They say nothing hurts like a broken heart. Nor is there anything more universal or that generates greater empathy.
Everyone, even superheroes and marvelite deities, are paralyzed by a lover who leaves, a loved one who dies or a duel that drags on.
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| Review WITHOUT SPOILERS of 'Thor: Love and Thunder' |
With permission from Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), Thor: Love and Thunder is the epitome of the broken heart: if we strip it bare and strip away all the madness and perfectly armed stylistic paraphernalia, we are left with the suffering of a god (Chris Hemsworth) who has lost too much and choose not to feel; that of a man (Christian Bale) transformed by revenge after seeing his relatives die; and that of a doctor (Natalie Portman) who puts vital purposes before her heart.
Thor’s second adventure in the hands of Taika Waititi inherits from Ragnarok the goofy humor, the absurd gags (blessed Asgardian theater and blessed screeching goats), the ‘scene-stealing’ sideshows and the rocker and colorful extravagance that redeemed the saga, but this new installment he is no longer satisfied with making you laugh; now he also wants to move you by giving you his heart. And he gets it. Go if he gets it.
This journey of self-discovery, electrifying action and thuggish camaraderie to the tune of Guns N’ Roses finds the perfect counterpoint in the most unapologetic and cheesy romantic comedy, with Hemsworth and Portman reconnecting between flashbacks (you’ll want to stay for this ABBA-sounding sequence). and ax jealousy. Waititi has matured, Marvel Studios too, and it shows in a rounder plot and a risky and spectacular visual commitment. Also in the exploration of characters dragged down by loss.
In this chaotic scenario in which Waititi collects life itself, his actors come together in tune, led by a Hemsworth who has made the role of the tender and goofy hero his own. Natalie Portman and Tessa Thompson are a supersonic duo worthy of a series of intergalactic adventures; Korg, the secondary that always adds up; Russell Crowe’s Zeus, another jester like Jeff Goldblum in Ragnarok, who ridicules himself in what might as well be a parody of Gladiator; and Bale, a tormented villain who has no hand with children.
Thor: Love and Thunder is, at its core, a love letter to love. To Waititi and Hemsworth’s love for the Marvel legacy, to Thor’s for Jane, to Gorr’s for his family. It is also a love letter from Marvel Studios to their fans. And above all, it is a love letter to Thor, which becomes more compelling with each appearance.
Ever since he shared a flat with Darryl or played Fortnite, this space viking has become the most worldly avenger. And what a pleasure to see him meditate, rollerblade, cook breakfast and slyly try to hide his nervousness in front of his ex. He’s had his heart broken countless times, but he keeps pouring it out to us hopefully to show that legendary Marvel shines brightest when he dresses in LGBT rainbows, comedy and love. Even though he hurts.