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  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. Marvel Movies
  5. Thor: Love and Thunder

First Thor: Love and Thunder reactions claim it blows "every Marvel movie out of the water"

News
By Bradley Russell published 24 June 2022

World premiere reactions are full of praise for Natalie Portman and Christian Bale

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Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Thor: Love and Thunder
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)
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The first reactions to Thor: Love and Thunder are in. According to some, it not only tops director Taika Waititi’s previous MCU effort Thor: Ragnarok – but could be one of Marvel’s very best.

Thor: Love and Thunder is "absolutely AMAZING," according to one who attended the world premiere. "It blows every other Marvel movie out of the water, and doubles down on the Ragnarok charm."

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff describes the film as "a wacky, high energy delight with a cast full of aces crushing one scene after the next."

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Another wrote that Thor 4 "is the perfect blend of Taika at his best with comedy and a punch to the gut all in one. I left this movie emotionally satisfied while also sobbing and just perfection."

The Wrap’s Drew Taylor was similarly effusive, saying it "might be [his] favorite Marvel movie and it also might be their very best. A sublime mixture of extreme silliness, dreamy surrealism and genuine emotion, with some of the most visually inventive set pieces in the MCU."

Natalie Portman, who is returning to the Thor franchise, this time as The Mighty Thor, received plenty of plaudits. Critic Scott Mantz described her as a "total badass" and that Love and Thunder was "even better than Ragnarok." One also loved the "buddy cop-esque" dynamic between Portman and Tessa Thompson’s Vakyrie.

Christian Bale – who plays Gorr the God Butcher – is also in for high praise. "Christian Bale was hugely anticipated as Gorr, and he delivered," commented one. "One of the best villains in the MCU." Another added that he was “top tier.”

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Lightning didn’t strike twice for Taika Waititi everywhere though. One said, "the comedy overpowered the film" and another cautioned that "most of the humor doesn't land as well as it did the first time."

Thor: Love and Thunder is set for release on July 7 in the UK and July 8 in the US. For more on the movie, be sure to check out Total Film's exclusive coverage from its new issue, including how Natalie Portman prepared for her superhero role and Christian Bale's horrified reaction to Googling Gorr.

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Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell
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Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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