Thor: Ragnarok – Film Review
If you were one of the many people who stated that the Thor film series should have more of a sense of fun and adventure to it, Thor: Ragnarok will satisfy you in all the ways you could ever hope for. This is mainly due to director Taika Waititi’s excellent and comedic directing style that we have seen him execute perfectly before in films such as What We Do in the Shadows (2014), and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016).
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned and taken to a mysterious part of the universe where he must escape and prevent the impending act known as “Ragnarok” from happening at the hands of the villainous Hela (Cate Blanchett). If Thor is too late, and Hela starts Ragnarok, his home of Asgard will be completely wiped out as he knows it.
The leading man of the Thor series Chris Hemsworth returns yet again to reprise his role as the titular character Thor. However, this is a portrayal of Thor from him that we have never before seen in any Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. As I briefly touched upon earlier, a plethora of fans said that the previous films in the Thor franchise were too dark, and were not able to have that much fun because of this. After watching Ragnarok, I have to agree, as this is one of the most entertaining Marvel Cinematic Universe movies ever made.
Chris Hemsworth (left) as Thor, and Tom Hiddleston (right) as Loki in Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
Hemsworth is truly hilarious in the film, and his chemistry in several scenes with Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk is pure genius. Seeing this film in theatres with a crowded audience full of Thor fans was great, as it was obvious that they, much like myself, were having the time of their lives watching a film that is at times so much fun, that you begin to forget you’re even watching a film in the first place. This is the first time in the long-running Thor series that the titular hero is without his iconic hammer for the majority of the film. He has to get used to using various other weapons in the film which also makes for some funny scenes.
New to the franchise is the character of Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) who is not only badass, but funny as well. The second we see her on screen, there is an undeniable charm to her that no character introduced thus far in the Thor series has provided us with. Whenever she has fight scenes, they look absolutely marvellous, and it further shows us how deadly Valkyrie is. There are multiple scenes with her alongside Thor and Hulk, and those scenes had myself and the entire theatre erupting in laughter.
With “Thor: Ragnarok,” this is the first real time a woman has been the main villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that of Cate Blanchett’s Hela. She is actually extremely interesting in Ragnarok and rarely veers into sheer absurdity levels (see Rita Repulsa in 2017’s Power Rangers. Their costumes are also similar). She mainly does have an eery vibe to her, and she does sell that she can wipe out all of Asgard as Thor knows it. There are however, several scenes with Hela that were exposition heavy that disappointed me severely.
Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
As per usual with virtually every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the action sequences paired together with the visual effects is pure eye-candy. This is one of the most action-packed films in this cinematic universe in years. The level of fun in these scenes is also cranked up even higher thanks to an absolutely amazing soundtrack, that reminded me of several scenes in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and this year’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Also, I did find myself caring for the entirety of the blockbuster about the film’s story. I always rooted for Thor, and wanted him the entire time to stop Hela from commencing the disastrous Ragnarok act. Another thing that is worth appreciating is that the film has an extremely powerful message that won’t only resonate with kids, but also adults as well.
All in all, Thor: Ragnarok is an extremely fun, action-packed comedy extravaganza, topped off with a stellar soundtrack.
For my video review on Thor: Ragnarok, please click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ztfpj0118E
Overall Grade: A
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive material
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba
Directed by: Taika Waititi
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Running Time: 130 minutes