Tongue-in-cheek Ragnoruckus

Rating: 8/10 (15 June 2018)

Taking a page from the popular "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, "Thor: Ragnarok" is played strictly for laughs. I initially disliked the constant stream of wisecracks and sight-gags, but after a while got into the spirt of the film and for the most part enjoyed it. Once again, the hero has to deal with a malevolent God (in this case, Thor's sister Hela), which after a few diversions to pick up the supporting cast, leads to a climatic CGI-spectacular showdown. Chris Hemsworth seems to have fun playing the flippant (and sometime petulant) God of Thunder, as does Cate Blanchett, who plays his wicked sister, the be-antlered Goddess of Death Hela, and Tom Hiddleston, back for the fourth round as duplicitous brother Loki. The special effects, if not particularly novel or imaginative, are excellently rendered and the supporting cast (humans and otherwise) entertaining. The score includes Led Zeppelin's iconic "Immigrant Song", which adds a real kick to the battles. The 'plot' is some vague revision of the "Ragnarok" legend (in which Asgard is overcome and the Gods (including Thor) destroyed), and a few players from that story make appearances (e.g. The Fenris Wolf, The Midgard Serpent, Surtr), but it's all just an excuse for a massive, but largely bloodless, battle between Thor and his motley crew of supporters and his sister's army of demonic cannon-fodder. In keeping with modern sensibilities, the Asgardians are a somewhat more diverse looking group than one might expect in the home of Norse Gods and Tessa Thompson makes (IMO) an unlikely Valkyrie. Silly but fun.