Thor: Ragnarok

Haunted by visions of Asgard in ruins, Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) search for answers brings him into a series of confrontations with the fire demon Surtur (voiced by Clancy Brown), his treacherous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), their father Odin (Anthony Hopkins), and, finally, Hela, the goddess of death (Cate Blanchett). Exiled to the remote planet Sakaar, Thor is captured by a former Asgardian Valkyrie-turned-bounty hunter (Tessa Thompson) and made to compete as a gladiator at the behest of the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), the planet’s despotic ruler. It is here that Thor hatches a plan to retake Asgard from Hela, provided that he can survive.

There has been a strange dichotomy within Marvel Studios during the past few years. The Captain America and Avengers franchises, while still full of dazzling superhero battles, have embraced topicality and pseudo-realism, playing heavily with the idea that comic book characters would be responsible for untold havoc if unleashed on our world. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant Man have forsaken both the sermonizing and the dramatic heft to deliver irreverent, wacky fun. Amid this landscape, the Thor films have always been an odd fit. Between Hopkins and directors Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor, they had the pedigree needed for the former approach yet the aesthetics have always been rooted in the latter. The results have been mixed: exciting to a degree yet thoroughly unremarkable. But with Ragnarok, the third film in the franchise, a Thor movie finally has a chance to be something more than an also-ran.

Ragnarok breaks sharply with its predecessors in several areas. New director Taika Waititi is best known for quirky comedies, and he brings such a sensibility to this film. Between that and the cast’s newfound leeway for adlibbing, Ragnarok is not only funnier but more of a free-flowing, less predictable affair. The film also does away with Thor’s earthbound supporting cast, reduces his Asgardian allies the Warriors Three to a brief cameo, and plays to returning characters’ strengths by not overusing them. Hiddleston’s Loki is allowed to do what he does best – connive – without it becoming tiresome since he is in no position to take over as the film’s main villain. Hopkins’ Odin, hammy and bombastic in his first outing, is allowed to show a more contemplative side, which gives the film a bit of otherwise missing pathos.

Blanchett more than capably takes on that theatricality, playing Hela as a cross between a corrupted Galadriel (her elven Lord of the Rings role) and an evil Disney queen. It’s a testament to her excellence that Blanchett can out-ham Hopkins, don a ridiculous headdress, and still come across as more menacing and memorable than many a recent Marvel foe. However, she is not the only newcomer to make a mark. Thompson’s Valkyrie, a hard-drinking cynic, may be a departure from the source material, but this interpretation allows for the character to have an arc. Goldblum’s Grandmaster is a sadistic, smarmy, yet oddly genial cosmic MC while director Waititi gives voice to Korg, a perpetually chipper rock monster competing as a gladiator.

While adding to the supporting cast (spoiler alert: Mark Ruffalo returns as Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk) takes some of the pressure off of Hemsworth, he still handles both the changes and the demands of the role with assurance, delivering equal parts charisma, overconfidence, petulance, bravery, and rage. This film gives him a new look – say goodbye to the long hair and hammer – which helps keep the character fresh. However, the film treats as revelatory the idea that he has not been using his powers to the fullest extent, something the audience largely took for granted.

As with previous Thor movies, Ragnarok is visually unrestrained, and magic and monsters make their way into several of the action sequences. What sets Ragnarok apart, however, is the musical accompaniment. Mark Mothersbaugh’s spacy, synth-driven score is surprisingly inspired, and the film also makes very appropriate use of Led Zeppelin’s Viking-themed “Immigrant Song.”

Though an otherwise refreshing film, when Ragnarok disappoints, it disappoints in very conventional ways. As with Suicide Squad, the film has its green-clad villainess spend entirely too long massing her forces in order to give the heroes something to do in the meantime. And while giving the Hulk more dialogue (in classic Hulkspeak, no less) and screen time allows for more characterization, it also demystifies the character quite a bit. Here, he’s less singularly terrifying threat and more super-strong childish jock.

Still, for the third film in a franchise that has sometimes felt like an afterthought, Thor: Ragnarok is a surprising – and welcome – improvement. Funny, fluid, and fast-paced, it stands firmly on its own two feet while also moving us one step closer to the next Avengers film.

8.25/10