Plot:
Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk!
Review:
THOR: RAGNAROK director, Taika Waititi does an excellent job infusing personality, wit and charm into the latest Thor film.
Usually as a movie series progresses, there is often no new ground to take characters, but Waititi does just that and gives us a fresh take on the God of Thunder that leaves the series open to new paths.
This image released by Marvel Studios shows the Hulk, from left, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie and Tom Hiddleston as Loki in a scene from, "Thor: Ragnarok." (Marvel Studios via AP0
Something that Thor previously had very little of was humour, but with Ragnarok that is impossible to miss.
Marvel has perfected the art of the afterthought joke — the moment when a character of status, usually a powerful superhero or villain, delivers a grand speech that’s met with silence, before an acidic quip from someone else undercuts the whole thing.
Ragnarok lives in that afterthought — the silly extended joke, the sly check-in to gauge whether the audience is paying attention.
It was this very particular style that made Guardians of the Galaxy the runaway success it's been. Ragnarok works as a companion piece to Guardians of the Galaxy, with a tone and verve all its own.
It has a levity that hasn’t been there before, and many ways showcases Chris Hemsworth comedic talent in a way that previous films have not.
In case you’re worried that Loki will have a reduced role in the film, given his limited appearances in the trailer, the film does an excellent job at keeping Tom Hiddleston’s character in the mix. The strongest aspects of the film series has always been Thor and Loki’s relationship, and the moments that they appear together, are electric.
The film also makes excellent use of it’s new female characters. Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie is a wonderfully complex character, with her character having demons of her own that she needs to overcome. She brings in a a new energy over the course of the film and it is exciting to witness.
There is no denying that the movie is planting seeds for a Valkyrie/Thor romance for future movies, given the fact that Thor had broken up with Jane, who was previously portrayed by Natalie Portman.
Another new addition, Cate Blanchett steals scenes as the villainous Hela. The film adds a fun twist to the Thor mythos which really adds a weight to the power and danger that Hela presents. Hela is definitely one of the stronger and better villains that has been introduced into a Marvel film.
Mark Ruffalo was a standout and a steals many scenes with his Incredible Hulk. It shows us a Hulk unlike which we have seen before, and without giving too much away, he is one of the best parts of the film.
There were a few issues I had with the film, one of which is that with Marvel building towards the Avengers: Infinity War saga, it would have been nice to touch on the Infinity Stones.
Given the closeness Loki has had with the overarching villain Thanos in previous films, there was an expectation going into Ragnarok that we would find out more about these powerful gems but unfortunately that's not the case.
Ragnarok goes on to tell a singular story, opting to put Thor front and centre - developing his character rather than prioritizing the bigger narrative.
This certainly does benefit Thor, and it's star, but while Ragnarok was enjoyable, it could have benefited from the higher stakes.
The movie is certainly different from those Thor films that have come before, and the change in tone may work for some, and may not for others. Ultimately, Ragnarok is a fun visual experience that is worth checking out for a good laugh.
“Thor: Ragnarok” is directed by Taika Waititi and returns Chris Hemsworth starring as Thor and Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as Loki. They are joined by Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson and Karl Urban, with Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins.
Kevin Feige is producing with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Thomas M. Hammel and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Eric Pearson and Craig Kyle & Christopher L. Yost wrote the screenplay. Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Ragnarok” thunders into theatres on October 27, 2017.