by Josh Sewell
Thor: Love and Thunder
(Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, some suggestive material and partial nudity. Opens in theaters on July 8.)
New installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe always come with massive expectations, but the follow-up to Thor: Ragnarok, one of the franchise’s greatest installments, was probably destined to fall short no matter how entertaining it is. Don’t get me wrong, it’s never boring and it’s funny and poignant in equal measure. However, in the midst of the studio’s aimless Phase 4, I can see how the self-contained adventure might be frustrating to fans looking for constant narrative propulsion.
Not me, though – I enjoyed myself throughout director and co-writer Taika Waititi’s (who shares screenplay credit with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson) return for another journey with the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth), who is now searching for his purpose in life after helping to defeat Thanos back in Avengers: Endgame. He finds new motivation when a villain known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) emerges to accomplish the goal established in his name.
He and his friend Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), the King of New Asgard, set out to defeat him, but are surprised when they’re joined by another hero – Thor’s ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who somehow has the power to yield Mjolnir, the magical hammer previously thought destroyed. They run into some familiar faces along the way, as well as some new associates, including a pair of humongous screaming goats who made me cackle every time they showed up.
Love and Thunder is much more in line with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 than Ragnarok, in that it’s an episodic hangout movie rather than a mythology-packed installment that connects to stuff we’ve seen before. The tone is all over the place, pinballing from hilarious, self-aware comedy to heartbreaking moments to terrifying sequences straight out of a horror flick. It honestly feels like two or three movies crammed into one, although I see how some might find the structure divisive.
The first act is kind of a letdown, since Waititi has to devote screentime to explaining how Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy part ways after the events of Endgame. It relegates those actors (including Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff and Sean Gunn, along with the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel) to glorified cameos, but once they blast off toward their own upcoming sequel – due in May 2023 – things pick up considerably.
As always, Hemsworth makes an outwardly tedious character compelling. The life of an almost immortal god shouldn’t be suspenseful, but the actor makes viewers invest in his constant learning curve. Over the past decade or so, rumors have persisted about a Big Trouble in Little China remake with Dwayne Johnson. I hope it never happens, considering it’s one of my all-time favorite movies. But if it does, Hemsworth’s work as Thor is proof that he’d be a much better Jack Burton.
It's also great to see Portman return to a franchise that hasn’t always utilized her considerable talents. The Oscar winner was outstanding in the first Thor way back in 2011, but the flicks haven’t been great to her since then. (I was honestly stunned she did the MCU a favor by showing up for Endgame.) Waititi more than makes up for that here, giving her character a real chance to shine.
Sadly, Bale continues the MCU’s history of lackluster villains. Through no fault of his own (he’s genuinely terrifying and has an empathetic backstory), the actor simply doesn’t have enough screen time to make a palpable impression.
While I don’t think Love and Thunder is as bad as other critics make it out to be (it’s currently sitting at 71 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), I get how viewers’ opinions might be all over the place. Although it may not be for everyone, I think Waititi’s take on the character is interesting enough to give it a shot on the big screen.
Grade: B
Mr. Malcolm’s List
(Rated PG for some smoking and mild language. Now playing in select theaters.)
Longtime readers of this column know I’m not typically a fan of what I call “corset romances.” Movies inspired by Jane Austen novels and the Victorian era aren’t my cup of tea, but I get why some viewers are drawn to them.
That’s why I was surprised to find myself enjoying Mr. Malcolm’s List as much as I did. The film, based on the popular book by Suzanne Allain (who also wrote the screenplay), is a refreshingly modern take on the manners comedy, complete with a diverse cast that revamps history in a way modern audiences can understand.
The story kicks off when Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) is humiliated after she’s rejected by London’s most eligible bachelor, the titular Mr. Malcolm (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù). Determined to get revenge, she recruits her longtime friend Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto) to pretend to be his perfect match so that she can dump him after he falls for her. Of course, complications ensue when the duo ends up falling in love for real.
While the film doesn’t pack a lot of surprises (anyone will be able to guess how the story ends), the performances and Allain’s witty dialogue make the journey more interesting than the destination. I’ve long maintained Pinto should be a giant movie star, and her work here provides further evidence. She’s a beautiful actress, not exactly rare in the movie industry, but she’s also got a killer sense of comedic timing that proves she isn’t just another pretty face.
The charismatic Ashton matches her step-for-step, playing a character who should be the villain but becomes a co-heroine through sheer force of will. Dìrísù is also strong, transforming someone who should be unlikable into a flawed, wounded love interest.
While Mr. Malcolm’s List probably won’t convert viewers who aren’t already fans of the genre, it’s an enjoyable romantic comedy that makes for fun viewing. It didn’t set the box office on fire last weekend, but I predict it will gain a strong following once it hits streaming.
