Thor: Love and Thunder Review

No one wants to say it, but plenty know it’s true: the MCU lacks direction post-Endgame. With Phase Four focused on the post-Thanos world, it lacks an overarching narrative. For now, at least. While this has let Marvel explore different concepts and genres of storytelling, it makes the MCU seem inconsistent in tone. Case in point, we have the newest Thor film, Thor: Love and Thunder. It’s a really fun film, but if people expected it to be groundbreaking and innovative, prepare to be disappointed.

Gorr the God Butcher’s Coming

The MCU’s put Thor through the wringer, hasn’t it? He lost his Dad, mom, homeworld, and adoptive brother in a few years. In addition, failing to stop Thanos left him a broken man, and he’s only started picking up the pieces. At the end of Endgame, he went with the Guardians (and Korg) on a journey of self-discovery. This film picks up where they left off, and despite getting ripped again, Thor still hasn’t found inner peace. So they leave the Guardians and go on their adventure…right as a man who’s channeling his inner Kratos enacts a plan to kill every god in existence.

Yeah, they need to get on that.

More of the Same…

Tone-wise, the film’s consistent with its predecessor, Thor: Ragnarok, due to Taika Waititi returning to direct it. It’s very comedic and relies a lot on gags, hamminess, and lots of 80’s vibes. Guns N’ Roses songs get used a lot in this film. However, the problem with this is that it causes the lead character to suffer from Flanderization. Thor is far less serious and more comedic than when first introduced in 2011. In all fairness, this could be attributed to frequent exposure to modern Earth Culture and his newfound humility, but it’s still a sharp contrast from 10 years ago. It also doesn’t help that Thor’s hung up over his relationship problems. Not just Jane Foster, but with Mjolnir and Stormbreaker.

Love and Thunder takes the return of Mjolnir and frames it like Thor’s Ex getting together with his other Ex. In this case, Jane Foster. Thor’s clearly very confused about it, and not helping is that Stormbreaker seems to get jealous. Yes, the axe gets jealous of the hammer. It’s funny at first, but not so much by the film’s end.

…Some New Improvements

The film’s best aspects, though, are in Jane Foster and the main villain, Gorr.

Natalie Portman’s return as Jane Foster is a much-welcomed one by fans, and she doesn’t miss a beat. Now wielding Mjolnir and Thor’s powers, she’s no longer just Thor’s love interest but a hero in her own right. The films just as much about her as it is about Thor.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the villain, Gorr the God-Butcher, played by Christian Bale. Gorr is a man who’s utterly consumed by despair. His whole world died of famine, and the god he thought would save them didnt just do nothing; he laughed at their plight. This led him to conclude all gods are bad and need to go, and his weapon, the Necrosword, has the power to get it done.

The thing is, Gorr’s not wrong. The gods can be jerks. Thor was a big jerk before he learned humility, and Zeus is even worse. A lot of gods can be very cruel and callous, so one cannot help but sympathize with Gorr’s decision, even if he takes it way too far. Christian Bale still does a great job being a villain, and is a big highlight of the film.

Overall, this film isnt really groundbreaking or game-changing. It doesn’t have to be, though. It’s a Marvel movie. People will watch it either way. Whether that’s a sign that the MCU’s going downhill remains debatable, though. If you want a fun distraction for two hours, this is a film for you.

I Give “Thor: Love and Thunder” a 4/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 9 Review

For nine weeks, Marvel’s given us our first look at the new MCU Multiverse with their animated series, What If…? At first, it looked like this show would be an anthology series. We’d look at an alternate version of the MCU every episode, then move on. However, all that changed when Marvel threw us a universe-sized curveball. In one universe, Ultron beat the Avengers, got the Infinity Stones, and killed almost everyone. Worse, he learned how to travel to other universes and stood poised to wipe out all life in the multiverse. Not even the Watcher could sit back and do nothing. It was time for him to step in and save the multiverse. But first, he was going to need a team.

Multiversal Avengers, Assemble!

The first few minutes of the episode pick up where we last left off: the Watcher and Strange Supreme need to assemble a team to stop Infinite Ultron. Thus, they recruit heroes from several of the worlds we’ve seen throughout the season. The exceptions being the universe where the Avengers all died, and the zombie universe. The latter for obvious reasons.

However, there’s one member coming from a universe we never got to see: one where Gamora somehow beat Thanos. Rumor has it that that story was supposed to be in the first season, but got pushed back, leaving fans left in the dark for the moment. After catching everyone up to speed, the Watcher dubs his new team…the Guardians of the Multiverse.

While I can understand why he’d give them that name, I don’t like it. It seems better to have something with the Avengers in it. Considering that this is the multiverse equivalent of the Avengers first assembling, it would be appropriate. Alas, there’s no time to worry about that, as the threat of Ultron comes knocking.

The Final Battle For the Multiverse Was…Okay.

The team’s fight against Infinite Ultron ends up taking them back to his original universe, where they’re joined by Black Widow, who’s now the last sentient being left on Earth. With her help, they come close to beating Ultron, but fail to destroy the Stones. Turns out, the MCU’s Infinity Stones don’t just work outside their universe; they’re unique, meaning any attempts to destroy them with another universe’s tech won’t work!

In the end, it doesn’t matter: Natasha fires a well placed arrow into Ultron, uploading Zola into him and ending Ultron for good. Then Killmonger pulls the classic double-cross, and he and Zola get sealed away in a pocket of reality, forever engaged in a tug of war for the Stones. Justice!

As far as battles go, this one met all the basic tenets of the MCU. Strange Supreme showcased how magically jacked he was several times, even opening a portal to the zombie universe! However, the overall final battle felt…meh. Considering how it’s supposed to be for the fate of the multiverse, we shouldn’t feel like that. Yet, the final battle of Avengers: Endgame carries more emotional weight. Marvel could’ve gotten a lot more creative with it, if you ask me.

What’s Next for the Multiverse?

With the battle over, the Watcher sends everyone back to their respective realities while Strange Supreme guards Killmonger and Zola. However, he gives Natasha a well-deserved reward. Rather than send her to her dead universe, he lets her move to the one where the Avengers never rose, letting her reunite with some of her old friends. As for Captain Carter? The post-credits scene teases that an old friend might be waiting for her.

Speaking of friends, a big highlight of the episode was the relationship Captain Carter and Natasha had. They were firm BFF’s in their universe, and certainly acted like it. However, there was also some romantic subtext going on between them that I think a lot of people will pick up on. I don’t know if we’ll see Captain Carter again, but if we do, I think I now ship her and Nat together.

As for T’Challa, this marks the final time we may see him in the MCU, due to Chadwick’s passing. The worst part is that there could’ve been a Star Lord T’Challa spin-off series, were he still alive. Maybe in another universe, they’re enjoying that right now. For the rest of us, though, we have to wait for season two to travel the multiverse some more.

As far as season finale’s go, I think the action could’ve been a lot better. Still, at least the show tied everything together, so I have to give it credit for that.

I Give “What If…The Watcher Broke His Oath?” A 3/5

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Marvel What If…? Episode 3 Review

We all know the story of the Avengers by now. A group of remarkable people come together to become Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and fight the battles others never could. That’s how it goes in most of the comics, and how it went in the MCU.

At least, in the main MCU timeline. But in the Multirverse, anything is possible. Like, for example, a timeline where someone offs the Avengers before they even have a chance to assemble. This week, What If…? asks the question of what would happen if Earth’s Mightiest Heroes never got off the ground.

Fury’s Worst Week Ever

Fun fact: in the MCU, the events of Thor, The Incredible Hulk, and a good part of Iron Man 2 all took place in the span of a single week. That week wound up proving key to the creation of the Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Or, it was supposed to.

In this week’s dive into the Multiverse, the Watcher shows us a universe where that never happened. Instead, Tony Stark suddenly croaks in the donut shop while talking to Fury and Black Widow. Thor gets shot by an arrow that Hawkeye supposedly misfired. And then Hawkeye’s found dead, too!

It soon becomes clear that someone’s going around targeting all the names on Fury’s list for the Avengers Initiative, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Loki shows up with an army demanding justice for his brother’s death and wants Earth to either pay up, or burn!

Who is killing the heroes, though? The answer…will be told right here and now. It’s Hank Pym.

Why Hank Killed Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

There’s a reason why I just spoiled who the killer is, but we’ll get to that in a moment. For now, I think it’s worth talking about why Hank went nuts like this, and how it’s not as jarring as you might think.

In this universe, Hank’s daughter, Hope Van Dyne, wound up becoming a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, only to die on a mission. Coupled with the seeming loss of his wife, this was enough to send Hank over the edge. And instead of getting revenge on Fury himself, he just went around killing people who had nothing to do with his daughter’s death. Hank claims it’s because he wanted Fury to suffer like he did, but in truth, it’s nothing more than a jerk move. He’s spitefully robbing Earth of its mightiest heroes and risking everyone, a fact made all the more clear when, after all’s said and done, Loki conquers the planet.

Again, this is not surprising when you look at Hank’s comic book history. He’s had years of mental instability. He even hit his wife at one point. So, him being a serial killer here is, ironically, bringing him more in line with his comic book history.

