For most - myself included - the previous two Thor films have registered on the bottom-half of our Marvel Cinematic Universe rankings. The 2011 franchise starter is one of the MCU's lowest-grossing entries to date, while the 2013 sequel - subtitled The Dark World - has the weakest reviews of the bunch. The world is beginning to question whether a half-decent Thor film actually existed, or if the Chris Hemsworth-led sub-franchise should be laid to rest. Is third time the charm for Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Co? Or does Ragnarok really signal the end - of Thor as a sturdy viable Marvel property?
When a turn of events allows the Goddess of Death, Hela, to break free from prison, she comes to invade Asgard and signal Ragnarok - the end of everything. Thor, without his hammer and away from home, must assemble a team to take Hela, down before the prophecy comes true and Asgard perishes. Alongside Hemsworth and Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo returns as Bruce Banner/Hulk, while Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum and Tessa Thompson join the cast of the Phase 3 instalment.
Thor: Ragnarok launches with a slow, spluttered start. "Here we go, I thought. After a shockingly good year for superheroes, Ragnarok would put a damper on it with a disappointing feature-length that signals Thor is beyond saving". Complete with an awkward, forced cameo from Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange and a laboured, haphazard attempt to balance the various tones and genres bubbling away early on, Ragnarok exhibits signs of repeating past mistakes early on.
Thankfully though, it irons out the creases after some mild panic, paving the way to an altogether stronger, funnier and entertaining Thor sequel. Taika Watiti's first major studio blockbuster release is a comedy disguised as a superhero film in all honesty, and imparts a fresh vision on the MCU. His spectacle is one of terrific colour and exhilarating set pieces, thanks to his sharp execution - and the humour in Eric Pearson's screenplay - benefiting from his bold, often audacious approach to the film. While it is easily identifiable as a Marvel flick, it is unique and bold enough to stand out from the crowd, with Watiti's signature comedic style running through the veins of the film. Watiti's funny work aside, a lot of the film's hilarity comes from Joel Negron and Zene Baker's well-tuned, sharp editing skills. It helps feed some of the visual gags excellently and streamlines the film efficiently: even at 130 minutes, it never seems to overrun or outstay its welcome.
Visually, it is incredibly exciting. From scrapyard wastelands to cosmic space travel, gladiator rings and the reliably grand Agard, the production design is tremendous and Watiti explores them in with energy and enthusiasm. While there is the occasional dodgy piece of CGI, for the most part it remains impressive and daring, popping with colour and enhanced by Javier Aguirresarobe's fine cinematography; one scene in particular - the trailer-friendly gladiator smackdown - is a stand-out, with truly phenomenal scale and beauty. Later, in the streets, the planet of Sakaar comes to life joyfully, with visual marvel at every turn. Watiti proves once again that he is a tremendously reliable director, bringing freshness and excitement to the MCU, seventeen films into their journey.
Pearson's screenplay breathes new life into these characters, three films into their arc. More self-aware now than ever before, Thor's arrogance has been toned down and replaced with a charm after becoming more at-one with life outside Asgard. His character arc is more substantial and his growth as a character in notable now, thanks to Pearson's efforts - he indicates that time has passed and Thor has been rushing around doing good by all. Rather than being the brunt of the jokes (something that had begun to grow tiresome), Pearson provides Thor with his unique brand of sarcasm which moulds him into a far more enjoyable, entertaining and likeable character. Similarly, Pearson develops the Thor-Loki dynamic terrifically, providing new weight to their relationship moving forward.
Ragnarok is perhaps stronger at advancing the characters than the Avengers story and that's totally fine. Some may complain that the film feels inconsequential at times, and they'd be justified in seeing it that way - but for the Thor universe directly, and the characters that populate it, it conveys the high-stakes efficiently. Without entering spoiler territory, Ragnarok's character developments will be felt in the films to come (notably, the forthcoming Infinity War), even if the narrative feels unconnected in the moment. Disney have spent the past four or so films telling more standalone stories and for the characters, it really works. Oh, and Ragnarok is responsible for my new favourite MCU addition - Korg. Korg, I love you.
