"Thor: Ragnarok"- Marvel's Phase Three winning-steak continues with the best entry of the 'Thor' trilogy!

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2017)

The thing I really loved about "Thor: Ragnarok" was its ambition and fearlessness. Something you don't see often in a mainstream Hollywood film these days, especially at this budget level. Yes, even as an enormous fan of Marvel's ever-growing cinematic universe, I'll still admit that often, the films are definitely reliant on recurring motifs and formula. But "Thor: Ragnarok"? It does everything it can to stand tall and proud, and eschews many of the clichÃ©s and conventions you'd expect thanks to its wonderful style and sharp humor. It's up there with the likes of "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" as one of the studio's most risky and unique endeavors, and it's easily one of my favorite releases in the franchise thus- far!
After re-uniting with his treacherous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the god of thunder Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a desperate new scenario... His mighty hammer Mjolnir is destroyed, and he is cast away to a far-off junker planet by the dreaded Hela (Cate Blanchett)- Thor's power hungry long-lost sister, and the goddess of death itself! Now lost and alone on a forsaken world, Thor must work together with Loki and his old friend Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to escape this devious place and save Asgard, along the way contending with the planet's ridiculous and peculiar tyrant the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), and meeting new friends and allies...
One of the most obvious and delightful things about the film is that it's a shameless throwback to old-school, 80's sword-and-sorcery epics. From the delightfully reto-styled musical score of composer Mark Mothersbaugh, through director Taika Waititi's wondrously neon- infused visual palette... everything about the film oozes of style and homage, and it's just a blast and a half to behold as a major fan of the fantasy genre. Hearing cheeky synth chords ring in the background as our mighty hero plows through pastel-colored baddies just hits you right in the nostalgic feels, and I couldn't help but have a giant grin across my face the entire runtime.
The film is very well-assembled with a sharp script and keen direction. The movie's pacing is fast and loose, with just the right amount of focus placed on each character, and enough development given to the newcomers to bring the audiences up to speed with relative ease. Comedy is infused throughout every scene, but it never feels false and always comes as an organic extension of the story. It's by far the funniest of Marvel's films, but it never detracts from the proceedings. And the film manages the fine balancing act of both serving as a stand-alone tale while also planting the seeds of what is to come in future movies. And that's nothing to sneeze at, as that is very much a huge issue with many of these universe-building films.
Waititi's direction is smooth, flowing and incredibly dynamic. He's found a grand approach that takes the best of what came before- the wild energy of Kenneth Branagh's first film and the strange and varied visuals of Alan Taylor's "The Dark World"- and combines them while also adding his own spin to the material in the form of his insane comedic sensibilities. He helps to evolve the series into something new and exciting with his guidance, and leaves you breathless by the time the credits roll.
And of course the cast is just awesome all around. Hemsworth not only continues to own the role of the god of thunder, but is also finally given a lot more time to stretch his comedic chops and show how funny an actor he can be. And I loved it. Hiddleston is a joy as ever as Loki, and it's actually quite nice to see him forced into working alongside Thor again. Their chemistry is strong and they play off of each other quite well. I really enjoyed Blanchett as the villainous Hela, despite the fact she's yet another slightly underdeveloped villain in the Marvel universe. She's clearly having a fun time hamming it up for the camera, and has a wonderfully wicked attitude that you'll just love to hate. Ruffalo also gets a lot of great sequences as well, and it's nice seeing him as a major character in a non-"Avengers" film- especially now that Hulk has learned how to talk and has a rather interesting personality all his own. Idris Elba, Tessa Thompson and Anthony Hopkins also do well in supporting roles as Thor's various allies. But holy crapola, does Jeff Goldblum steal the show! I refuse to spoil anything, but suffice to say... the Grandmaster is one of the best characters to emerge throughout the Marvel universe, and Goldblum is a revelation!
Sure, if you twisted my arm, I might be able to point out a few flaws here and there. But honestly,they didn't have any impact whatsoever on my enjoyment of the film. It's hilarious. It's thrilling. And it's by far the best entry of the stand-alone 'Thor' trilogy. I gotta give it a fantastic 9 out of 10, and give it my highest of recommendations. It's one of the most purely fun films I've seen all year long!