Just like with the recent DR. STRANGE sequel, THOR LOVE & THUNDER actually disappointed on repeat viewing. I fear that this is a recurring thing with my viewings of Marvel movies, in that the excitement and the new factor greatly wears off on repeat viewing. I only saw LOVE & THUNDER once theatrically and remember having a lot of fun with the fourth (!) THOR chapter as a part of an enormous cinematic universe with a lot of ups and downs.
While I am still in MCU exhaustion mode, there’s still fun to be had here with both Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman reprising their roles and filmmaker Taika Waititi (JOJO RABBIT) back on direction duties.
About the 4k release:
Despite a lot of the MCU movies having a similar look, the provided Digital Copy here looks pretty nice in 4k HDR. It doesn’t have the shine that SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME does on 4k disc but there’s a good array of colors and sharpness and a lot of the . Also strong was the Dolby 7.1 track which has all of the usual surrounds and bass level you would come to expect. Overall it’s a very fine home video presentation that looked very similar to the standard 2D widescreen presentation I saw theatrically.
Sadly the provided copy does not include the bonus features, but they are listed here for both the 4k disc and Apple TV release:
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.
THOR: LOVE & THUNDER is now available on 4k HDR disc, Blu Ray and also available on digital platforms.
Note: Disney sent us a Digital Copy code which redeemed to Google Play which does not include special features unlike Apple TV. This is something that I am HOPING that Google Play/YouTube can change for future digital releases, which is one of the best ways to have an online collection over having physical discs take up shelf space! Either way, huge thanks to Disney PR for sending along a copy for review.