Thor: Love and Thunder’s a scattershot fairy tale...

Thor: Love and Thunder’s a scattershot fairy tale about being friends with your ex.

Once upon a time, Marvel Studios’ Thor movies were overwrought slogs

[{"selector":"#anim-58483e16-6c17-4781-a0c5-e4b6d337d6a1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(9.899255884807925%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-331528ef-1725-4277-9179-ea7526dbaa3e","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

That only catered to the most diehard comic book fans — until one day,

[{"selector":"#anim-c340b539-41b0-42d0-87d3-7052f18093a6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-12.241827888083073%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e2ba12d-6b5a-4f58-b086-0d41a39b3d34","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

When director Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok revitalized the franchise with colorful whimsy

[{"selector":"#anim-1ad280a0-5e50-49e6-9106-6ea21cd4c6c0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(4.543172723091143%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a41a262-22a8-4b42-b1d1-33ff952e9edf","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

And a hulking but lighter sense of humor.

[{"selector":"#anim-453d5ec7-e14a-45d6-baa9-5391baa666cd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-12.241827888083073%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c95485b-5135-4784-b99c-a7caa068d576","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

While reframing Thor as the MCU’s himbo god of jocularity was a solid way of renewing interest in the character,

[{"selector":"#anim-e3cd81fb-a123-4f7f-a445-bcfc78ccb875 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(9.748122207177277%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19623d78-e1d0-4655-b6fb-4d4f0c9ffc63","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

An overabundance of jokes and reliance on the Odinson’s comedic chops

[{"selector":"#anim-bb16c3f2-1251-4c2e-a043-19e0c1f99cce [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-12.241827888083073%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aea47b22-2fdd-4ca0-b950-3598d17a339f","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Are some of the big reasons why Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder feels like an awkward step back.

[{"selector":"#anim-31500efd-a3f8-4468-892b-5e8024d75e3f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83203cbb-556d-4e85-8bb2-de357943e5bc","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Thor: Love and Thunder is a sequel that tries its best to work as a standalone movie,

[{"selector":"#anim-eda33d93-3715-4014-87b1-641870d6b509 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(6.39497809746711%, -3.450863808772483%) scale(1.3546099290780143)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39e7d765-b326-45ab-8dff-89a6245ddf13","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}]