Recommendation: 4/5 SHOWTIME
Plot: “Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct.” -IMDB
Review: I do not know where Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading. I type those words as an avid reader of comic books and someone with more than passing knowledge of these characters. What I know to be true is that this phase of movies is giving us villains who are more nuanced, interesting, and humanistic. If the roles were reversed, we could see ourselves rooting for them. They demand empathy, even in their chaos.
The gods have wronged Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). In his devotion, he lost his daughter and found comfort in his lord. Angry and possessed by an uncaring god, Gorr struck him down. In the ashes of a fallen god, he became bound and determined to bring them all to their end.
This brings us to the god who also is an Avenger. You know, the one we have been following since the first phase of the MCU. Thor (Chris Hemsworth), in the wake of killing Thanos, feels lost and without a family to call his own. Based on the villain’s pain alone, this film could have struck an ominous tone. Instead, in the same vein as Thor: Ragnarok, it strikes a wonderful balance between darkness and humor. Repeatedly, while watching this movie, I smiled, laughed, and sat in awe of how aware of itself and the genre itself this film is.
Needing a purpose for his life, Thor returns home with Korg (Taika Waititi). Back among his people, Gorr makes his first attempt at killing the God of Thunder. As Gorr steals children and a battle breaks out, Thor discovers he is not alone in the fight. Jane Foster/Mighty Thor (Natalie Portman) joins him.
For the uninitiated, there is a deep history between these two. Once upon a time, they were deeply in love, but the demands of saving the universe and scientific breakthroughs pulled them apart. Facing a losing battle with cancer, Jane came to Asgard hoping for a cure. Instead, she discovered the power to become the Mighty Thor.
With the children of Asgard in tow, Gorr escapes his first encounter with the Thors. There is no doubt about their safe return. Instead, the more interesting plot line becomes the relationship between Thor and Jane. For the rest of the film, we will wrestle with our desire for the two of them to reconnect and Jane’s battle with cancer.
As this film moves into its last third, Thor and his party find no help from the other gods. If they are to save the children and the other gods, they must do so alone. The next encounter with Gorr is perhaps the most beautiful thing about this film. I will not spoil it, but in black and white, we see the full power of Thor’s nemesis on display.
Needing to regroup before the final showdown, this movie reveals its true self. This film is a love story. It is about rediscovering your true self and a person who made Thor feel special and loved. As I mentioned, there is a little doubt about the ultimate outcome of this movie, but the ride to that final climactic moment is hilarious, heartfelt, and endearing (all words I have rarely used to describe Marvel movies).
Be good to each other,
Nathan