I loved this movie. I know it hasn't received the same reviews as other Marvel entries, but there is still a lot to like about the latest MCU entry.
First of all, Sam Raimi's direction brought something new both visually and atmospherically. Marvel is notorious for having a tight grip on style and visuals, but in this installment, they let Raimi go wild. There are hints of horror throughout. Some may complain that "it isn't really horror," but I think the important thing is that we got a new flavor. The absurdities of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Franchise opened the door for Taiki Watiti's version of Thor. Sam Raimi's distinct shots, music, and tempo will allow for further exploration of this genre for Marvel. I love when Marvel tries something new.
I love that Marvel veered from the traditional story here. They really played with how to tell a story. I particularly loved the symmetry of the story. The loss that everyone has suffered, the things they gave up to "save the world," and the sacrifice to their own egos and happiness. I don't want to give too much away but the whole movie's format is given away in the first 20 minutes. You just don't realize it until you've seen it twice.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, and Benedict Wong all give strong performances. Elizabeth Olsen may be the most underrated actor in Hollywood right now. I do, however, want to give a special note of Xochitl Gomez. She had an important role in the film and really stood her ground with some of the best in the business. I hope to see her in future MCU projects.
The cameos in the film are grounded in the story. While some will undoubtedly complain about who was chosen for the cameos, I think they fit well for the story. They were surprising choices but didn't dominate the story.
I think sometimes, we fans beg for too much from these films. We create unrealistic expectations of what can be accomplished. With the creative changes and what I think were changes in response to Spider-Man: No Way Home, the film really does what it set out to do. Its goal was to entertain and tell a new kind of story. Marvel could churn out the same story over and over again because they have perfected that formula. Here, they chose to take some risks.