If movie goers walk into “Thor Ragnarok” expecting a movie that follows the setting and pace of the last two “Thor” films, they will be delightfully mistaken.
“Ragnarok” finds itself in a more galactic setting, similar to that of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films. This new setting works great for “Ragnarok” and is guaranteed to leave a smile on audience members’ faces as they leave the theater.
The film very loosely follows the comic of the same name, but with a much lighter tone. Hardcore comic fans will also see heavy story elements of the “Planet Hulk” comic.
This could leave some audience members who were hoping for a more accurate telling of “Ragnarok” disappointed.
However, the movie is just too much fun for even the pickiest movie goers to leave unhappy.
We find the character of Thor at his most vulnerable as his hammer is destroyed by Hela, the goddess of death, played by Cate Blanchett. Asgard is left in ruins as Thor is banished to a distant planet and left for dead.
With that premise, some may think this would be the darkest “Thor” movie yet, but that is not the case.
The movie barely gives the audience enough time to recover after each joke before they are bombarded by another priceless gag. Though some of the jokes toward the beginning fall flat, once the film gets moving it hits the ground running.
The movie does sacrifice some of the more tender character moments for a joke, which can take away from the heaviness of the situation.
While the film contains several guest characters, such as the Hulk played by Mark Ruffalo, this is undisputedly a “Thor” film. His character gets the most development throughout the film making up for the lack of development in the last two “Thor” films.
Chris Hemsworth finally looks like he is having fun in his own movie and shines with each joke he lands. This is by far the best the character of Thor has been portrayed.
One of the biggest surprises in the film is the character of Valkyrie played by Tessa Thompson. Her character is vastly different than any character we have seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This is all due to the unique circumstances her character is put through and how Thompson reacts to those circumstances.
Of course, many loyal Marvel fans will be eager to see if the villain falls flat like most of the one-dimensional MCU villains.
Hela is quite the contrary. Blanchett plays the character as charismatic and terrifying, and she is a much-needed addition to the MCU.
As mentioned previously, the film has a similar style to the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies. However, “Ragnarok” pays wonderful tribute to one of the most notorious Marvel artists of all time — Jack Kirby. Every frame of the film looks like it could have been torn right out of a comic book. This is one of the best-looking Marvel Films to date.
At this point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe many know what to expect. However, “Thor Ragnarok” wonderfully surprises with its epic action sequences, hilarious comedy and jaw dropping visuals.
This is the “Thor” film fans have been waiting for.
Blake Coker can be reached at [email protected]