---
title: "Thor: Love and Thunder"
year: 2022
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/thor-love-and-thunder"
fi1m_score: 55
critics_score: 63
critics_reviews: 26
published: "2026-09-19T12:34:38.289959+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-19T12:34:38.611265+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Directed by Taika Waititi · 1h 59m · MPA PG-13 · Fantasy, Action, Comedy

**Fi1m score: 55** · Critics 63 from 26 reviews

*In a sentence:* Christian Bale acts his heart out for a film that keeps cutting away to a screaming goat

> Taika Waititi’s second Thor film has a proper villain in Christian Bale, a real story in Natalie Portman’s return, and a joke every thirty seconds that lets neither of them breathe. It is often funny and it does not add up.

## Synopsis

Gorr (Christian Bale) carries his dying daughter across a desert and prays to a god who does not answer. When he finally meets that god and is laughed at, a black sword chooses him instead, and he swears to kill every god in the universe. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has been travelling with the Guardians of the Galaxy and training his way back to fighting weight, with Korg (Taika Waititi) telling the story. A distress call brings him home to New Asgard, a fishing village turned tourist attraction ruled by King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), just as Gorr’s shadow creatures attack and carry off the town’s children. Waiting there, in armour and holding Thor’s old hammer, is his former girlfriend, the astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who has arrived with a diagnosis she has told nobody about.

## Review

Taika Waititi’s second Thor film opens with a man carrying his dead child across a desert. Christian Bale is Gorr, and when he meets his god the god laughs at him. A black sword takes his hand and he swears to kill every god. It is a hard, frightening ten minutes, and it unsettled us. Then the film cuts to Chris Hemsworth doing sit-ups with the Guardians of the Galaxy while Korg narrates his diet, and inside fifteen minutes *Love and Thunder* has shown us what it will do for the next hundred minutes: interrupt itself.

The premise is good, and the script by Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson knows it. Natalie Portman returns as Jane Foster, the astrophysicist Thor lost touch with, now ill and out of options, and his old hammer puts itself back together for her. Gorr’s shadow creatures attack New Asgard, a fishing village that Tessa Thompson’s King Valkyrie has turned into a theme park, and carry off its children. A father who lost a daughter to an indifferent god; a god about to lose the woman he loves. That is a story, and the film does not trust it.

Bale plays it as a horror film, and he is right to. Pale, hairless, barely above a whisper, he is kindest in the scenes where he is most dangerous, telling frightened children a bedtime story. He is the only thing in the film that frightened us, and he is off screen for long stretches. Portman gives Jane a tired brightness, a woman trying on heroism because the alternative is a hospital bed, and Hemsworth is loose and warm with her. Russell Crowe’s Zeus, in gold curls and an accent that wanders round the Mediterranean, enjoys himself so plainly that we did too.

Baz Idoine shoots the gods’ city in gold and sherbet pink and Gorr’s territory with the colour drained out, so that Thor’s lightning is the only colour in the frame. That black-and-white stretch is the film’s best-looking passage and the one where nobody is cracking wise. Nigel Phelps builds New Asgard with a gift shop and Zeus’s palace as a casino. Mayes C. Rubeo puts Crowe in a gold toga and Bale in a grubby white robe. Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad’s score sits underneath Guns N’ Roses songs, which arrive whenever the film wants us to have a good time.

Waititi cannot leave a serious moment alone for longer than it takes to make a face. Every scene of feeling is cut off by a gag, and it is mostly the same gag: two enormous goats scream, Thor is jealous of his old hammer, Korg says something mild. We laughed at the goats the first time. By the fourth we were watching a scene about a dying woman waiting to see whether they would scream over it, and they did, and we felt insulted on Portman’s behalf. Four editors are credited, Peter S. Elliot, Matthew Schmidt, Tim Roche and Jennifer Vecchiarello, and the film cuts like something assembled from pieces, nearly every scene ending on a punchline. By the last half hour the jokes had stopped landing and the story had stopped moving, and we were bored, which with Bale in the building takes some doing.

[*Thor: Ragnarok*](https://film.one/film/thor-ragnarok) (2017) had the same jokes, but it had a straight man. Hela was a real threat and Hemsworth’s deflation was the comedy. Here nobody plays it straight except Bale, and the film treats him as a guest. Thompson wears a crown and has little to do with it. Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan and Pom Klementieff are in and out inside ten minutes. Jaimie Alexander’s Sif gets one scene and a joke about an arm.

It runs 119 minutes and carries a 12A, and the children it is aimed at will have a fine time; the goats are for them, and fair enough. Adults who loved *Ragnarok* will get forty minutes of what they came for, in two-minute pieces. We sat through the rest waiting for Bale to come back. He always did, and he was worth it, and the film around him was not.