Grade: B
(Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, some suggestive material and partial nudity. Opens in theaters on July 8.)
New installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe always come with massive expectations, but the follow-up to Thor: Ragnarok, one of the franchise’s greatest installments, was probably destined to fall short no matter how entertaining it is. Don’t get me wrong, it’s never boring and it’s funny and poignant in equal measure. However, in the midst of the studio’s aimless Phase 4, I can see how the self-contained adventure might be frustrating to fans looking for constant narrative propulsion.
Not me, though – I enjoyed myself throughout director and co-writer Taika Waititi’s (who shares screenplay credit with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson) return for another journey with the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth), who is now searching for his purpose in life after helping to defeat Thanos back in Avengers: Endgame. He finds new motivation when a villain known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) emerges to accomplish the goal established in his name.
He and his friend Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), the King of New Asgard, set out to defeat him, but are surprised when they’re joined by another hero – Thor’s ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who somehow has the power to yield Mjolnir, the magical hammer previously thought destroyed. They run into some familiar faces along the way, as well as some new associates, including a pair of humongous screaming goats who made me cackle every time they showed up.
Love and Thunder is much more in line with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 than Ragnarok, in that it’s an episodic hangout movie rather than a mythology-packed installment that connects to stuff we’ve seen before. The tone is all over the place, pinballing from hilarious, self-aware comedy to heartbreaking moments to terrifying sequences straight out of a horror flick. It honestly feels like two or three movies crammed into one, although I see how some might find the structure divisive.
The first act is kind of a letdown, since Waititi has to devote screentime to explaining how Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy part ways after the events of Endgame. It relegates those actors (including Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff and Sean Gunn, along with the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel) to glorified cameos, but once they blast off toward their own upcoming sequel – due in May 2023 – things pick up considerably.
As always, Hemsworth makes an outwardly tedious character compelling. The life of an almost immortal god shouldn’t be suspenseful, but the actor makes viewers invest in his constant learning curve. Over the past decade or so, rumors have persisted about a Big Trouble in Little China remake with Dwayne Johnson. I hope it never happens, considering it’s one of my all-time favorite movies. But if it does, Hemsworth’s work as Thor is proof that he’d be a much better Jack Burton.
It's also great to see Portman return to a franchise that hasn’t always utilized her considerable talents. The Oscar winner was outstanding in the first Thor way back in 2011, but the flicks haven’t been great to her since then. (I was honestly stunned she did the MCU a favor by showing up for Endgame.) Waititi more than makes up for that here, giving her character a real chance to shine.
Sadly, Bale continues the MCU’s history of lackluster villains. Through no fault of his own (he’s genuinely terrifying and has an empathetic backstory), the actor simply doesn’t have enough screen time to make a palpable impression.
While I don’t think Love and Thunder is as bad as other critics make it out to be (it’s currently sitting at 71 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), I get how viewers’ opinions might be all over the place. Although it may not be for everyone, I think Waititi’s take on the character is interesting enough to give it a shot on the big screen.
Grade: B
(Rated PG for some smoking and mild language. Now playing in select theaters.)
Longtime readers of this column know I’m not typically a fan of what I call “corset romances.” Movies inspired by Jane Austen novels and the Victorian era aren’t my cup of tea, but I get why some viewers are drawn to them.
That’s why I was surprised to find myself enjoying Mr. Malcolm’s List as much as I did. The film, based on the popular book by Suzanne Allain (who also wrote the screenplay), is a refreshingly modern take on the manners comedy, complete with a diverse cast that revamps history in a way modern audiences can understand.
The story kicks off when Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) is humiliated after she’s rejected by London’s most eligible bachelor, the titular Mr. Malcolm (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù). Determined to get revenge, she recruits her longtime friend Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto) to pretend to be his perfect match so that she can dump him after he falls for her. Of course, complications ensue when the duo ends up falling in love for real.
While the film doesn’t pack a lot of surprises (anyone will be able to guess how the story ends), the performances and Allain’s witty dialogue make the journey more interesting than the destination. I’ve long maintained Pinto should be a giant movie star, and her work here provides further evidence. She’s a beautiful actress, not exactly rare in the movie industry, but she’s also got a killer sense of comedic timing that proves she isn’t just another pretty face.
The charismatic Ashton matches her step-for-step, playing a character who should be the villain but becomes a co-heroine through sheer force of will. Dìrísù is also strong, transforming someone who should be unlikable into a flawed, wounded love interest.
While Mr. Malcolm’s List probably won’t convert viewers who aren’t already fans of the genre, it’s an enjoyable romantic comedy that makes for fun viewing. It didn’t set the box office on fire last weekend, but I predict it will gain a strong following once it hits streaming.
Grade: B
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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