Marvel has done it again! There are some that say their films are boring and follow the same pattern. Thor: Ragnarok is unlike anything else in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It has characters you love and some new ones that will do nothing short of entertain. It is by far the best movie in the Thor trilogy. It will leave you wanting Avengers: Infinity War more than you already do. When it comes to Thor: Ragnarok, believe the good word of mouth you hear.
Thor begins with our hammer wielding hero searching for his father and trying to make sense of the destructive visions he saw in Avengers: Age Of Ultron. He returns to Asgard, discovers his brother is alive, and heads to earth. With a little help from Dr. Strange he finds Odin and something far worse.
Hela The Goddess of Death has returned to enslave Asgard and the Universe. His hammer destroyed, his father gone, and his world overtaken. He finds himself marooned on a strange world searching for a way to save his world.
Thor gets a new look and a new attitude. Everything about this movie works. They explain things that were left unexplained. The entire situation is dire, but the comedy plays and plays well. Thor is funny. It is light hearted for having such a serious set of circumstances looming. We also find out if the hammer truly makes the man. We get Easter eggs to some comic favorites, meet new characters, and get a Thor that is elevated to a higher level. His chemistry with Loki ( Tom Hiddelston) is on point and great to watch again.
It was good to see Dr. Strange again and we get just enough to remind us how much we liked him. It is Thor's movie, but we definitely feel the scope of the Marvel Universe. We get a refresher of the past and a reminder that there are very bad things on the horizon.
Kate Blancett is the best Thor villain since Loki. She is a threat and doesn't have any redeeming qualities. She is bad just to be bad and that works. She is the primary antagonist in the film. Jeff Golblum's Grand Master is the other bad in the film and is a lot of fun. He and Kate both make the most of their roles and it shows. Goldblum's campiness and Blancett's seriousness fit nicely in this one.
We finally find out where the Hulk has been. The trailer doesn't even scratch the surface of how good the arena fight is. Hulk is a lot of fun and was the perfect addition. It is still Thor's movie, but we get enough Hulk to make it worth while. They incorporate a little Planet Hulk from the comics and it fits perfectly. The gladiator world of Sakaar introduces us to some fun characters . One who might have stole the show.
Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie is fantastic! The biggest complain was her looking nothing like her comic counterpart. You won't even notice. There is a nod to the comic version, but Tessa owns this. She is a great example of a casting change for the better. She is a strong female character who can hold her own with Thor.
Thor and his, "revengers," have a pretty epic adventure. It's packed with a couple of moral lessons. It takes Thor in brand new direction and opens the door to the bigger universe. It is by far Hemsworth's best run as the character. His new friends are great and fitting in the Hulk is a win. Two end of credit scenes. One of which sets up the future and the other was kind of a waste of time. Thor: Ragnarok is anything but. It is a little Guardians of The Galaxy, a little Flash Gordon, and a lot of fun! Believe the hype!