Because of the strong writing, the cast excel. Hemsworth gives (arguably) his best, certainly funniest performance in the role date, facilitated by this change and development in Thor that transitions him from an irritant to a charmer. Homing in on his fantastic comedic muscles - as seen in Ghostbusters (2016) - he supplies one of the year's strongest comedy turns, nailing the timing, delivery and tone with confidence and conviction. Hiddleston is dependable as Loki, with his unwavering loyalties between right and wrong; while Mark Ruffalo is fantastic as Banner/Hulk, discovering a formidable chemistry and dynamic with Hemsworth's Thor, a combination we have (surprisingly) seen little of and now want to see more of.
Some new arrivals grace our screen in Ragnarok, and for the first, a popular Internet slaying will be utilised: Cate Blanchett slays. YAS QUEEN. She is absolutely mighty as Hela, delivering everything with a snarling bite and acidic tone. She crafts a menacing character hellbent on destruction, with her intentions deeply-rooted in her character's backstory, ticking two boxes at once: while I wouldn't go as far as to suggest they have completely overcome the MCU's most common 'lacklustre villain' problems, she does a pretty stellar job at conquering that pitfall. Tessa Thompson is a joy as Valkyrie, bas-ass and utterly convincing in the role; she is a new team member we should definitely want to see more of in the future. Jeff Goldblum does a stellar job as the Grandmaster, perfectly nailing the eccentricity and disillusionment that comes with the character. It's a joy to see Rachel House (after her rib-shattering hilarity in Hunt For The Wilderpeople) - I just wish her role was a little more substantial. The cast really are the film's calling card, going hell-for-leather with this wacky story that would likely crumble without their commitment.
Ragnarok's use of music - something the MCU is making more integral with each passing film, likely due to the success of the Guardians franchise - is well-constructed and thought-out. Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song make two riotous appearances to book-end the film, while Mark Mothersbaugh's score conjures an appropriate 70s tone. It solidifies the overall vision of the piece, selling the cool, breezy, enjoyable sequel bonanza with ease.
Thankfully though, it irons out the creases after some mild panic, paving the way to an altogether stronger, funnier and entertaining Thor sequel. Taika Watiti's first major studio blockbuster release is a comedy disguised as a superhero film in all honesty, and imparts a fresh vision on the MCU. His spectacle is one of terrific colour and exhilarating set pieces, thanks to his sharp execution - and the humour in Eric Pearson's screenplay - benefiting from his bold, often audacious approach to the film. While it is easily identifiable as a Marvel flick, it is unique and bold enough to stand out from the crowd, with Watiti's signature comedic style running through the veins of the film. Watiti's funny work aside, a lot of the film's hilarity comes from Joel Negron and Zene Baker's well-tuned, sharp editing skills. It helps feed some of the visual gags excellently and streamlines the film efficiently: even at 130 minutes, it never seems to overrun or outstay its welcome.
Visually, it is incredibly exciting. From scrapyard wastelands to cosmic space travel, gladiator rings and the reliably grand Agard, the production design is tremendous and Watiti explores them in with energy and enthusiasm. While there is the occasional dodgy piece of CGI, for the most part it remains impressive and daring, popping with colour and enhanced by Javier Aguirresarobe's fine cinematography; one scene in particular - the trailer-friendly gladiator smackdown - is a stand-out, with truly phenomenal scale and beauty. Later, in the streets, the planet of Sakaar comes to life joyfully, with visual marvel at every turn. Watiti proves once again that he is a tremendously reliable director, bringing freshness and excitement to the MCU, seventeen films into their journey.
Pearson's screenplay breathes new life into these characters, three films into their arc. More self-aware now than ever before, Thor's arrogance has been toned down and replaced with a charm after becoming more at-one with life outside Asgard. His character arc is more substantial and his growth as a character in notable now, thanks to Pearson's efforts - he indicates that time has passed and Thor has been rushing around doing good by all. Rather than being the brunt of the jokes (something that had begun to grow tiresome), Pearson provides Thor with his unique brand of sarcasm which moulds him into a far more enjoyable, entertaining and likeable character. Similarly, Pearson develops the Thor-Loki dynamic terrifically, providing new weight to their relationship moving forward.
