Thor: Ragnarok
3 Palm trees out of 4
by Manuel Reynoso
Thor: Ragnarok is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character, Thor. The film is directed by Taika Waititi from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, and Mark Ruffalo.
With Ragnarok close at hand, Thor must escape the alien planet Sakaar to save Asgard from his powerful sister, Hela.
It’s no secret that I’m pretty biased when it comes to most blockbuster superhero movies. I personally think they are becoming a little too formulaic for my tastes and tend to have pretty mediocre fight choreography. So I have to admit, I came into Thor: Ragnarok a little skeptical. I can confidently say that Thor: Ragnarok has to be my favorite installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I saw a huge improvement in the fight choreography and cinematography in comparison to previous films. The acting was also top notch, and every performance was memorable and well executed. However, Thor: Ragnarok had a bit of magic that made it all the more enjoyable for me, and from what I can tell the director Taika Waititi was the reason behind every bit of my enjoyment.
Now for me personally, the story is not what makes this such a great watch. To be blunt, the story itself was likely the least memorable part of this whole film. It was pretty safe and predictable like the other Marvel films, but Thor: Ragnarok was able to stand out with its cinematography. There were some amazing shots in this film that felt like a mix of comic book panels and Norse art. The fight choreography was also noticeably better this time around. There was a refreshing lack of shaky cam fight scenes, and each battle had its own distinct style to it.
What makes Thor: Ragnarok my favorite in the MCU is the stellar performances by the cast. Chris Hemsworth’s ability to portray as a hyper-masculine god with childlike naivety is golden. His timing and sense of humor absolutely carry the film for me, and rest of the cast does not sit idly by. Tessa Thompson shows what a strong supporting actress can do, and Tom Hiddleston continues to enjoy every minute of being Loki; but none of these performances or any of these scenes would have half as good without the excellent direction of Taika Waititi.
Physical comedy has to be the easiest way to get a good laugh out of me, and Taika Waititi is phenomenal at directing this. He was able to turn physical comedy into endearing character traits. From benign, playful body language, to silly slapstick humor, it all felt so genuine to each character and none of it felt out of place. Every character delivered their type of physical humor uniquely, and it really helped bring individuality to the cast. Thor: Ragnarok is just a lot of fun and it’s funny in its own original way thanks to Taika Waititi. It may lack in having a memorable narrative, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this film. Rated PG-13 2h10m