*Fi1m score 55, published 19 September 2026.*

### Reviews we read (26)

- **The Times**, Tom Shone (★★★★★): The critic hails it as the best Marvel movie ever made, a scintillatingly silly send-up blending superheroes with Monty Python-style absurdity and camp comedy that feels like a bona fide classic. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/thor-love-and-thunder-is-the-best-marvel-movie-ever-made-psw8tzzzc)
- **Empire**, Ben Travis (90/100, inferred): A giddy, gleaming guitar solo of a movie that is sidesplittingly funny, surprisingly sentimental, and tonally daring. It is a deeply weird, deeply wonderful triumph about love in all its forms. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/thor-love-and-thunder/)
- **Total Film** (85/100, inferred): Unashamedly absurd and wildly entertaining, the film is a perfect example of what Marvel Phase 4 should aspire to be, delivering a self-contained and satisfying story. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/thor-love-and-thunder-review-marvel/)
- **The Independent**, Clarisse Loughrey (80/100, inferred): The film is a delightful sequel powered by goofy self-awareness and childlike imagination, remembering its main audience are kids. It radiates with love and heart, though not as thematically tight as Ragnarok. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/thor-love-and-thunder-review-release-b2116119.html)
- **The Telegraph** (4/5): The review praises the film as a howlingly enjoyable return to form with superb cast chemistry, Flash Gordon styling, and Christian Bale delivering one of the series' best villains. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/thor-love-thunder-review-howlingly-enjoyable-return-marvellous/)
- **The AV Club**, Todd Gilchrist (B): Trades on Chris Hemsworth's charm and tests Taika Waititi's, with strong performances from Portman and Bale, but the first hour feels like a slog; overall a positive take on its visual adventuresomeness. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/thor-love-thunder-chris-hemsworth-taika-waititi-natalie-1849108250)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (75/100, inferred): Not as good as Ragnarok but goofy and moving on its own terms, with strong performances from Hemsworth, Portman, and Crowe, and kid-friendly CGI sequences set to Guns N' Roses songs. There is a whole lot to love. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/thor-love-and-thunder-taika-waititi-chris-hemsworth-marvel-b1010212.html)
- **Screen Daily** (75/100, inferred): The critic praises it as a funny and emotional follow-up that benefits from Portman and Hemsworth's chemistry, with the story growing more serious and moving toward an affecting finale focused on love and sacrifice. It occasionally feels unfocused or jokey but remains a solid addition. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/thor-love-and-thunder-review/5172187.article)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B-): The film is a fun and quirky space epic that confronts the aimlessness of the post-Thanos MCU with emotional honesty and open-heartedness, even if more of the same. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/2022/07/thor-love-and-thunder-review-1234738041/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an entertaining followup to Ragnarok that repeats its tongue-in-cheek cosmic spectacle with nice gags and Hemsworth's relaxed performance, though notes Marvel's comedy mode risks becoming a reflexive cul-de-sac. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jul/05/thor-love-and-thunder-review-taika-waititi-hammers-home-franchise-fun)
- **Radio Times**, Jeremy Aspinall (3/5): The critic sees it as more knockabout comedy than full-throttle action adventure, with heavy-metal spectacle and tongue-in-cheek humour such as the screaming goats and Russell Crowe's Zeus. It delivers fun moments but does not match the heights of Ragnarok. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-jrtx8q/thor-love-and-thunder/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (3/5): The critic calls it a funny but uneven MCU return that gets close to straight-up comedy before losing its way in an over-busy plot. Hemsworth shines and there are plenty of laughs early on, but the third act drags and the film fails to sustain its irreverence. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/thor-love-and-thunder-2022)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (55/100, inferred): The critic notes that Waititi injects antic silliness into the franchise once again, making it infectious in spots, but finds the film sillier and thinner than its predecessors with an overstuffed plot that becomes a creative dead end. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/07/movies/thor-love-and-thunder-review.html)
- **Vulture** (50/100, inferred): The film is a fractured affair that mixes pathos and humor poorly, spinning its wheels with off calibrations, though Bale's performance stands out; makes one wonder if Marvel is okay. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2022/07/thor-love-and-thunder-makes-you-wonder-if-marvels-okay.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (3/2/2): The critic finds it a disappointing sequel sorely lacking in charm and imagination. Waititi burdens the film with a wishy-washy love story that feels shallow and formulaic, though Russell Crowe's Zeus cameo provides some fun. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/thor-love-and-thunder)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film tiresome and weightless due to excessive wisecracking that snuffs out excitement and grandeur, making it feel like a strained rehash sparking neither love nor thunder. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/thor-love-and-thunder-1235175416/)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film brisk and amiable with a puckish cartoon spirit but ultimately unable to transcend the franchise’s sludgy formulas, delivering no real sustenance amid its CGI artifice and faith-based themes. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/thor-love-and-thunder-reviewed-marvel-as-a-faith-based-organization)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (35/100, inferred): The critic calls the sequel painless but largely pointless, praising isolated moments like the screaming goats and Crowe’s Zeus while lamenting flat-footed jokes, under-realized aims, and a franchise spinning its wheels. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-07-05/thor-love-and-thunder-review-mcu)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (30/100, inferred): The film is woefully unfunny and tonally inconsistent, with mealy-mouthed hints at queerness and slipshod action sequences. The inconsistent tone between tragedy and goofiness undermines its emotional heft. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/thor-love-thunder-review-taika-waititi-marvel-1724061)
- **Collider**, Therese Lacson (A): The critic praises the film for recapturing the charm of earlier MCU entries with its mix of comedy, heart, and character development for Thor. They highlight the strong performances, especially Hemsworth and Bale, and the thematic focus on vulnerability and love. [Read](https://collider.com/thor-love-and-thunder-review-spoiler-free/)
- **NME**, James Mottram (4/5): It's a fun, entertaining romp with quirky humor, great music, strong chemistry, and deeper themes, though not quite as fresh as Ragnarok. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/thor-love-and-thunder-review-3261413)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (3/5): The critic finds it a serviceable but messy summer movie pulled in conflicting directions, praising Bale's performance and the romance but noting it's formulaic and disposable. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/thor-love-and-thunder-review/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Luke Walpole (3/5): The film returns to the comedic, colorful style of Ragnarok but struggles to fully recapture its spark. It features strong visual moments and Waititi's humor alongside some narrative and tonal missteps. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/thor-love-and-thunder-review/)
- **Deadline**, Valerie Complex (50/100, inferred): The film belongs to Jane Foster, who has clear goals and a meticulously developed full arc as Mighty Thor. It mixes horror, romance, drama and comedy that entertains but is lazily assembled, losing substance amid standard MCU elements while strong performances and action scenes keep it from failing. [Read](https://deadline.com/2022/07/thor-love-and-thunder-review-1235057949/)
- **/Film**, Josh Spiegel (5/10): The sequel has trouble balancing sincerity and glibness, feeling like a labored attempt to repeat Ragnarok's success. Christian Bale's performance as Gorr stands out as a highlight amid the uneven tone and execution. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/915626/thor-love-and-thunder-review-a-shaky-attempt-to-recapture-lightning-in-a-bottle/)
- **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (30/100, inferred): Taika Waititi cracks the jokes but loses the thread by trying to balance zippy quippiness with heavy themes that cancel each other out. It delivers many surface pleasures of an MCU movie but leaves a nagging sense that none of this quite works and falls far short of the best entries in the franchise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/thor-love-and-thunder-film-review-taika-waititi-cracks-the-jokes-but-loses-the-thread/)

