*WARNING CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER*

Those that know me best know that I am a self proclaimed Marvel nerd. I have also written a plethora of reviews and columns with MCU tones so the proof is in the digitized text. Along with scrolling through #LokiLaufeyson TikTok and breathing, consuming Marvel content happens daily for me.

However, from scanning my articles, one could also gather that I tend to write long-winded pieces about things I either highly adore or highly detest. My emotions, especially for superheroes with decade long character arcs, are complex and difficult to articulate. So, I suppose the relatively shorter length of this article betrays my feelings for the recently released “Thor: Love and Thunder.” Overall, I find myself shrugging off the film and giving it a 6/10. To be honest, I find it rather “meh.”

I had grandiose hopes for “Thor: Love and Thunder” before it hit theaters. Director Taika Waititi had not disappointed me yet, especially with his absolute gem of the MCU “Thor: Ragnarok.” I was excited to see his recent project, one that he hyped up to be his best work yet. However, I was not quite enthralled with the content I was presented with.

The movie follows protagonist Thor as he discovers his self worth while facing both huge losses and huge gains. He meets gods and goddesses, harbingers of chaos and then still makes it back in time for an expected “end-of-Marvel-movie epic battle.” He also has a love affair with his hammers, both past and present, which I thought was one of the more amusing aspects of the plot.

The story felt like it was a stepping stone in between two larger MCU projects (a lot like how Ragnarok was a segway for the series to get to “Avengers: Infinity War.”) However, Waititi has previously done well with these less dense, more transitional pieces. The humor, one of my favorite things Waititi puts in his movies, felt forced at times and it did not give me the dry laugh I was craving. When compared to Waititi’s other projects, like “What We Do in the Shadows,” I was a tad disappointed. I truly wish I could write more, but all of my opinions are rather the same: a low energy shrug.

The visuals were also not the most pleasing to the eye. The scene where Thor and Jane Foster fought the shadow creatures reminds me a lot of the classic “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D.” Yet, the bright colors and funky animation that felt so enticing in 2005 just falls flat in my eyes today. However, I understand that the CGI could have been worse and I appreciate Sam Raimi for staying away from this project for that reason.

Yet, one thing the movie did do undeniably right was queer and female representation. From having Valkyrie be an openly gay woman in power to Korg nonchalantly mentioning his male partner, it was refreshing how natural these characters acted and how their arcs progressed alongside their identities; where as in “Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness,” LGBT characters were only present to serve as poster childs of inclusivity. 

I suppose if I had one phrase to summarize this review, it would be “not great, but not terrible.” This new part of the MCU gives me little hope for the future of this franchise. I hate to say it, but I think the Marvel universe may be losing its pizazz. However, with the announcements of new projects in “Phase 5” of the series, I truly pray I will fall back in love with this segment of cinema and not have to turn my nose up at another movie with the MCU moniker.