Good, Messy, Seventies-Inspired Fun.

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2018)

Thor - Ragnarok (2017).

Chipper F. Xavier, Esq.

Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has banished Odin (Sir Anthony
Hopkins) on earth, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) discovers upon
his return to Asgard after a prolonged absence. With the
help of Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Thor
soon locates Odin, only to discover the true first-born
of Odin - a sister named Hela (Cate Blanchett), The
Goddess Of Death, is bent upon the destruction of the
nine realms and her place upon the throne of Asgard.
Hemsworth as Thor is a member of the Marvel group of
superheroes - he also has the special classification of
deity. Imagine my surprise when director Taika Waititi
allowed Hemsworth to improvise, inserting comedic one-
liners throughout Ragnarok, the movie which completes
the Thor trilogy. Is it a superhero movie, or a comedy?
The fact that it vacillates effortlessly between the two
classifications is a testament to the talent of the
ensemble cast.
The year 2016 brought forth a plethora of genre-bursting
comedy-inspired Marvel movies. The phenomenal success of
Deadpool (2016), Doctor Strange (2016) and Suicide Squad
(2016) was prophesied by the arrival of Ant-Man in 2015
and Guardians Of The Galaxy in 2014. After Guardians Of
The Galaxy: Volume 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017,
it was clear that the industry viewed comedy as a key to
its financial success at the box-office. But is comedic
intervention a welcome distraction in movies meant to
immortalize the human spirit, as larger-than-life heroes
right the wrongs of our society on the big screen? If
you enjoyed Ragnarok, the answer is clearly yes.
Blanchett as Hela is the straight man, while Hemsworth
(Thor), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Tessa Thompson
(Valkyrie) and Hiddleston (Loki) all take turns poking
fun - and holes - into the plot with well-timed puns,
jokes and quips - and for the most part, this strategy
works. Writers Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher
Yost give the actors plenty of combustible material to
work with, but rumor has it Director Waititi allowed the
cast to improvise 80% of the lines on their own. When
you compare Ragnarok to Thor: The Dark World (2013),
there is a clear difference in tone, style and
excitement, with the obvious winner being Ragnarok.
Other treats throughout the film are the re-imagining of
Thor's abilities sans-hammer, excellent use of female
villains and protagonists, the vibrant colors of the set
pieces and end-credits, and the integration of Dr.
Strange into the plot. With Marvel thinking on its feet
and responding positively to what works in terms of
audience satisfaction, there's no telling how far the
comic-book-movie industry will be able to go in the near
future.