4K Digital Review: Thor: Love and Thunder

 

Thor: Love and Thunder begins with Gorr (Christian Bale) who has just lost his daughter. He goes to confront his God in hopes of receiving his eternal reward but is laughed at. Gorr takes the god-slaying Necrosword and kills his God and vows to kill all others. Here on Earth,  Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is dying of cancer but Mjolnir calls to her and transforms her into the "Mighty Thor." So, "Mighty Thor" along with Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (voiced by Taika Waititi) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) seek out Gorr The God Butcher. 

The combination of drama, action and humor create a feeling that this film is all over the place and that's a good thing. The situational humor is a welcome shift from the typical MCU movie but still contains all of the action and adventure we know and love from the MCU. Production design and special effects are first rate! This film also marks the first time "The Volume" was used in a Marvel film. Taika took the groundbreaking high definition room used in The Mandalorian to bring Thor: Love and Thunder to life. Cast performances are great but Bale is the stand out here. 

Video:

The 4K streaming video is crisp and clean as to be expected from Disney. Skin tones, clothes and environments all look natural. Colors are vibrant, blacks are inky and just another outstanding effort by Disney on their movie transfers!

Audio:

The Dolby Atmos 5.1 soundtrack is good but not great. It is very flat, timid and even reserved in terms of reference volume. This is surprising considering the great 80s music and 80s inspired score. Turning up the volume way past normal helps. Dialogue is clear and well positioned but it is still a strain to hear and disappointed overall by the reference volume.

Bonus Features*

• Gag Reel – Take a look at some of the fun outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Thor: Love and Thunder.
• Audio Commentary – Watch the film with audio commentary by director/writer Taika Waititi.

Featurettes

• Hammer-worthy: Thor and The Mighty Thor – Trace Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman's journeys to becoming Thor and The Mighty Thor, respectively. Watch as the costars speak about the preparation behind embodying their legendary roles and describe how they combine their unstoppable forces.
• Shaping a Villain – This featurette introduces Love and Thunder’s primary antagonist, Gorr the God Butcher. Shining a light on the man who brings the character to life, this piece highlights his recruitment and process. Then fellow cast and crew reveal personal anecdotes.
• Another Classic Taika Adventure – This piece looks back on Taika Waititi’s journey taking over the Thor franchise and reinventing the God of Thunder. Revisit the moment Taika was announced as the new custodian of Thor and follow Taika through the production of Thor: Love and Thunder.

Deleted Scenes

• Looking for Zeus – Thor, Valkyrie and Korg run into a few characters while seeking an audience with Zeus.
• Wasting Time – Star-Lord and Mantis convince Thor to help their cause.
• A Safe Vacation – A nonchalant Thor chats with a panicked Star-Lord and Mantis in the middle of chaos. An explosion thrusts Korg into the scene.
• Fighting For You – Zeus gifts Thor a special tool after overhearing a heartfelt conversation.

Conclusion:

Thor: Love and Thunder combines the familiarity of the MCU while still having Taika's unique style. You get the dramatic and action sequences one expects from the MCU but the humor takes the forefront. The 4K digital download offers top quality video, flat audio and a good amount of bonus content. Still highly recommended to add to your collection.