Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Thor: Love and Thunder 4K + 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

More thrilling Thor action-packed fun in 3D.

Thor: Love and Thunder is the fourth entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Thor series. The film brings back Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi for more action-comedy. Thor: Love and Thunder also brings back Natalie Portman –this time around she appears as The Mighty Thor. A massive spectacle of action-packed fun and 3D visuals, Thor: Love and Thunder is a must-see for Marvel fans.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is tasked with one of his greatest and most challenging missions to date. The hero of the epic tale, Thor must set forth on a new adventure alongside his allies King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Korg (Taika Waititi). Thor even runs in to the Guardians of the Galaxy while on a new quest.

The stakes are high when the villainous Gorr (Christian Bale), also known to some as the God Butcher, decides to annihilate all of the gods in the universe. Thor finds some more support with the surprising return of ex-flame Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and she now takes on the mantle herself as The Mighty Thor. Can Thor and The Mighty Thor take on Gorr and save the universe?

Chris Hemsworth continues to the MVP of the Thor franchise. Hemsworth is an outstanding lead as the legendary Thor. The actor provides the role with a perfect balance of comedy and action-packed charm. It is also wonderful to see the return of Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. Portman was missed in the third film outing and it is great to have her return to the franchise with the fourth film – and the unique spin of her playing Thor is an outstanding angle for the franchise. Portman is as beautiful and charming as always.

The production design by Nigel Phelps (Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, The Island) is exceptional and there is a lot of creativity on display with the film. Phelps makes the world building seem larger and there is a sense of interconnectivity with the other Thor films. This is certainly an ambitious production with a massive sense of scale.

"Enjoy the show?"

The costumes by Mayes C. Rubeo (Jojo Rabbit, Werewolf by Night) are a wonderful component of the filmmaking. Rubeo provides excellent costuming for Thor: both to Chris Hemsworth and to Natalie Portman. The Thor costume for Portman is especially fun and well-designed – a perfect fit for the actress.

The cinematography by Barry Baz Idoine (The Mandalorian) provides a sleek aesthetic for the production. Idoine provides some of the action scenes with a particularly bleak aesthetic as elements of the storyline become darker and more complex. These visual cues are counterbalanced with the lighter elements of the story and Idoine remembers to simply have fun with the visuals as well. One of the most visually compelling moments in the film involves Thor and “Mighty Thor” Jane on a boat out at sea: the visual effect is certainly beautiful and artistic.

The score composed by Michael Giacchino (The Batman, Doctor Strange) and Nami Melumad (Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) is energetic and entertaining. The score features original themes by Michael Giacchino. The music certainly adds a sense of excitement to the filmmaking. Giacchino is the best composer in the industry and the score for Thor: Love and Thunder is enormous fun.

The screenplay by Taika Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Someone Great, Do Revenge) is entertaining and charming while providing some moments of real dramatic weight as well. In bringing back Jane Foster, the script finds the heart of the story, and builds to something that is more meaningful as a result. There are some moving moments in the film and these elements are true to the sensibilities of Waititi.

Directed by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit), Thor: Love and Thunder is entertaining, engaging, and heartfelt fun. While perhaps not the better of the two Waititi helmed Thor films, Thor: Love and Thunder has a bigger heart (and it wears it on its sleeve). The heart of the film is moving and quite a wonderful chapter in the Marvel saga.

Thor: Love and Thunder 4K + 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 3D Blu-ray from Disney and Marvel, Thor: Love and Thunder is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 MVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1 widescreen. The video is exceptionally crisp, clear, and bright. The 3D effect is well rendered as a result. The 3D effect is also significantly more engaging and immersive compared to the standard 2D version.

Nonetheless, the 3D presentation for Thor: Love and Thunder is similarly less pronounced and more restrained when compared to some of the other Marvel films (like Guardians of the Galaxy or Doctor Strange). A worthwhile 3D conversion but the amount of depth and "pop" to the image is consistently not as creative in the 3D department. Nonetheless, the 3D option remains a great way to experience Thor: Love and Thunder and 3D fans should consider it well worth seeing in 3D.

Thor: Love and Thunder 4K + 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround sound presentation. The lossless audio on the release sounds exceptional. Detail and clarity are outstanding. The 3D Blu-ray release provides the main viewing experience with DTS HD MA audio instead of Dolby Atmos (found on the included 4K UHD in the combo pack). Though Atmos might have some extra directional sound effects, the DTS-HD Master Audio presentation carries more weight.

The bass and LFE output are superior with DTS-HD Master Audio. Many of the Disney/Marvel Atmos tracks have less robust LFE output. Even though some might be surprised by the lack of the Atmos track on the 3D presentation, fans should still find the DTS-HD Master Audio presentation to be enormously pleasing and engaging. The soundstage sounds full and the score is beautifully reproduced and mixed in well with the sound effects.

Thor: Love and Thunder 4K + 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release contains the same supplemental package as found on the standard Blu-ray. For more information on the extras package, please refer to the standard Blu-ray review from my colleague Martin Liebman here.

Thor: Love and Thunder 4K + 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Thor: Love and Thunder is a great entry in the Thor saga. As a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Love and Thunder is a must-see installment in the ongoing saga. The film has great performances, engaging special effects, and creative filmmaking. Director and co-writer Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) had a blast returning to the Thor franchise. The 3D Blu-ray release is an entertaining way to view the film. 3D enthusiasts should consider it well worth purchasing. The 3D effect is not as strong as with some Marvel films but it is still a blast to experience on 3D Blu-ray. Highly recommended.