A fun sequel

Rating: 8/10 (8 August 2018)

Directed by Taika Waititi it takes place a few years after Avengers Age of Ultron. After a long hiatus away Thor returns back to Asgard only to find out step brother Loki staged his own death to rule Asgard in the form of his father Odin. Meanwhile Odin has been living his last days on Earth as a recluse. From the help of Doctor Strange Thor eventually finds him to discover he has an evil sister more powerful than himself. Naturally she wants to rule Asgard and beats Thor and Loki by casting them out to a waste planet and then singlehandedly takes out an army.
It's reminiscent of films like The Running Man and Flash Gordon. The cinematography by Javier Agurresarobe looks stunning full of bright colours and textures. It's
filled so many eye popping visuals from the retro 80s look of the waste planet Sakaar down to the exciting crowd pleasing action scenes. The music score by Mark Mothersbaugh also has a cool 80s synth vibe to it and it's one you will probably want to download on iTunes. Chris Hemsworth looks to be having the most fun with the role so does Tom Hiddleston and Mark Ruffalo. None of the actors look bored and it's probably down to director Waititi's wacky energy which also shows on the film. Tessa Thompson plays Valkarie and she is also a great addition to the series complete with an interesting backstory. Writers Eric Pearson and Craig Kyle bring so many fresh ideas to the film - It doesn't just feel like a bland rehash like the last Thor film and it's full of a few surprises along the way. We finally see Thor's true potential showing him to be the most powerful Avenger even without his hammer.
There isn't many problems with it really. There are only a few minor complaints. It's very lighthearted considering its serious themes like death, defeat and the apocalypse. There are some hilarious moments throughout but sometimes they feel a little bit overblown as they can often affect the dramatic scenes. Some of the CGI looks cheap and Cate Blanchett as the villain (although great) is a little bit hammy sometimes. Overall though it's a thoroughly enjoyable film that never slows down. There is never a dull moment and the action scenes are so entertaining. The constant gags are not for everyone but they oddly work the majority of the time. And Jeff Goldlum plays the best Jeff Goldlum yet.