THOR: RAGNAROK movie review by Emgee88 - Does it live up to the hype?

Thor Odinson may be a fan favourite to many, but I think it is safe to say that the God of Thunder’s place in the unstoppable juggernaut that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been slightly uneven. After a solid first entry in 2011 that established Chris Hemsworth as a strong presence in the role, the formulaic sequel Thor: The Dark World was a definite misfire, often cited as Marvel’s poorest offering. The fact that the character became somewhat lost in the shuffle in the massively busy ensemble of the Avengers sequel didn’t help matters either. Nevertheless, with the announcement of this third entry – based on the epic Ragnarok storyline of the same name from Walt Simonson’s run on the comics – head honcho Kevin Feige promised this would be a return to form for the Asgardian prince.

This time around, Directorial reins were handed over to acclaimed indie filmmaker Taika Waititi. This fellow’s forte up until his hiring was low budget comedies, so it was fair to say Waititi was a somewhat unconventional choice. However, as the work of James Gunn and the Russo Brothers can attest to, unconventional choices seem to be the best choices of late. Many fears were quickly put to rest with the arrival of an astonishing first trailer which had more energy, spectacle and swagger than many other features do in their entire runtime; it looked as if the late Jack “King” Kirby himself had storyboarded the thing. Trailers, however, have a tendency to be misleading more often than not...so does the finished product actually live up to its impressive marketing.

There is no other way to say this: The film is, undoubtedly, an absolute blast which holds nothing back. Everyone involved has created a feast for the eyes and ears which perfectly encapsulates the feeling of reading 70’s escapist comic books. At the centre of it all is a fantastic cast without a hint of a weak link. In the title role, Chris Hemsworth is more charismatic than ever and effortlessly shows off his perfect comic timing we all got a glimpse of in last year’s Ghostbuster’s reboot. Accompanying Hemsworth for the journey are returning castmates Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins and Idris Elba (who finally gets something worthwhile to do) as well as the much publicised appearance of Mark Ruffallo’s Incredible Hulk/Bruce Banner. Concerning the latter, huge kudos must be given to all involved for finally letting the Green Goliath become a real character as opposed to a plot device lucky to have a single line of dialogue. He is portrayed as a petulant child who, despite throwing frequent monstrous tantrums, just wants to be appreciated by someone. The scenes between Hulk/Banner and Thor are a definite highlight.

Joining the Marvel movie veterans are Cate Blanchett having a whale of a time as main baddie Hela, Tessa Thompson as tough-as-nails warrior Valkyrie and Jeff Goldblum going maximum Goldblum in the role of The Grandmaster. Special mention must, however, be given to the hilarious presence of stone-giant Korg, voiced by director Waititi himself. You’re guaranteed to laugh every second this marvellous CGI creature opens his mouth, not least because his tough exterior is juxtaposed hilariously with Taika’s chilled Kiwi accent. If there is any justice, he and his insectoid sidekick Miek should show up many more times in this Cinematic Universe.
 
While the movie is chock full of dizzyingly great action scenes, it is also surprisingly funny. And by funny I mean it possibly contains more hearty laughs than many full-fledged comedy movies, and here is where one common criticism I have heard stems from. Many of those who hear that the film has such a heavy emphasis on humour state that the more playful tone comes at the expense of any real stakes, consequences or moments of real dramatic weight. To that, I say comedy and drama are not mutually exclusive; they are two sides of the same coin – the way Guardians of the Galaxy made us cry over a talking tree is living proof. There are plenty of moments of real heart littered throughout and, although I won’t mention specifics, certain “events” occur that will definitely change the status quo of the entire MCU in various ways.     

Whether you are a die-hard fan of the superhero genre or just someone who appreciates a good time at the flicks, I’d say Thor: Ragnarok is an easy must-see. This is easily one of the genre’s best efforts and a trip I can see myself embarking on again many times in the future.