Weakest Episode To Date

Whereas the two previous episodes were fun and imaginative, this episode was, in a word, dark. Everything that could go wrong for Nick Fury did go wrong, with him losing most of the Avengers roster before they ever meet up. If it had ended like that, then it might have been slightly better. However, Disney then reminds us of the fact that the Avengers were just a few heroes in a universe that would soon be sprawling with them. Captain America was still on ice, Captain Marvel returns from deep space, and I’m pretty sure War Machine could fill in for Iron Man at this point. Bottom line, the Avengers would assemble, albeit with different members.

It doesn’t change the fact that this was my least favorite episode of the series to date. Then again, in the Multiverse, we were bound to find versions that would suck like this. Regardless, this is one branching timeline I don’t think I’ll want to re-visit anytime soon.

I Give “What If… the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?” a 2/5

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In a world that’s filled with magic, aliens, other dimensions, and who knows what else, the presence of gods is not the craziest thing there is. While almost every pantheon in human history can appear in Marvel, the Norse Gods are ones seen the most. My best guess is that it’s to counter the fact that DC Comics uses the Greek Gods so much. It may not be a big surprise, but my pick for favorite god is Norse.

Thor

He’s known far and wide as the God of Thunder and wielder of the hammer Mjolnir. He’s one of the Earth’s most stalwart champions, a founding member, and the main reason behind the existence of the Avengers. Give it up for my favorite god, the Mighty Thor!

Keeping with his mythological origins, Thor’s the son of Odin and Prince, then later king, of Asgard. After leaving Earth with the rest of the Norse Pantheon, Thor got banished to Earth by his dad to teach him humility. He lost his memory and powers and lived as a mortal until he found a disguised Mjolnir. Thus, he became Thor once more.

Too bad Odin’s lesson worked too well. Thor decided to spend more time on Earth as a superhero.

Since then, Thor has been one of Earth’s first lines of defense against all sorts of threats. As I said above, he also played a significant role in the founding of the Avengers. When Loki framed Hulk for going on a rampage, he meant for Thor to fight him. Instead, Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk all teamed up to defeat him. Thus, the Avengers was born, and Thor has been one of its most active members.

I do not usually pay attention to the gods in Marvel, but given how important he’s been, Thor might be an exception. Thanks to Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of him in the MCU, he’s not just my favorite god, but the favorite god of tons of fans.

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In 2008, few could have imagined what would come out of the film Iron Man. That one movie about a superhero that a lot of people might not even know of became the seed for one of the most ambitious undertakings in film history. Eleven years and more than twenty-one films later, that one film has blossomed into a franchise that has changed the way we see superhero movies. Bit by bit, the films build upon each other, creating a shared universe of interconnected stories that rivaled the comics. DC had done something similar in the 1990s and 2000s with the DC Animated Universe, but this was the first time it was ever done in film.

Now, Marvel has become more popular that it has ever been, and every film seems to get better than the last. Then came Avengers: Infinity War, and for the first time on the big screen, our heroes tasted defeat. I’ve heard stories of children and adults crying at the end. Shoot, I quietly howled in grief when I saw Spider-Man turn to dust. We’ve waited a year to see the second part, and now Avengers: Endgame is upon us.

The ending is a part of every story, and oftentimes, it leaves us with a bittersweet feeling. We know that the MCU will be continuing for years to come, but Endgame is going to bring an end to the story arc that’s been building since the beginning, so it’s going to be an emotional ride.

I have tickets to see Avengers: Endgame on opening day, but I thought that I would do something special for the films that mean so much to me. So, from now until Friday, I will be counting down my five favorite moments from the MCU so far. And since there’s no time like the present, here’s my pick for number five!

#5- Iron Man’s Grand Entrance, Iron Man 2

I’m ashamed to say it, but I never saw the first two Iron Man films in theaters, but I so wish I did. I’ve seen them in the time since then, and some of my favorite moments in the MCU have been from the Iron Man trilogy. It was a tough choice between this, Tony using the Mark I armor for the first time, or the Iron Legion scene from Iron Man 3, but I had to go with this one.

Six months after the events of the original film, the whole world knows that Tony Stark’s Iron Man. With the decision to restart his late father’s Stark Expo, what better way for Tony to make an entrance than with his signature suit. Jumping out of a plane in his armor, Tony lands in the Expo amidst a cheering crowd, dancing girls, and Shoot to Thrill playing in the background.

I like this scene so much because it sums up Tony Stark’s entire personality in one amazing moment. He’s flamboyant, arrogant as hell, and loves being in the spotlight as much as possible. Luckily, he has the charisma needed to keep the spotlight, and underneath that exterior, we know he’s a good person. Plus, the fact he enters to the music of AC/DC shows us that he has good taste in music.