By now it should be expected that Marvel Studios movies tends to pepper comedy bits into their superhero films. This one in particular however, takes it up a notch quite a bit. Although I wouldn't call this third installment of Thor to be a full blown comedy, this one definitely embraces it a lot more than the others. So did they make the right call in going that direction? I would say, yes and no. Yes, in the sense that the jokes do add a lot to the entertainment value of the movie. No, in the sense that it makes the overall tone lop sided when it focuses on the more serious moments. Of course like everything with comedy, the jokes are hit or miss. I did like most of the jokes at least.
Besides the comedy bits, another thing that makes this movie quite entertaining is the sense of adventure in the story. Jumping from one different location to another different location, meeting different characters to more different characters, works really well for our protagonist's journey. It brings a little bit of unpredictability to the story, and allows us to appreciate a variety of creativity by the film makers. From a land where random objects fall from the sky, a gladiator ring, magic users, to army of warriors, this movie has a lot to offer.
With that said however, I felt like the movie still could have gone further with the premise. The main relationship plot between the siblings of Thor and Loki is still the greatest strength of this franchise, and this installment thankfully capitalizes on that still. The whole story surrounding Thor, his responsibilities to Asgard, and the shadow of his father Odin, are still just a bit on the more simpler side. It's all just fine, but it's getting repetitive. Those plot threads simply could be more interesting than it actually is, which still keeps these movies from becoming a great series, as opposed to just a good one.
What that leaves us with are the action sequences. They're good. Fast paced. Lots of flashy stuff. Especially when Hela is involved. Speaking of which, Cate Blanchett as Hela is great whenever she is on screen. Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie is also great to watch here, and her interactions with Thor are very enjoyable. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Hulk is also a lot of fun to watch here, and they are all excellent additions to the cast of characters.
As an adventure film with a diverse group of characters, under the direction of Taika Waititi, "Thor: Ragnarok" is definitely a crowd-pleaser. It's enjoyable in all the right ways, even if it doesn't necessarily reach for new great heights in terms of story telling. Either way, I like my Thor and Loki to do funny things, and going on adventures together. More of that please.
lovedit ENJOYED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible
