Marvel Studios Has Done It Again

Rating: 9/10 (3 November 2017)

The Thor films haven't exactly been my favorite additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but they've still been fun escapes at the cinema upon each release. That being said, Thor: Ragnarok has definitely righted that ship in a new direction, being one of the most enjoyably entertaining films that Marvel Studios has produced since maybe even the first Guardians of the Galaxy. Yes, that's saying a lot, but I haven't been this thoroughly entertained by this franchise in quite some time. Yes, there are far better films throughout this franchise, but this is a very welcome addition and definitely staples itself as the best of the three Thor films. Even if you aren't a fan of these movies, this film feels very different from the others, so if you can go into this movie with an open mind, then I honestly can't praise this movie enough. Here is why Thor: Ragnarok is such a fun experience at the movies.
When it comes to the character of Thor (played impeccably well by Chris Hemsworth), he's probably been the least interesting character to be given a solo outing in my opinion, although still enjoyable. This film was able to change my mind on that, injecting eons of humor from start to finish and giving him a much bigger purpose after certain events go down throughout the first act. Chris Hemsworth's performance continues to improve throughout each film, becoming wittier and making you wish for more of him in the future.
The plot of this film is as follows; Hela has invaded Asgard and wants to rule all nine realms, as well as everything in the cosmos that surround them. That's simple enough, but add in the fact that Thor and Loki are lost on an unknown planet and must deal with the fact that the Hulk is being used as a puppet in a wrestling arena, all while finding a way back to their homeworld in order to prevent devastation, and you've got one hell of a fun ride. This movie never lets up in terms of pacing, giving us new characters to either laugh with, mourn over, or be given a backstory to. The reason this movie works so well is easily due to the writing and direction by Taika Watiti.
Watiti's vision is probably more present than any of the directors throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far. His wacky style and comedic tone makes you feel like you're watching a spoof of the Thor character, but in reality, it's just a fun spin, injecting new life into a portion of this Universe that has been slowly deteriorating. It's very gutsy to give nearly full control of your movie to a director when you have 16 other films to stay in line with and be slightly connected to, but it was definitely a risk worth taking. This is easily one of the funniest films throughout any of these movies, and that never seemed to be a negative throughout my experience. This movie is simply a blast to watch.
In the end, although I won't find myself praising this movie for being as fantastic as a Captain America: Civil War, this is easily one of the best sequels that have come from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even though it's still connected and the formula of this series works like a television series that requires you to have seen the previous movies in order to fully understand every little detail, this movie still works on its own as an awesome action/comedy.
Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, and Mark Ruffalo share some of the best chemistry I've seen all year and even though they're just having fun on set, sometimes that's all that matters when it comes to entertainment. There's just enough emotion to keep the movie going and giving the climax a purpose, and you really do care about who lives and who dies. The visual effects are beautiful to look at on the big screen and the action sequences are incredibly fun to behold. Yes, it follows the formula that most of the films in this franchise do, but it has a new spin that I just ate up. Aside from a few scenes that seem to drag or slow down, Thor Ragnarok really doesn't have a dull moment. This movie is a complete blast from start to finish.