Thor: Ragnarok will do little for those hoping for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to really branch out into a new and darker territory. Despite its doomsday implied title, this is one of the lightest and funniest films within the series that began with 2008’s Iron Man. When the film was announced I had hopes that we were going to get the “ultimate” Thor movie that would finally give the God of Thunder his version of The Winter Soldier. Once Taika Waititi came on board, my expectations were thrown for a loop. I’m a huge fan of his What We Do In The Shadows, and the combination of his wit with the potential end of Asgard made Ragnarok seem like it could catch lighting in a bottle before exploding the bottle.
More than that, the first two Thor films are on the shallow end of the creative pool when it comes to the MCU. The first, directed by Kenneth Branagh, surprised me by being a decent “fish out of water” story, while letting Branagh adhere to his Shakespearean tendencies in the relationship between Thor and his adopted brother Loki. It’s a fine origin story, but I always wondered what the film would have looked like if Branagh got to make Loki the tragic main character. I’m not saying it would have been a better film, but I can’t help but see the trapped potential within the confines of the MCU. The Dark World, while better visually than the first, is the worst of the MCU films. Other than the dynamic between Loki and Thor, it does noting for me, and it was known that director Alan Taylor clashed with the producers, resulting in a film that felt gutted.
What I wanted out of Thor: Ragnarok was for it to deliver its protagonist to us in a way that would feel final, allowing him to enter the Infinity War like he belonged with with Tony Stark and Steve Rogers as fully rounded individuals. Maybe forever changed by the circumstances in this final solo installment, with the oh-so ominous title. Perhaps put a more secure stamp on his relationship with his adopted brother and frequent enemy. I guess I wanted closure. And Ragnarok has elements of closure to it, but it’s ultimately another stepping stone on the road to conclusion for (some of) the Avengers. Thor does learn some lessons in the film that change him, but they feel like repeated lessons from the first installment. His relationship with Loki does evolve, but not in a way that’s surprising; it even lessened the character of Loki for me. It also suffers from yet another unstoppable villain that gets stopped because…stepping stone. But it is funny, visually inventive, and stays firmly in its lane within its lighter tone. Much like this years Guardians sequel, Ragnarok lives to entertain, and what’s wrong with that, even if I wanted more.
The film is manly structured with three simple acts,- after a prologue that sets the film’s new, lighter tone, with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finding out that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is still alive. After taking Odin (Anthony Hopkins) to a retirement home in New York, Loki has been impersonating him and enjoying the temporary rule of Asgard. Thor, more annoyed with Loki than wanting to do him harm, brings him along to Earth to locate their father (with the help of an Avenger cameo). Once found, Odin informs Thor and Loki that they have a sister and she’s about to be released from her prison. Her name is Hela (Cate Blanchett), and she is the Goddess of Death. Maybe two minutes later Hela appears – she breaks Thor’s hammer, strands the brothers away from Asgard, and proceeds to claim her throne.
The second act finds the brothers stuck on a garbage world, with Thor captured by an ex-Valkyrie turned mercenary (Tessa Thompson) who sells him to the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), a businessman that makes the Collector look sane. He runs a gladiator contest and decides that Thor will make an excellent challenger for The Champion, one big green guy called the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). The problem is that Hulk doesn’t seem bothered about smashing Thor’s face in, or smashing anything for that matter. Creating a situation where Thor has to escape the planet with his fellow Avenger and new possible ally in Valkyrie in tow. All the while Loki keeps changing sides in a way that reminded me of the Pirates sequels, which isn’t a good thing. But if this amusing rag-tag group can ban together (the “revengers” as Thor calls it), then they may be able to prevent Ragnarok. Resulting in the third act, and final showdown.
Nothing in the film surprised me other than a few amusing cameos, but it won me over with its constant charm. That’s thanks to Waititi, who takes the film’s predictability, and gives it a voice. And I think that’s incredibly important here, as Waititi is able to make aspects of the film feel fresh with his off-kilter humor. The MCU isn’t a stranger to wit, but this takes it near the levels of the Guardians films. The action scenes leave something to be desired; they’re fine, but they lose the film’s voice, almost as if Waititi didn’t get to use his uniqueness. Or perhaps he’s too new to action film-making.
Hemsworth remains a winning choice for Thor. The character has humanized a bit over the years, and will continue to do so with the more characters he interacts with. The MCU has seemingly fallen in love with group projects, as solo outing are becoming less frequent. The relationships are where these films find their humor and heart though, and that’s something I could understand being hard to drift away from. I thought Ruffalo and Thompson made fine counterparts to Hemsworth, and Hiddleston looks at home in Loki’s skin. As I said though, I didn’t like how the main villain from The Avengers is reduced to little more than an untrustworthy sidekick. Not Hiddleston’s fault though. Blanchett is somehow able to chew the scenery while playing it straight, probably because she’s Cate Blanchett. Hopkins has a few fine moments, but the other returning members of Thor’s core unit, including Idris Elba’s Heimdall, get the short end. Jeff Goldblum plays Jeff Goldblum, gloriously so.
The film’s ending does something that could be shocking and sad; however it left me shrugging my shoulders. It isn’t a cop-out, but it screams of that missed potential. Thor maybe the biggest missed opportunity when it comes to the MCU, but Waititi gave him a new voice in Ragnarok, and perhaps it’s a voice that will get its due before the war is over.
Grade: B
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