How scary and violent is Thor: Love and Thunder? The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four is in full swing, with Thor: Love and Thunder marking the first time a character gets a fourth solo outing. Directed by Thor: Ragnarok’s Taika Waititi from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Thor 4 ventures to new places and gets a bit intense while doing so.
Thor: Love & Thunder is the 29th film in the MCU and picks up where Thor’s story ended in Avengers: Endgame, with him traversing the universe with the Guardians of the Galaxy. However, he’s drawn back to Earth when he learns of a new threat that involves Gorr the God Butcher slaughtering various gods. Thor’s journey isn’t made easy, though, because he comes face-to-face with his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who has transformed into Mighty Thor and is now wielding Mjolnir. The film brings back familiar faces, including Valkyrie and Korg, while introducing plenty of new characters.
Like so many of its predecessors, Thor: Love and Thunder isn’t flagrant in its gore or scary moments; it has none of the former and only a bit of the latter, though it’s less scary than it can be intense. To that end, Gorr is able to draw upon the shadows to manifest creatures that attack the film’s heroes and they go all out in that regard, destroying in their rampage. In terms of violence, Thor: Love and Thunder is fairly tame, with the fight scenes more about spectacle than about physical harm. That said, the battles include the occasional weapon piercing characters’ skin, but the film avoids showing any and all blood, which lessens the impact of the action’s ruthlessness. There is a particularly daunting scene that sees the heroes in a harrowing situation when facing Gorr, but it’s not incredibly brutal so much as it is stressful. The action scenes build momentum and are fantastical in nature rather than realistically violent, relying heavily on extravagance and visual flair more than anything.
Is Thor: Love & Thunder Too Scary For Kids?
Thor: Love and Thunder should be suitable for kids who are ten and older, but the decision is ultimately up to the parents, guardians, and any designated adults in their lives. The film itself is rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action,” which suggests parental guidance be in place for kids under 13 years old. And while there are battle sequences, creepy shadow creatures, and tense-filled situations, Thor: Love and Thunder is no more violent or scary than Avengers: Endgame or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which included a zombie.
There are threats made by Gorr, as well as children characters being placed in grim and terrifying situations, but the MCU film maintains a light and hopeful tone overall, meaning that nothing ever gets too dark or gruesome for younger audiences to sit through. Thor: Love and Thunder is ultimately a fun entry to the MCU, one with more of a sense of humor than brutality. It may put its characters in tough and occasionally grim situations, but it never leans too far into the violence and scares and can be enjoyed by most everyone.
