I don’t think I have enjoyed myself in a Marvel movie more than I just did! If you leave Thor: Ragnarok upset at anything then you are not a human being. You are some sort of artificial robot that imitates human emotion.
Thor: Ragnarok is the third entry in Marvel’s Thor series (or hopefully the first entry in the Ragnarok series, fingers crossed). After the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) travels the cosmos in search for the reason he’s getting visions of his home of Asgard in ruin. What he finds is the emergence of the Goddess of Death, Hela (Cate Blanchett). She expels him and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) from Asgard, and Thor finds himself held captive on a planet that sets gladiators against each other for sport. Imprisoned and forced to fight his former ally Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), he must find a way to escape and stop Hela from enacting Ragnarok, the ultimate extinction of the Asgardian civilization.
In recent years, Marvel has found a way to keep their comic book universe fresh by creating genre-specific films with each new entry. Captain America: Winter Soldier was a political thriller, Ant Man was a heist film, Guardians of the Galaxy was a comedic space opera. With Ragnarok, Marvel makes its first action comedy. The first 10-15 minutes of the movie worried me. It gave me the same feeling that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 gave me, where it was trying too hard. The movie starts out the gate with jokes and quips, and continued them non-stop with a 50/50 hitting percentage. But once a certain cameo appears, the movie finds a sweet spot where the humor fits more naturally and the laugh comes way easier. From that point on, the movie keeps a smile on your face until the final end credit scene
finishes. I went to watch some interviews of director Taika Waititi, and after seeing his personality I can tell that he puts his stamp all over the movie. He is witty, charming, sarcastic, and from New Zealand (that means something, I promise). The movie follows his lead thru and thru.
The tone is completely different from that of its predecessor, and while for some it may be a jarring change of pace, in reality it made it the best entry of the series. The worlds are littered with vibrant colors and patterns, the score seems to come straight from an 80s video game, and it all blends perfectly to allow each actor to shine. Tom Hiddleston is still a wonder as Loki, but a more rounded version. He is still mischief and trickery, but his relationship with Thor brings out some hints of heart and sentiment not seen in previous movies. Cate Blanchett continues Marvel’s recent run of more developed villains. Hela is evil and dominant and basks in the glory of her own power. Blanchett savors every second of it. Instead of getting a stereotypical “I am evil and will destroy the world” villain, Hela has reasons for what she is (aside from being the Goddess of Death of course). She actually has a personality. She’s funny, feisty, scary, and gleefully wicked.
We also get the first experience with a speaking Incredible Hulk. He’s a little kid in a really powerful body. It gives a lot of laughs, but it also gives a lot of emotional insight into the Hulk’s relationship with his human counterpart, Bruce Banner. Seeing both Hulk and Banner as two different characters gives the audience a lot more understanding of the dynamic of struggle and coexistence between the two. The Hulk’s ability to speak also creates a lot of the movie’s greatest moments with Thor. Hemsworth probably benefited the most from the tonal shift of the film. Hemsworth is really really really funny in this movie. It shows a lot with his back-and-forths with Hulk, Loki and Banner. But even alone, Hemsworth fully embraces the funny and it looks extremely seamless and comfortable on him.
While they all do well in this film, three characters completely steal the movie. Jeff Goldbloom is full blown, hilariously cooky and crazy (emphasis on crazy) as The Grandmaster. Waititi himself plays a new character called Korg, a rock monster Thor meets in the gladiator pits. Every single one-liner you will remember from the movie will be from Korg. Korg is an intergalactic treasure and Korg must be protected at all costs. If you were wondering about the New Zealand comment above, you will understand after seeing Korg in action. Both these characters steal the scenes they’re in, but Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie steals the entire movie. She is the epitome of badass. So much so, I would take her in a battle against Wonder Woman. She kicks ass in battle, but she kicks more ass in everything else she does. She probably has the most hilarious introduction in recent memory, followed by the most badass (sorry there is no other word for her) true introduction right after. Her history, her actions in the present, and her dynamic with others create the most likable and relatable character in almost all of the MCU. Yes, please to the all-women Marvel movie led by Valkyrie that Thompson recently cornered Marvel head Kevin Feige about creating. I also really hope she somehow makes her way into Infinity War.
The action is amazing. The movie is hilarious. The characters are likable. The music is nostalgic. The aesthetic brings it all together. I watched this movie two times in two days, and enjoyed it even more the second time through. Thor: Ragnarok is definitely an upper echelon Marvel movie and I so hope they decide to allow Waititi to start a new Ragnarok franchise within the MCU. I give Thor: Ragnarok 8.75/10 new Dougs.