'Thor: Love and Thunder' review: How Taika Waititi ruined the fun himbo Avenger

With a rock n' roll soundtrack and a bunch of beloved stars, Taika Waititi was poised to be a victory lap. After helmer Alan Taylor'sThor: The Dark World went over like a wet fart in 2013), this charismatic writer/director/actor not only rebranded the eponymous God of thunder into an adorkable himbo for the upcoming THOR: RAGNAROK but also cast himself Waititi introduced thirst trapping to the MCU by way of a strapped Valkyrie, a naked Hulk, and Jeff Goldblum. Fans would have been happy for more of the same. The thrill is gone despite the return of a bunch of characters. The mess of love and thunder can't make sense.

The new movie, co-written by Taika Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, picks up where the previous one left off, with the Avenger flexing his muscles for good and running from the pain of his long-ago break-up with a scientist. The war against the gods begins when the God Butcher, Christian Bale, descends on New Asgard with shadow beasts in tow, kidnapping a bunch of Asgardian kiddies along the way.

It's hard to run into an ex, but it's even harder to realize that Jane has gotten a glow-up thanks to Mjlnir magic. Jane is a blonde, buff, and clad in viking armor, and she can kick monsters. To bring an end to the destruction of all gods, these exes will have to team up, and bring along some old friends, like Korg and King Valkyrie.

The movie doesn't have a lot of time for fan-favorite figures, as evidenced by the cold breakdown of the once-hot romance between the two main characters. The main storylines feel short-changed because Korg and Valkyrie are left out.

Thor and Jane's odd couple dynamic doesn't work here. 

Credit: Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios

The jock god and the beautiful scientist shared an amazing chemistry. Even though Jane has a sexy new look, the sexual spark is dull. Their scenes feel more like preteens fumbling at flirting than international sex symbols.

In the film, Jane andThor are set up for different tones. A goofy charm that would be at home in any of Waititi's other projects is what the Golden retriever brings to the table. Jane is having an ongoing storyline about mortality and disease. The audience is never allowed to slide into this rocky ride because of Jane's somber storyline. This is one part of the film that is awkward.

Gorr, a MCU villain not given his due. 

Credit: Marvel Studios

We couldn't help but root for Loki because he was the first MCU villain we couldn't help but love. It's not a good idea to have fun with the opening of THOR: LOVE AND THUD. The opening scene shows a man carrying his dying daughter through the desert. Only after she has died in his arms is he able to find salvation. He killed his god. Then goes to kill more.

This is bad news because of a lot of distress calls. What makes Gorr's quest different from the other ones? There are gods in the movie who are either cartoonishly villainous or callous. There is no room to look at the moral grey area of the mission. It's due to cursed revenge brought on by the loss of a loved one. Bale is still able to deliver a great performance.

Bale has a twisted delight in bringing down the gods who would make humans play things. He has an exciting menace in his smile. He becomes a kids' show host from hell when he decapitates a snake to use it as a puppet to frighten the children he's abducting. Bale brings color and a twisted hint of a loving dad to the dark side of the universe. Waititi gives us something to sink our teeth into, but Bale's screen time is too short.

There must be room for more to be seen of Jane and Thor's lack of affection. Don't forget the level of drama. Their break up has all the emotional weight of a wet napkin.

Thor: Love and Thunder does have some bright spots, like Russell Crowe. 

Credit: Jasin Boland./Marvel Studios

As Zeus, the fun is in the barrel-chested, bearded, and barkingCrowe. With a thick Greek accent,Crowe had me. Crowe doesn't hesitate to play an over-the-top villain. He is a good reminder of what fun a movie like THOR can be. Crowe is not given a lot to do in the movie.

There are a few brief but delightful elements in the movie, including a soundtrack banging with Guns N' Roses, and a split with a Jean-Claude Van Damme style. She smirks and sizzles in a number of scenes. The Zeus sequence has a lot of gods on display. The blink-and-you'll-miss-it nature of this sequence speaks to the slapdash approach that makes the film deeply frustrating, as it is littered with wasted opportunities.

We're supposed to be awed by the wild stunts, gorgeous stars, superhero spectacle, and out-of- left-field wackiness of Waititi's movie. These elements are not woven together as much as they are thrown together. The emotional beats feel clumsy because the storytellers are lazy and bungled. There are no characters left. The finale offers a lot of ideas but little thought, leading to a groan-worthy epilogue that pulls our himbo hero into a new chapter.

Waititi gave us a funny guy who set out hearts and loins. He promised more of the same, but squelches an epic romance, floods the film with maudlin moments, and never really delivers a memorable punchline. Love and thunder is not satisfyingly fun.

The movie is called Love andThunder.