Film Review - Thor: Ragnarok

The Ragnarok prophecy is the underlying element of the latest output from the MCU Thor: Ragnarok. Taika Waititi whose last few works include the brilliant Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do In The Shadows is a different type of action director. Waititi puts his stamp on the production from the first scene. Thor (Chris Hemesworth) is suspended shackled in a cage speaking of the need sometimes to be captured to gain information. As he is speaking to his capture Sutur (Clancy Brown) wrapped in chains he spins slowly in a clockwise direction asking his tormenter often to pause exposition each time until he can complete a rotation.

Waitit injects an unprecedented amount of comedy into a Marvel film. Thor does not take himself seriously in the slightest. His banter scenes with the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) on who is the strongest along with the Hulk being a sympathetic pouting character when slighted are a sight to see. A straight forward narrative also helps to keep the momentum of the film going. Odin (Anthony Hopkins) first born child Hela (Cate Blanchett) returns from exile revealing a hidden chapter of Asgardian history. She follows Thor and the ever cheeky Loki (Tom Hiddleston) back to Asgard knocking her brother and adopted sibling off course. The pair end up in a pleasure planet Sakaar where garbage literally falls from the sky. There Thor meets the last surviving Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and must fight the Hulk in a gladiator challenge in order to return to Asgard and stop the Ragnarok prophecy.

The visual effects team alongside the set designers do yeomen work creating the films footing. The golden city of Asgard, metallic space junk falling from the sky in Sakaar stand beside the Norwegian seaside landscapes on earth. Chris Hemesworth is extremely comfortable in Thor's headspace. He pokes fun at his dependence on his hammer often standing arm outstretch waiting for the weapon to return. Tom Hiddleston continues to be his perfect foil as Loki. He's as slippery as ever but every once in a while willing to do the right thing. Look for Westworld's Tessa Thompson as the no nonsense bounty hunting hard drinking last of the Valkyries. The only character that follows a straight line is Cate Blanchett. She is mean and ruthless from first frame to the last that she is on screen.

Thor: Ragnarok is a welcome addition to the Marvel Universe. Director Taika Waititi raises the comedy level to 12 leading the cast to an improv environment that they were all willing to inhabit. It's a risk taker that ventures far off brand. The result is a fun ride that still gets the point across in a way that leans more Guardians of the Galaxy than Captain America:Civil War.

*** 1/2 Out of 4.

Thor Ragnarok | Taika Waititi | U.S.A. | 2017 | 130 Minutes.

Tags: Prophecy, Queen, Contest, Gladiator, Thunder, Norway, Wormhole, Revolution, Evacuate, DireWolf.