Ragnarok is perhaps stronger at advancing the characters than the Avengers story and that's totally fine. Some may complain that the film feels inconsequential at times, and they'd be justified in seeing it that way - but for the Thor universe directly, and the characters that populate it, it conveys the high-stakes efficiently. Without entering spoiler territory, Ragnarok's character developments will be felt in the films to come (notably, the forthcoming Infinity War), even if the narrative feels unconnected in the moment. Disney have spent the past four or so films telling more standalone stories and for the characters, it really works. Oh, and Ragnarok is responsible for my new favourite MCU addition - Korg. Korg, I love you.
Because of the strong writing, the cast excel. Hemsworth gives (arguably) his best, certainly funniest performance in the role date, facilitated by this change and development in Thor that transitions him from an irritant to a charmer. Homing in on his fantastic comedic muscles - as seen in Ghostbusters (2016) - he supplies one of the year's strongest comedy turns, nailing the timing, delivery and tone with confidence and conviction. Hiddleston is dependable as Loki, with his unwavering loyalties between right and wrong; while Mark Ruffalo is fantastic as Banner/Hulk, discovering a formidable chemistry and dynamic with Hemsworth's Thor, a combination we have (surprisingly) seen little of and now want to see more of.
Some new arrivals grace our screen in Ragnarok, and for the first, a popular Internet slaying will be utilised: Cate Blanchett slays. YAS QUEEN. She is absolutely mighty as Hela, delivering everything with a snarling bite and acidic tone. She crafts a menacing character hellbent on destruction, with her intentions deeply-rooted in her character's backstory, ticking two boxes at once: while I wouldn't go as far as to suggest they have completely overcome the MCU's most common 'lacklustre villain' problems, she does a pretty stellar job at conquering that pitfall. Tessa Thompson is a joy as Valkyrie, bas-ass and utterly convincing in the role; she is a new team member we should definitely want to see more of in the future. Jeff Goldblum does a stellar job as the Grandmaster, perfectly nailing the eccentricity and disillusionment that comes with the character. It's a joy to see Rachel House (after her rib-shattering hilarity in Hunt For The Wilderpeople) - I just wish her role was a little more substantial. The cast really are the film's calling card, going hell-for-leather with this wacky story that would likely crumble without their commitment.
Ragnarok's use of music - something the MCU is making more integral with each passing film, likely due to the success of the Guardians franchise - is well-constructed and thought-out. Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song make two riotous appearances to book-end the film, while Mark Mothersbaugh's score conjures an appropriate 70s tone. It solidifies the overall vision of the piece, selling the cool, breezy, enjoyable sequel bonanza with ease.
Just as the world was beginning to question whether a half-decent Thor actually film existed, Ragnarok pulls up to prove the naysayers wrong. It starts on very uneven footing, threatening to derail film entirely - but by the time it hits its stride half an hour or so in, it transforms into yet another entertaining Marvel picture. Perfect popcorn cinema. It's genuinely hilarious, with a director at the top of his game, a committed, naturally funny cast and sharp screenplay elevating Ragnarok considerably, particularly when it is compared to the mediocre-at-best entries we have seen before it from the Thor trilogy. Despite initial fears and a bad track record, Thor: Ragnarok is an absolute blast, a riotous smash worth seeing.
Summary: Thor: Ragnarok keeps the momentum going for the MCU and the wider superhero genre, crafting a colourful, entertaining and pretty hilarious feature-length that assembles a fine team of talent with the confidence and vision to deliver easily the strongest Thor film to date.
★★★★★★★✬☆☆
(7.5/10)
Summary: Thor: Ragnarok keeps the momentum going for the MCU and the wider superhero genre, crafting a colourful, entertaining and pretty hilarious feature-length that assembles a fine team of talent with the confidence and vision to deliver easily the strongest Thor film to date.