Willy Wonka Scene Reveals Why Love & Thunder Was a Complete Joke
The Marvel Cinematic Universe immediately set itself apart from the previous Marvel films with its introductory Iron Man in 2008, showing right off the bat that it was able to integrate humor in serious storylines.
It was, as Thanos might say, perfectly balanced – as all things should be. 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder missed that important balance, exemplified by a subtle Willy Wonka reference in Ragnarok.
Iron Man was directed by Jon Favreau, a noted indie buff, who used the improvisation skills of Saturday Night Live alum Robert Downey Jr. to make the wittiest superhero film to date. The MCU continued its comedic trend throughout its run, occasionally raising the humor in films like Ant-Man, which is a bona fide Adam McKay/Paul Rudd comedy.
The peak of the MCU balancing a dramatic storyline and comedy is 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, directed by Taika Waititi.
In some ways, it was Thor's most dramatic outing. His father died, his brother faked his death for four years, he was dumped by his love, and his long-lost sister returned from the gates of Hell to destroy his home planet. At first glance, the fact that it's listed as a Comedy on IMDb is insane.
But Waititi never let the humor get in the way of the main storyline. He understood timing; when stakes are raised, the humor must take a back seat.
The best example of this timing was Thor's first introduction to the Grandmaster. He was captured by scrappers, powerless, and strapped to a chair. He zoomed through a lighted tunnel while "Pure Imagination" played – the same song from the boat ride scene in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
He screams, drowned out by the music. It only becomes funny when he slams to a stop and the music cuts, and the God of Thunder is still screaming like a child.
It's a reference that's meant to be played for humor, but it also establishes that the Grandmaster is going to be a theatrical, ego-driven, Wonka-like madman. Most importantly, the humorous bit doesn't make the scene less dramatic. It doesn't detract from the seriousness of his plight.
We laugh, then the scene resettles into drama. Love and Thunder never let itself resettle.
Love and Thunder had an even more emotional setup. Thor reunites with Jane Foster just as she's beginning to succumb to cancer while the two are confronted with what should be a terrifying villain: Gorr the God Butcher, intent on slaying all the gods across the universe.
Waititi missed the magic he brought in Ragnarok, leaning too far into the humor of it all. He was praised for his comedy in his first MCU film, so he doubled down on it. It resulted in a movie that never takes its villain seriously, wasting an excellent Christian Bale performance.
The stakes never feel real. Thor has an odd romantic attachment to his hammer as he reconnects with his love. His female companions ogle over his frame as he pleads his case with Zeus, failing at which will result in their extinction. Every fight scene was permeated with jokes, completely getting in the way of the important story it was supposed to tell.
A prevailing rumor is that Waititi is done with the MCU, and it's probably for the best. His follow-up was beyond disappointing – it was a parody of Thor in the style of Mel Brooks, not the epic post-snap sequel we were promised.