. Your analogy about your favorite restaurant is spot on and makes me long for those early MCU days around 2012.

[@choo0327]

intro never misses

[@sleepycrusader8871]

I really enjoyed this movie and liked how most of the Gods were portrayed as jerks justifying Gorr’s vendetta against them.

[@backpackerraden6268]

The one positive thing I'll say about Russell Crowe: at least he wasn't trying to sing "Stars"

[@ZachBobBob]

The movie felt smaller stakes than I think it should've but I actually think Taika balanced the different tones really well, I never felt jarred from scene to scene personally. My audience had a great time with it as well it's very crowd pleasing. Feels like a bonus Thor movie to me in a weird way, just some more fun that shouldn't be taken too seriously. Also Russell Crowe is awesome in this...but I'm not Greek so uhhh

[@kasiialexander6809]

Yeah it oddly felt like a thor special or straight to dvd movie, it was great for what it was but it didn’t feel like the next Thor movie

[@bgNinjashows]

I just love his honestly in reviews

[@davidpalmer9014]

I feel like they've shifted creative energy to the TV shows, which have been mostly good, and sometimes great. And inventive.

[@paulmaders5434]

Having grown up in the 60s & 70s on Marvel comics, find it funny that middle aged men find time to comment on what is basically comics on the big screen. I have seen every Marvel film the good, bad & the Eternals (+ Howard the duck) we are not the real target audience though, My 9 year old daughter loves Shang Chi

[@JyLinKai]

i am planning to watch it over the weekend. but i am looking very, very forward to Thor 4 given his arc from Ragnarok then to End Game, i do yearn to see what else will Thor develop to be. now im a little apprehensive.

[@holdensmith7856]

Once again hits the nail right on the head sir. But also could you please do a full review for the 3rd season of the boys now that the last episode just came out

[@binaldoshi495]

I used to head to the theatres on Thursday night/ Friday morning (skipping work) to see MCU movies. Now, the last thing I saw was NWH and I have zero inclination to watch anything else - movies or TV shows. I didnt believe in the fatigue setting in narrative, but it has... at least in my case.

[@joaovaranda4759]

I already wasn't that excited for it and I'm up to date on everything - movies and tv shows. Guess I'll just wait until it's on Disney+

[@hunterweeks6091]

I wonder if people like us who have seen everything Taika has done will be more fatigued by the type of jokes he tends to write than those who have only seen Ragnarok

[@cabbage9999]

Unfortunately, it was a hot garbage experience. Something is broken in the tone of these recent Marvel movies.

[@NerdRahtio]

Based on your review and others, I have decided to wait for Disney +

[@justanotherjake1492]

6:20 Has marvel brought back a bunch of characters from the dead? Gamora and Loki kind of (although since the characters have regressed there was a cost). Vision... not really, since he is fundamentally different without the mind stone. The MCU hasn't reversed any significant character deaths.

[@DanMurrellMovies]

Loki (multiple times), Gamora, Nick Fury (fake death), Bucky (presumed death), Doc Ock, Green Goblin & Electro (multiverse), Coulson, Groot, Vision (rebuilt). And that’s not mentioning the dead characters brought back for flashbacks and time travel

[@justanotherjake1492]

@@DanMurrellMovies Infinity War Loki and Gamora sure. The rest I wouldn't say count. Vision and Groot are new characters by my standards. I wouldn't interpret Fury, Bucky, and Loki's fake deaths as resurrections since they are just a bit of narrative sleight of hand for a cute twist. I can see your point overall point though.

[@brianegendorf2023]

I usually dismiss the idea of "Marvel Fatigue" because I usually say, "You realize Marvel comics come out every week, right?" And I am actually more of a DC fan, so I say the same thing about the DC movies. The think I wish Marvel would do is just make the connections between movies a little more obvious and a little more linear. I feel like with each "phase" of Marvel they are trying to build a puzzle. But I feel like no matter how many pieces they put on the table, the pictures on the puzzle pieces don't really show up or make sense until the last piece falls into place. And if you haven't garnered enough audience confidence in your story, that can lead to a bit of a let down. And in the case of the the Disney Channel series, I REALLY feel like in order to justify them all, you should be able to have a pretty clear vision as a viewer with how they tie in with each other and what that is going to lead to. And so Far, Loki, Wandavision, Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel have NOT done that. They are all projects that feel totally independent of the others. And they feel mostly independent of the movies. And after Wandavision, Multiverse of Madness feels like a left turn at Albuquerque. As much as I love Thor (the actual Nordic God, not the comic book character), I feel like he is wasted in the Marvel universe because the execs at Marvel just don't really understand how to use him. In an ideal world Capt. America should have remained the leader of the Avengers, but I feel like most of their actual world affecting missions should have been brought to the team BY Thor. He's a god, and has some sense of what goes on in the world, and as such should be the first to pick up on world threatening events/villains. And if anything, the Avengers "Secondary" nature of their missions should be like, "Whoa! Thor's a bit gung ho..lets slow him down a little so he is helpful and doesn't do more harm than good"...

[@Muscliffekarate]

Hi Dan, great review. Can i request a picture of what you see when you record these videos?? Whats on the other side?? 🤔🤔

[@DEATHxTHExKIDx1]

It was a fun ride . I mostly just wanted more Gorr Scenes

[@tylerschoon237]

Thank you for (likely) driving hours to see this and get a review out!

[@DanMurrellMovies]

I was able to go to a public screening in town for this one (luckily)

[@tylerschoon237]

@@DanMurrellMovies nice!!!

