Anthony's Film Review - Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

The third Thor movie takes the series in a new and exciting direction...

As the old saying goes, everything comes to an end. That includes the good things we cherish. Even within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the notion applies. There is a prophecy that Asgard, the majestic civilization in which Thor resides, will be destroyed in an apocalyptic event known as Ragnarok. That could certainly make for another exciting Marvel Studios movie featuring Thor. In addition, such a phenomenon will shake up the world he inhabits, setting up the foundation for new things to come. (OK, bad choice of words in the previous sentence, but you get the idea.)

The plot structure of Thor: Ragnarok is simple. You have two story strands happening at the same time. One involves the movements of the villain in Asgard. The other focuses on Thor being stranded and finding a way back home to save it. When the two finally merge, you have an epic battle for the fate of Asgard, accompanied by exciting action and eye-popping special effects in a weaponry mish-mash of gun technology and magical spells. In other words, the stuff that Marvel Studios is known for.

In my opinion, the best thing about Thor: Ragnarok is the villain. Or rather, the villainess. Cate Blanchett plays Hela, the Goddess of Death, who was the actual first-born offspring of King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and who, alongside her father, engaged in epic conquests that brought enemies to their knees. But when Odin became more of a proponent for peace and Hela's thirst for power continued unchecked, he had her imprisoned. Needless to say, she is seeking revenge and will stop at nothing to restore what she sees as the former glory of Asgard. If there's one complaint I have about Hela, it's that she doesn't get enough screen time in this movie. That's how much this character captivated me.

In the beginning, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) battle Hela, but during an attempt to teleport from Earth to Asgard, Hela successfully reaches Asgard while Thor and Loki get sidetracked into a different world. Thor finds himself in a giant garbage dump, formed as various parts of the universe dump their waste through portals overhead. What happens from there is a comical journey in which Thor is forced to fight in a gladiator tournament overseen by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), meets a fierce woman named Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and has an awkward reunion with the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). His only hope for returning to Asgard is through a portal with a rather funny name.

The first two-thirds of this movie is your standard high-quality Marvel Cinematic Universe flair. If the entire movie were like that, it would easily rate an 8 on my 1-to-10 scale. But because the climax and ending were more interesting than I thought, and because of the memorable antagonist, Thor: Ragnarok deserves a 9 out of 10. It's also, in my opinion, one of the best movies of MCU's Phase Three and a slight step up from the first Thor movie. Even after nine years worth of movies, Marvel Studios still knows how to write new stories that set the stage for even more new stories. Thanks to Thor: Ragnarok, directed brilliantly by Taika Waititi, the titular god of thunder is not going away anytime soon.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Thor: Ragnarok, visit the Internet Movie Database.