A Jarring Shift in Formula Gives us the Best Thor Movie Yet

Rating: 9/10 (5 November 2017)

I always sound like a broken record, but once again what Disney/Marvel continues to do in the film industry is unprecedented. To be able to pull off a dozen-plus movies and interweave them in the same exact universe (and then toss in television shows that link up) is unfathomably impressive to a point that we take it for granted. When Marvel was bought by Disney, it was a complete mess with their best IPs roaming all over the place and usually in the hands of Disney's very own competitors. What they were left with were properties that were well-known but were not the moneymakers of a Spider-Man or an X-Men. And Disney turned dirt into solid gold. And yes, I am certain I have written the likes of this before.
Thor is one of the best examples of a comic being a good supporter in the Marvel universe, but not popular enough to successfully lead an entire trilogy, let alone his own movie. Yet here we are, third film in, and by far the best of three cinematic trips to Asgard. After seeing the success and acceptance of the insanity surrounding the Guardians of the Galaxy, the madmen of Marvel decided to throw out the book of the previous Thor movies and delivered a chaotic experience that meshes mythological themes with Star Wars scope, material of previously made comic books (Planet Hulk has a strong influence here) and then showering it with the 80s Marvel flair that made Guardians so enjoyable in the first place.
This movie is action-packed, full of surprises, and has about as much humor as the best of comedies this decade. The storyline nonetheless is a lot more serious than the resulting tone and pace, as we see Thor stuck on a violent distant planet trying to escape and return to his homeland of Asgard and take on the Goddess of Death and prevent the end of his planet. And yes, the Goddess of Death is quite angry for many reasons. Unlike previous Thor flicks though, we have plenty of Marvel characters to see, including Hulk, Doctor Strange, Loki (I point this out because there wasn't enough Loki in The Dark World), and even some memorable new ones like Valkyrie and Korg.
Ragnarok fixes all the issues of previous Thor movies and improves upon the elements that worked. For starters, Natalie Portman is gone. Let's toss this out of the way, that woman is a fine actress but was so disinterested in Marvel it shows in her performances. We have a deeper roster of characters, and see more time given to some of the better supporting characters (Once again, Loki). Chris Hemsworth is given more room to be humorous, and this pays off significantly as we are treated with a hilarious performance that is also full of heart and sheer confidence. The casting is excellent, with Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum also providing excellent performances of MCU villains that are actually decent.
The biggest and most obvious difference between the MCU and the always-inconsistent DCEU is the cinematic package of each installment. Disney and Marvel have gone to great lengths to make sure none of their blockbuster films ever gets too dreary, too predictable, or too dark. Notice they usually change up directors whenever they feel that the particular series needs a shakeup, resulting in a quirky director from New Zealand providing his talents for Ragnarok. The MCU always tries to blend comic book glee with comedy, some drama and sentimental value, and of course an arsenal of likable characters to always root for. Up until Wonder Woman, DCEU kept the tone somber, kept the tone gloomy, and just piles on the depression while failing to deliver decent characters or a wholesome experience that gives you a variety of emotions.
Batman AND Superman lack the heroic flavor of previous generations and this is why Wonder Woman (who has the best actress/writing/directing combo) became the new face of DC---whether they like it or not. You will never see a DC movie get drizzled with 80s flair to lessen the tension and allow you to just enjoy the ride. And it's that 80s flair I keep praising, the zany humor, and the fast-paced directing gives Thor: Ragnarok a feeling of freshness you usually wouldn't expect from third installments of any trilogy. The creative freedom obviously given to the staff (even the musical score ditches the epic sound for a more synth-friendly barrage of tunes) allows for them to make wild series-changing decisions. The final act especially goes off the rails and opens up new doors for new story lines in the near future.
Disney and Marvel's big advantage over all the "universes" is its ability to link up all the films tightly and be willing to fearlessly expand their horizons for the future. Ragnarok's horizons and overall scope was bursting through the screen, which allowed to see many fun action pieces, delightful cinematography, multiple foes and obstacles, and just relentless top-notch entertainment. The MCU may have had its slight difficulties in the beginning but have quickly emerged into achieving Pixarish levels of expected quality. In a blockbuster film environment that has been sputtering lately, Marvel and Disney continues to shine above the gunk.
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