## Details

- **Director:** Taika Waititi
- **Director:** Taika Waititi
- **Writer:** Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
- **Cinematography:** Baz Idoine
- **Editor:** Matthew Schmidt, Peter S. Elliot, Tim Roche, Jennifer Vecchiarello
- **Music:** Nami Melumad, Michael Giacchino
- **Production design:** Nigel Phelps
- **Costume design:** Mayes C. Rubeo
- **Producer:** Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige
- **Cast:** Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Natalie Portman as Jane Foster / The Mighty Thor; Christian Bale as Gorr; Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie; Taika Waititi as Korg / Old Kronan God (voice); Russell Crowe as Zeus; Jaimie Alexander as Sif; Idris Elba as Heimdall
- **Runtime:** 1h 59m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 7 July 2022
- **Genres:** Fantasy, Action, Comedy
- **Budget:** $250 million
- **Box office:** $761 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go8nTmfrQd8

## Where to watch in the US

- Disney+: streaming, uhd
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-19.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Thor: Ragnarok* (2017), Fi1m 74: Same director, same jokes, and a villain and a kingdom the jokes had to work against. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/thor-ragnarok.md)
- *Flash Gordon* (1980): The camp space opera with a rock soundtrack this one keeps reaching for.
- *Jason and the Argonauts* (1963): Gods on Olympus moving mortals about like chess pieces, and taking it seriously.
- *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* (2016), Fi1m 82: Waititi’s grief and comedy in the same scene, and neither one undercuts the other. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.md)
- *Everything Everywhere All at Once* (2022): Proof that a film can be silly every thirty seconds and still break your heart.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/thor-love-and-thunder