This review of the new Thor movie will not be spoiler-free, so this is your chance to grab your ticket and see the movie before reading any further. Do not worry, I will wait. 

Seen the movie? Or did you forge on despite the big bold spoiler alert? 

Either way, I feel it necessary to preface this review with a very simple statement. “Thor: Love and Thunder” was an entertaining movie and I genuinely enjoyed watching it. Despite that the movie has some serious flaws, both the film itself and feeding into the problems of Marvel movies in general.

So just be warned, I did actually enjoy the movie. 

One of the biggest problems with the latest iteration in the Thor franchise is how rushed it feels. Although it is just under two hours, none of the storylines feel developed and we do not get to spend any real time with character relationships. 

Take Jane Foster, the new Mighty Thor, and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor Odinson for instance. We get the initial story beats of their first attempt at a relationship and why it failed but when they reunite they just get back together too quickly. The rushed nature makes the emotional stakes the movie sets up for the finale fall flat. 

And the Guardians of the Galaxy moments at the very start feel more like a cameo than a part of the story. I recognize this is a Thor movie, but previous films have set them up together, and that narrative should not have been thrown away so haphazardly. 

The worst offender to the rushed nature of the movie is Gorr the God Butcher. Christan Bale puts on a surprisingly convincing performance of the villain, though it suffers just like every other story beat. 

With a name like Gorr the God Butcher, you would expect him to kill some gods, right? But we only actually see him kill one god the entire movie, the other casualties from his rampage come across like a sideshow. 

Gorr had the makings of being a powerful villain, with cool powers and a strong motive, but it never really panned out. When Zeus is not initially convinced of the threat he poses, I am right alongside him.

This movie could have easily been split into two, something that I almost always scoff at movie studios doing.

“Thor: Love and Thunder” also falls into the trap that every Marvel movie is inevitably victim to: the other movies. While I am an avid consumer of anything Marvel, I can understand the hard sell of feeling obligated to watch 30-plus movies to get character backstories and references. 

I understand that technically “Thor: Love and Thunder” is the fourth installment of the Thor franchise, but it is a daunting task for casual viewers hoping to get into the series. Somewhat paradoxically ignoring story elements present in earlier films also leaves long-time fans dissatisfied. 

This Pandora’s box of a problem for Marvel is not going to be solved anytime soon.

“Thor: Love and Thunder” seems to forget any character development that previous movies established in order to build their own narrative of what they think Thor should be. While elements of the old Thor remain from each movie, it is almost like being introduced to a different personality each film. 

All that to say, once more, that I enjoyed the movie. 

I will shamelessly consume whatever media Marvel throws out, even if it is hot garbage because superheroes are a great trope that they will continue to tap into. “Thor: Love and Thunder” is not garbage, but it certainly is not gold.  

Could it have been better? One hundred percent, but it also could have been much much worse. I was not disappointed when I walked out of the movie theater, and I count that as a win. 

And will I see it again? Probably not.

For those of you who have read through this review without seeing the movie, I would recommend giving it a watch! It is not a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it is an entertaining one.