For the first time in the studio’s history, Marvel Studios released three brand new films in 2017. They kicked things off with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in May, followed by the Sony-distributed Spider-Man: Homecoming in July, and now the third and final (and best?) has hit theaters: Thor: Ragnarok. The Thor franchise has been something of a red-headed stepchild in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but director Taika Waititi’s silly, euphorically joyous third installment is a Thor-series high and has earned some of the best reviews of any Marvel Studios movie in history.
While the subtitle promises an Asgard-ending catastrophic event, Waititi opted to put a spotlight on Chris Hemsworth’s comedic chops and essentially reinvent the character as a hilarious, self-aware yet cocksure God of Thunder who just wants to save his home planet. The result is an incredibly fun ride that leans into the chemistry between Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, as well as Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. For that matter, it is great to have Loki back in the MCU, and the film does a tremendous job of weaving the story of the villain Hela (Cate Blanchett) into the story of Thor and Loki in an organic way.
Some may be dismayed at Blanchett’s underuse, but I think she knew exactly what she signed up for: to chew the scenery and look great doing it. In that regard, I think Hela is a successful if not terribly deep Marvel villain. But the breakout of the film is surely Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, from whom I hope we see a lot more in the MCU to come.
But enough of my rambling. Matt’s full review is online, but now we want to hear what you, the fans, thought of the film. Did Waititi tickle your funny bone or did you find the comedy too overbearing? How do you think the ending is going to affect Avengers: Infinity War? Are you onboard for a Korg spinoff? Sound off in the comments below.
And if you want to catch up on our recent Thor: Ragnarok coverage, peruse these recent links:
- Watch: Taika Waititi Tattoos the Ladies of Collider & Talks 'Thor: Ragnarok'
- ‘Thor: Ragnarok’: What Does the Ending Mean for the MCU?
- ‘Thor: Ragnarok’: Let’s Talk about Those Post-Credits Scenes
- Karl Urban on How ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Is a Taika Waititi Movie in the Marvel Universe
- ‘Thor: Ragnarok’s Jeff Goldblum on Why Marvel Movies Are So Great