[@davidfadden7948]

I loved it. I thought it was funny, touching, heartwarming, and the action looked super cool. I saw the reviews before hand and was anticipating I would not like it because I hate it when things are too jokey...but I found Thors tone juxtaposed Gorrs enough to justify the ending decision

[@roachman1002]

I felt super let down, they had Christian Bale as Gorr the god butcher put into what others have cleverly put as a SNL parody take on Thor. Big waste. Biggest thing that annoyed me was everything had to be a joke, there was nothing at all serious about this movie that pulled you in and made you feel connected, which is crazy, Jane Foster has cancer, Gorr the god butcher wanting to butcher gods, could have been some good emotional scenes and dark tones set to make the film feel more grounded but as i suspected all of it was overshadowed by fart jokes level of comedy and screaming goats that started to give me a headache lol oh and also, Thor scratching Stormbreaker like it is a dog, all that type of stuff was just cringe to me.

[@melvinlinderoth7108]

I am kinda annoyed at the Marvel fatigue argument because it seems to imply that this is as good as previous Marvel movies we have just gotten tired of Marvel movies when at least in my opinion this movie is simply worse in many aspects. I don’t think it is the same as other Marvel movies the jokes are turned up to 11 and the tone is different from any of the previous 28 movies

[@rjhemedes]

The movie is hot garbage. It does not make any sense that mjolnir could reform itself just to "heal" Jane. If that was the case, it should have reformed after Hela crushed it into pieces in the prior movie. Plus the whole side quest to get Zeus's thunderbolt was useless. In the end the thunderbolt didn't play a crucial role in defeating Gorr. It was more like just to give Valkyrie a special toy to play with alongside the two other Thors.

[@nostrus6500]

Totally agree with Dan.... The first third especially made me feel like I was watching bad amateur dramatics version. The only way I am finding to make this work is telling myself this wasn't real time it was Korg telling the story of thor and well he isn't the sharpest tool

[@jeffnicholas6342]

I like the restaurant metaphor for the MCU, but it might have been in Feige and Disney’s interest to replace Comic ‘books’ with comic ‘media’ and create a variety of experiences for vast audiences..? Like Darden restaurants: you like Seafood? Red Lobster! Y’all want Italian? Olive Garden!! Etc

[@filmscorn1105]

Also felt some conflicting tones, like Bale is in this dramatic role but forced into a comedy film.

[@onelesshelper]

I saw it not too long ago, and Im not sure how to feel about it. It had its moments, but it also has a lot of miss opportunities and ideas in it. Maybe I will like it more on re watch, but I just felt a bit empty by it, to where I kinda want to be done with it all (outside of GOTG 3 and maybe Blade).

[@Bad_Wolf_Media]

I feel the same way about this movie as I did with "Ragnarok." I think Waititi swung the pendulum on Thor too far the other way. The first two Thor films weren't comedies, though they had humour. Yes, Dark World was a pretty down-tempo, grim film and that wasn't the proper direction to go. But Ragnarok took it and make it a Saturday morning cartoon instead, swinging it from a 2-3 on the over-the-top meter and skipping past a 9 or 10 and went all the way to about 27. It was, in my opinion, not a correction, but an overcorrection. Now this movie come out and doubles down on all of that from Ragnarok. If this is what Thor had been from day 1, that's a different conversation, but it wasn't, so it's just....too much, honestly. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't....there's not a lot there that will give me reason to watch it again.

[@ellicel]

@BadWolfMedia, I agree. Although not successful with all characters, there are some really wonderful arcs within the MCU (e.g., Steve Rogers) where their change felt organic and earned. The new Thor seems to have no connection at all from where he started, not a character who grew and matured instead one who had a reboot in order to become more appealing. I think the Russos handled this new version best in Infinity War-some humor but not ridiculous and with a perceptible undercurrent of grief. But Ragnarok, Endgame, and apparently now this one turned Thor into a one-note punch line rather than a believable person. He seems to behave according to whatever the script needs rather than having a consistent personality and character journey that carries through from scene to scene, let alone from movie to movie.

[@natasha1537]

Loved this movie. For me it was actually a burst of fun Marvel energy after the disappointing Dr. Strange movie

[@Cotsos88]

As a Greek, I haven't seen the movie yet to comment on Crowe but I remembered another funny story about Greek mythology and Hollywood. When Disney's Hercules first came out, a lot of weirdos protested the movie here because it wasn't "true to the myth" . They had to rename the movie to "Hercules: Beyond The Myth" to please them. :D Haven't read anything about Russel Crowe though yet. Most of my reviewer frieds seem to enjoy what he's doing.

[@johnpozo1645]

Thor 4 really hit for me but I definitely feel like it felt like a middle movie and fast forward setting up for the 5th and the end of the taika waititi thor trilogy. Gorr works becauae of Bale his character could of been done way better but unfortunately think due its run time and sharing the Jane the Mighty thor story. His character couldn't get more of a shine. I dont think any Marvel movie is a one off its just the comic books so many issues and different styles for a mass audience to gravity towards.

[@doubleohnine]

the first 3 phases were nice and tight for for many movies it was. with the ...."widening" .... of phase 4 and seemingly every phase going forward, they are getting less consistant

[@KmKryptonian]

Couldn’t agree more regarding the “big grand plan” thing. What exactly are we working towards??? We knew literally a few movies in that Thanos was the final “big bad” of the infinity saga. What exactly are we building to in phase 4??????