Thor: Ragnarok

The god of thunder is back in his third stand-alone film. We've seen him face family strife and his own arrogance. We've seen him crush two alien invasions and a robot horde alongside Earth's mightiest heroes.

This time, he faces the goddess of Death, the Norse version of the end of days, and Jeff Goldblum as a pompous windbag.

(Some spoilers)




Expectations:
I enjoyed the first two Thor films a lot, though neither was perfect, and his appearances in the previous two Avengers films were even better. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the Planet Hulk comics when they were produced. So when I heard rumors that elements of that story line would be included, I was pretty psyched up for this one.

Unfortunately, I didn't quite get the epic clash of titans that I was expecting.

Action:
This being an MCU film, you know you're getting some big set piece action sequences, especially with Thor and Hulk headlining.

The highlight of the film is, of course, the Thor/Hulk gladiatorial match from the trailers. The arena is destroyed as two of Marvel's strongest heroes punch, hammer, throw, bash, and thrash each other to the screams of millions. This scene also contains some of the best humor anywhere in the film.

Elsewhere, we see Thor take on Surtur, the fire giant, and a legion of his minions. We see Hela, goddess of Death, rout hundreds of Asgardian warriors. Thor and his friend leap between speeding spacecraft, taking them apart with their bare hands.

There are a few firefights, a prison break, and a gigantic villain. Hela shatters Thor's hammer and resurrects an undead legion with stolen power. And Thor lives up to his mantle.

Music:
Thor: Ragnarok actually had some pretty good music (including great use of Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin and Pure Imagination from the original Willy Wanka). The original score was very different from previous Thor outings, containing a lot of techno influences, which set it apart from anything in the Marvel cannon to date.

However, the style and tone of the music did not fit with about half of what was on display. I felt like I should be watching a TRON film, not Norse mythology. As a result, I felt pulled out of the story.

Great individual sound; just not a good fit for what's on screen.

Costuming/Visuals:
This is where the movie shines. You have the by-now-familiar Asgardian aesthetic juxtaposed with a massive, multi-cultural melting pot that is Sakaar, the arena world run by the Grandmaster. Pastel and neon-hued togas vie with dingy wraps and soiled leathers. Faces are painted and humanoid aliens of every shape are on parade.

Marvel Studios continue to refine the CGI for the Hulk, adding more emotion to the face. Other CGI elements include Fenris, portals, Surtur, and Asgard itself. The visual effects of Thor, Loki, and Hela's powers are distinct and appropriate.

One of the most stunning visual scenes, not just in this movie, but in all of the MCU occurs when Loki causes an opponent to re-live a memory. The lighting, color saturation, and cinematography for a literal, slow-motion Ride of the Valkyries was breathtaking.

Original Material:
There is nowhere else I am aware of in the Marvel comics that utterly divorces Thor's powers from his hammer. In fact, it's a central limiting conceit for the character (as covered in the first Thor movie and jokingly referenced in Age of Ultron). This film does some of that after the hammer is destroyed.

Screenplay:
First, the good.

Every character maintains their voice from previous outings (with a few exceptions) and new characters are distinct. Jeff Goldblum is sleazy and detestable as Grandmaster. Cate Blanchett is disdainful and arrogant as Hela.

A great deal of dialogue is witty and believable, especially between Thor, Loki, and Odin.

The film is fun and fairly well paced.

There are a couple of great scenes: Thor and Loki escaping toward the ship docks, Thor's response to Loki's sudden-yet-inevitable betrayal, and Dr. Strange's cameo. The Hulk/Banner and Thor scenes were also fun.

Now, the bad.

There were really two films at work here. One is a buddy comedy starring Thor, Loki, and Hulk as they conspire to break out of the prison-like domain of the Grandmaster. This movie is a space opera at heart, with loads of over the top action, space ships, aliens, a revolution, and brotherly bickering and one liners between Thor and Loki. It's funny and fast paced and great.

The other film is an epic saga of loss, redemption, and leadership centered on the Norse myths of Ragnarok. This movie contains the death of Odin, the return of Hela, the release of Surtur and Fenris, and the assumption of Odin's place as lord of Asgard by his son Thor. It is bittersweet, weighty, and slower paced to allow the viewer to empathize with what is being asked of the characters.

The film makers apparently decided that these two story lines were peanut butter and chocolate. They are, in point of fact, orange juice and toothpaste.

Had the writers picked just one of these stories and focused in on it, the result would have been epic. Instead, half the humor (which works fine for something like Guardians of the Galaxy) falls flat because it is supposed to be taking place in the middle of an epic saga confrontation. Half the drama falls flat because the same death goddess who is supposed to be terrifying and Better Than is making stupid quips.

Additionally, the tension building was mangled by the destruction of Mjolnir, Thor's magic hammer.

First, it wasn't strictly necessary to the plot. The things that Thor accomplishes could have been accomplished just as easily with Mjolnir lost during the Bifrost crossing as with it destroyed by Hela.

Second, the "hammer-less lightning" powers were shown way too early in the film. Whether in the sparks Thor is able to call while being interrogated by Grandmaster or during the fight with Hulk in the arena, the reveal is too quick and takes all the wind out of the final confrontation with Hela.

Third, because the hammer is destroyed we're essentially treated to a kind of repeat of powerless Thor from the first film, except it has no weight because all of the character development happened back in that movie and not in this one.

In fact, we get very little character development at all in this film. People aren't really changing. Thor is ALREADY a fit successor for Odin by the conclusion of the last Thor installment. There's nothing for him to grow into or figure out about himself. Valkyrie decides to come out of retirement...basically because Thor asks her too. Heimdall is still cooler than everyone else. Loki is shown to have glimmers of possible character growth...like always.

Only Banner has an evolving relationship with the Hulk, which really needs its own movie to explore in depth.

Summary:
Thor: Ragnarok should have been a fun, action packed space opera in the Marvel Cosmic cannon OR a return to the more-metal-than-metal epic saga of Norse myth. Instead, we got a fun, light, sometimes funny action movie that happens to star Thor and involve the destruction of Asgard.

In the end, this a mediocre mess and I suggest seeing a matinee or waiting for the Red Box.