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Rating: 8/10 (31 October 2017)

Okay so the first thing to note about Ragnarok, which if you have enough brain cells you'd guess yourself after seeing the trailer, is that it's nothing like the previous two Thor movies, beyond sharing some characters and settings. The tone is completely different. In fact it's probably better to compare Ragnarok to Guardians of the Galaxy with it's straight comedy angle and influx of neon colours and whacky concepts. This is the new world order for Marvel's Cosmic Universe in full swing. How this makes me feel isn't quite so clear. As I said, I really didn't mind the other Thor movies, and to see the brooding seriousness get thrown out entirely, particularly in a movie about the end of days, seems like a misplaced choice. That said this is what Waititi does best, and he's on top, What We Do in the Shadows form here.
Ragnarok is jam-packed full of jokes and gags, and every single one of them lands with aplomb. From Thor asking Surtur to pause while he helplessly spins around at the beginning, to the Grandmaster declaring a tie in Sakaar's revolution, each and every slither of humour is guaranteed to earn a laugh. It's typical Waititi humour; awkward, modern, and using juxtaposition to great effect. Korg, a large being made of rocks, talking about his revolution failing because he didn't hand out enough pamphlets hits so hard because it's so against what you'd expect from that kind of alien.
Waititi's also in his element with running jokes, coming into a franchise nearly twenty movies in full of continuity to adhere to, poke fun at, and address in one way or another. Loki taking Odin's place in Asgard is dealt with swiftly, with a couple of gags thrown in, including surprise cameos. Hulk disappearing at the end of Age of Ultron is addressed with heartbreak and a couple of touching moments between Thor and Hulk/Banner. And Hela knocking over the Infinity Gauntlet in Asgard's vault because it's "fake" was a great way to plug such a tiny yet significant plot hole.
Despite how humorous Ragnarok is, it doesn't shy away from more serious themes and ideas though. Thor's companions in the Warriors Three are dispatched of quickly and without remorse, Hela raising an army of the dead from the Asgard crypts is a pretty dark idea, and of course there's the whole Ragnarok thing. Not only is this movie one of the funniest entries in the MCU, but it also has some of the biggest stakes so far. By the end of the film, Thor's life is permanently changed in a massive way.
But Ragnarok is still not perfect. It still doesn't quite reach the heights of either of the Guardians movies or Winter Soldier. It's opening act feels a little messy, rushing through plot points to get to the meat of it. Thor's tied up in chains at the behest of Surtur, now he's in Asgard unveiling Loki, now he's with Doctor Strange looking for Odin, now he's in Norway bracing for Hela's arrival, now he's on Sakaar about to face the Grandmaster's champion. It's almost all rushed, and some of it feels pointless. Like, Doctor Strange's role is completely unnecessary. He's just put in for an Earthling presence in a movie that frankly didn't need it.
Hela is also another in a long line of lacklustre MCU villains. She's the first female villain to pose as the main antagonist, which is great, and Cate Blanchett is perfect for her (I think I'm in love). She has an interesting backstory, but it's never really developed. Hela ends up just becoming another two-dimensional mustache- twirling villain with a plan that's flawed from the offset and no motivation beyond just being evil. Her being the Goddess of Death is never really capitalised on either, outside of her resurrecting dead soldiers of Asgard's crypts reasonably early on.
That said, almost every other character is great. Thor's sense of humour is brought to the forefront with some surprisingly great comedic chops from Hemsworth, without it taking away from his more serious moments. He's still Thor despite the tonal shift around him. Likewise, Loki is the same old Loki, with his tricks and betrayals, and his history with Hulk is played up to perfection. Valkyrie and Skurge both enjoy character arcs that help to develop them, and both Tessa Thompson and Karl Urban make their mark on the movie. Waititi even gets to add some of himself into the movie as Korg, who promises to steal every scene he's in. And of course Mark Ruffalo manages to play Hulk completely by himself for the first time and gives us the best Hulk we've ever had.
Ragnarok is another part of Marvel's current hot streak, and here's hoping it continues just a little bit longer at least. It's a massive tonal shift from the rest of the Thor franchise, feeling closer to the Guardians franchise, which is a win/lose depending on your point of view. The music is a step in the right direction, utilising Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song really well, as well as adding some 80's synth/video game music underneath Marvel's standard, dull strings arrangements, but it's largely still unmemorable and unremarkable. The visuals are fantastic, employing a style closer to Snyder's approach in the DCEU than Marvel's usual grey realism, which I personally consider a massive plus. But of course it's the humour that keeps Ragnarok afloat, and the massive stakes leave me begging to find out what happens next. I give Ragnarok a high 8/10. Easily the best Thor movie so far.
P.S. Where was Sif?!