Thor: Love and Thunder is the best Marvel movie so far for its humor, heart, and unapologetic and brutally honest look at what makes a hero. Because yeah, capes and spandex give a hero the look. There’s no doubt about that. But it’s what rests inside of these individuals that truly makes them who they are. And you could see that in Thor, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Valkyrie, but most importantly Dr. Jane Foster.
I never much liked Jane. There was always something lacking when it came to her and she always fell into Thor’s shadow or those of her colleagues. Thor: Love and Thunder set out to correct that and make you fall in love with this brave Doctor, friend, and hero in her own right. And while some might not be satisfied with where her journey goes, she makes the choice, moment after moment, to stand her ground.
That matters.
The love her badass character shares with Thor also matters.
Thor: Love and Thunder manages to flesh out Jane/Thor and give us a relationship that is grounded in companionship, friendship, romance, and a whole slew of other things. And in many ways, this movie feels like a rom-com that is setting up something that Marvel could’ve sworn they set up ages ago. Their love, and the words spoken between them, felt real. And because of this movie, I will look back at their previous interactions with new eyes. Loving eyes.
The same thing goes for Valkyrie.
She is allowed to be herself in Thor: Love and Thunder in a way that we’ve never seen before. And because of that, we see her with new eyes. We see her pain, the love she still carries for her loved ones, and what it means to be the King of Asgard while struggling with your own demons. All of it together makes it so it’s not just Jane and Thor’s story. It’s her story, and her arc matters from start to finish to the point where you feel satisfied but want more.
The way that Thor: Love and Thunder explored its characters and their arcs isn’t the only reason why this Marvel movie is the best one so far. It’s also the humor. I haven’t laughed that hard in years and I feel like new life and love has been breathed into me via this movie. And that’s something I thought would never happen after the events of Endgame and how much that movie soured me to the MCU. But here I stand. Ready to dive back in. And it’s all because of this movie.
Without a doubt, the love that I hold for Thor: Love and Thunder falls on the shoulders of Taika Waititi. He is a powerhouse storyteller who is afraid to let Thor be weird, let The Mighty Thor and Valkyrie be buff heroes out to save the day, or face the realities of our limitations in the sphere of a superhero story. That’s why you should watch this movie when it hits theaters and why I can’t wait to watch it again.
Thor: Love and Thunder opens in theaters on July 8, 2022.
