Directed by: Taika Waititi
Written by: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett
IMDb Link
Who would've thought that in this superhero saturated year featuring the cinematic debut of one of DC's greats, the final film of a seventeen-year long run for a beloved hero, a sequel to one of Marvel's most acclaimed films, and the integration of one of the most popular superheroes in to the biggest cinematic universe, that the best superhero movie would be Thor 3?
*
In a movie where Odin dies, Hela the goddess of death shows up and destroys Thor's hammer, and both Thor and Loki are cast in to another realm, we have some of the funniest and most consistent comedy of any MCU movie. Director Waititi brings his brilliant comedic timing to what would otherwise be a grim and self-serious story, and in doing so reminds the audience that these stories were originally meant for children and don't need to be taken so seriously. If the film was simply going for comedy at the wrong moments or trying to force it when it isn't necessary or funny then it wouldn't have worked, but Waititi always goes for the joke when he has the opportunity, and his timing is so perfect that it never fails to draw a laugh. While this takes a little getting used to, as it contrasts with the serious attempts at epic fantasy from the first two Thor films, the film is very quick to establish it's irreverent tone, and by the time Matt Damon shows up to do a hilarious re-enactment of Loki's "death" scene from Thor 2 for the real Loki's entertainment, it's easy to see that everyone involved is able to laugh at their flaws and is just trying to make the audience laugh above all else. What's most interesting, however, is that the filmmakers also knew exactly when to stop, just long enough for important character moments to actually mean something and not feel like pointless busywork that needs to be gotten through; the film knows when to throw its weight around, and while it's not going to leave an impression past how you feel when you see the next Avengers movie, it doesn't detract from the overall experience. Of course, this is in large part due to the context of the previous movies: Thor losing Mjolnir feels significant to the story because we know what the hammer means to him, Odin dying in front of Thor and Loki means something because of how central Odin was in their familial conflicts and bonds. It's stuff that works as much as it needs to.
Second on this film's list of priorities is spectacle, which it pulls of with great success, sometimes even as the film also goes for comedy. Thor fights Hulk, Hulk fights a huge wolf and a gargantuan demon, Thor finally uses his godlike powers, it's all there to wow and put a smile on your face, evoking a silly, brightly coloured vision that plays like a sugar-induced fever dream right out of childhood, silly when it needs to make you laugh, momentarily epic when there's a chance to take in the sheer awesomeness of a horde of Valkyries charging Hela, or a man in a suit of armour played by none other than Karl Urban, wielding guns and mowing down zombie Asgardians. Once again, the movie embraces the ridiculousness of its origins and doubles down on them, playing them for laughs as needed to keep the convoluted lore from getting boring.
That's the only real issue with the movie: the lore. While the film does its best to give the necessary information in concise, rapid-fire packages, the film has to do this while also accounting for the open threads from the end of Thor 2, and a not unwelcome but somewhat haphazard inclusion of Dr. Strange that needed to be there because that film ended with a tease to have him in this movie. The transition from that to telling its own story isn't smooth, and doing so while also explaining who Hela is and including all the necessary details for her powers leaves the first act a little shambled, but the jokes keep the whole thing together while it gets to its actual story, even containing one of the film's strongest laughs, and once the exposition is out of the way there's plenty of time for the things everyone sees these movies for. The films sets out with very simple goals, and succeeds in them excellently.
The Verdict: Thor: Ragnarok is a ridiculous movie that revels in its sheer silliness and is all the better for it. Raw comedic timing and spectacle, Thor's only misgivings are when it has to grapple with the convoluted lore. Highly recommended; even if you don't love it, it's hard not to like.
Rating: 8/10
Published October 26th, 2017
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