Chris Hemsworth Knows Why Thor: Love & Thunder Failed, And He Blames Himself
In the Marvel Comics, when All-Father Odin first dubbed Thor as the God of Thunder, it was an ironic moniker, as the young crown prince of Asgard was terrified of thunderstorms as a child. Over time, Thor would go on to thoroughly earn this title after his life-altering exile in Midgard (Earth), explored in a milder capacity in Kenneth Branagh's "Thor," which cemented the character's irreplaceable status in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemsworth's rendition of the character, when contrasted to its comic counterpart, emerges as delightfully layered: Hemsworth's Thor is a mixture of sincere self-seriousness and dorky obliviousness, with equal parts strength and vulnerability contributing to an extremely likable superhero persona. Despite the character's godlike status, Thor's presence in the MCU almost had a grounding effect, where complexity and levity went hand in hand to steer stories that brimmed with grit and heart.
Unfortunately, 2022's "Thor: Love and Thunder" went on to undercut Thor's impressive arc to a considerable extent. Despite helming a story lifted straight from the comics that harbored immense potential, the film suffers from a chronic problem of thwarting its own merits, where every emotional moment is ultimately played off for laughs. Although no one person can be blamed for the film's glaring flaws, Hemsworth told Vanity Fair that he attributes some of the film's failings to the choices he made while portraying Thor in "Love and Thunder:"
"I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself. I didn't stick the landing."
Hemsworth's journey as Thor eclipses the failings of Love & Thunder
According to the Vanity Fair interview linked above, Hemsworth expressed some of the frustrations and anxieties that came with embodying such a popular superhero that was part of a sprawling cinematic universe:
"Sometimes I felt like a security guard for the team. I would read everyone else's lines, and go, 'Oh, they got way cooler stuff. They're having more fun. What's my character doing?' It was always about, 'You've got the wig on. You've got the muscles. You've got the costume. Where's the lighting?' Yeah, I'm part of this big thing, but I'm probably pretty replaceable."
Although "Love and Thunder" was a misfire due to many reasons, it would be unfair to pin all blame on Hemsworth, whose comedic talents worked immensely in his favor in "Thor: Ragnarok," an entry that feels tonally balanced despite its eccentricities. Moreover, Hemsworth has succinctly channeled the best aspects of what makes Thor likable in movies featuring different versions of the character, be it an arrogant god on the brink of self-discovery or a broken husk of a man forever altered by trauma. This complexity that Hemsworth brings to the role has also been endorsed by Robert Downey Jr., who praised the actor for the "wit and gravitas" he injects into the Asgardian god of thunder, balancing "restraint, fire, and gentleness" (via Vanity Fair).
Hemsworth's upcoming projects include the highly-anticipated "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," where he plays the warlord Dementus, who emerges as a key player in the unpredictable and treacherous Wasteland of the "Mad Max" saga. Per Hemsworth, this role has "been a long wait," as it allows him to delve into the "complications and darkness" of a character who is much more than the strongest person in the room.