Very Much On Point!

Rating: 8/10 (4 November 2017)

At the risk of sounding repetitive, the newest installation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Ragnarok is just as solid as the rest. Solid to the point where I actually feel a little uncomfortable cheerleading for what is, at its heart by now, a cash cow for Disney, Executive Producer Kevin Feige and whatever dark syndicate pulling the strings of Marvel's media empire (my money's on Bohemian Grove). Fact remains, the mouse-eared imagineers of the MCU know how to give their audience what they want and unlike their competitors, they keep most of the focus on story ensuring we keep coming back for more.
Thor: Ragnarok begins with our hero Thor (Hemsworth) on the cusp of discovering the portents of a potentially world-ending prophecy. The film then shuttles us off to Thor's home of Asgard, then Earth, before the arrival of our all-powerful villain Hela (Blanchett) forces Thor into exile on the planet of Sakaar. Thor is then taken prisoner and forced to fight as a gladiator for the peculiar Grandmaster (Goldblum) whose coliseum ensures his rule over the fledgling, polluted planet.
From there, Thor: Ragarok descends into an eccentric, playful version of Mad Max: Thunderdome (1985) mixed with Flash Gordon (1980), with only a tinge of the original sword-and-sorcery pomposity that made Dark World (2013) nearly unbearable. The stakes are just as grave this time around â€“ fate of the world, galaxy, what have you, still rests on the shoulders of the brash Thor and to a lesser extent, Loki (Hiddleston), Hulk (Ruffalo) and series newcomer Scrapper 142 (Thompson). But here the Thor series is given an adrenaline boost and a funny bone which, while that doesn't silence the criticism of undue bathos, does feed well into director Taika Waititi's unique sensibilities.
For what it's worth, Ragnarok, in addition to being a perfect example of franchise maintenance done right, comes equipped with a fun-loving, self-effacing Waititi spin; which yes, does include a minor but meaty role for Maori character actress Rachel House. The New Zealand director has been one of my contemporary favorites ever since coming across What We Do in the Shadows (2014) by sheer accident. It is said that to get the job, Waititi developed a sizzle reel to define the film's tone complete with reoccurring gags and clips of, of all things Big Trouble in Little China (1986). That reel also included Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" which fits Thor about as well as Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" fits you know who. Now if only we can get a King Crimson song associated with Doctor Strange instead of that obnoxious sitar lick, then we'd really be cooking.
The film wisely answers criticisms that the events of the MCU ultimately mean little, by giving the audience glimpses of the overall franchise's larger machinations. This proves a double-edged sword. Being given small pieces of the franchise's endgame does work to keep the audience invested. But those living under a rock for the last decade will probably only get the "gist" of the plot and be confused through most of it. Prior knowledge is pretty much necessary at this point.
Is that really a negative? Of course not; if you're coming into Ragnarok with a clean slate and walking out before the credits end than at this point it's your own damn fault. What is a negative is just how unwieldy this entire exercise in extended universe building has all become. To get to the second act, the film rushes through an Asgardian lifetime of familial resentments and prophecy kicked off and juxtaposed by comparatively pallid moments for Odin (Hopkins), Heimdall (Elba) and the Warriors Three (Asano, Stevenson & Levi). Natalie Portman is also absent from this film, which wouldn't have really mattered if the film didn't feel the need to explain it with a quick patch-job. By the time we get to the second act, none of the stakes have sunk in yet and the only strong impression you get is that of Cate Blanchett vamping about in a black leather leotard. That and the, by now, tired back and forth between Thor and Loki.
Thankfully that second and third act hits the nail on the head thanks to the aforementioned Blanchett and especially Goldblum who seems to be having all sorts of fun as a composite of Ming the Merciless and a second-tier lounge hall comedian. Mark Ruffalo is also given a chance to actually act the part of Hulk which I must once again say I'm still no onboard with Ruffalo's nebbish portrayal, but whatever. The surprise here is Tessa Thompson who puts a spirited and spiteful spin on the fallen antihero in need of redemption trope. One can't help but think that if she was given just a tad more to do, she'd be able to plug the hole of every critic complaining about the lack of feminine representation in Marvel films.
All in all, Ragnarok is a real treat of a movie. It tells a busy, unwieldy story with humor and insight all while hinting at bigger and badder things to come. The acting, directing, production design and special-effects are, as always, superb and the script does a tremendous job holding the larger universe from scattering into a million pieces like a spent Mjolnir. The Gods (and/or The Grove) have shown favor to this latest installment of the MCU. Here's to hoping for more installments just like it in quality.