Thor: Ragnarok Review Trailer, Plot Synopsis And More
Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), his former ally and fellow Avenger. Thor's quest for survival leads him in a race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.
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Thor: Ragnarok Trailer
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Thor: Ragnarok Official Trailer
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Thor: Ragnarok Trailer 2
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Thor: Ragnarok Posters And Photos
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Thor: Ragnarok Review
Waititi directed Thor: Ragnarok from a script by Eric Pearson based on a story by Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost. As such, the tone of the script falls exceptionally in line with the remainder of the MCU, balancing more dramatic and heroic moments with the comedy fans have come to expect from the more light-hearted Marvel movies – which, despite its name, Thor: Ragnarok sets out to be. Waititi’s comedic background can be felt in the very fiber of the movie, taking the best of Thor’s humorous moments from previous appearances and weaving them throughout the entirety of Ragnarok.
Despite the benefit of Ragnarok featuring the MCU’s first major female antagonist (on the film side, anyway) played by an Oscar-winning talent like Blanchett, the film still falls prey to the typical Marvel villain problem. Like many Marvel villains before her, Hela is underdeveloped with a rather thin motivation (this time, it’s revenge and power) and an army of faceless drones at her back to give the film’s heroes something to kill with no consequence. Even when Ragnaroktruly attempts to give Hela’s invasion of Asgard real stakes, Thor’s realm and its inhabitants have been so neglected in previous films that those attempts to elevate Blanchett’s villain fall flat. While the third act of Thor: Ragnarok delivers a somewhat different spin to the final battle formula of a Marvel movie – thanks in part to Surtur and Fenris Wolf – it’s not enough to truly diverge from tradition. Still, the reason Marvel movies so often neglect the villains is that the film places most of its focus on its heroes, and Thor: Ragnarok does the same. This time, however, Thor has traded in the Warriors Three for the Hulk, Valkyrie, and his brother, the God of Mischief Loki – much to the benefit of the movie. Hemsworth and Hiddleston, who have the benefit of portraying their respective Marvel characters in at least four movies each, easily fall back into their roles. For Hemsworth’s part, he’s also given a great deal more humor to work with, and he manages to shine more in this take on the God of Thunder than ever before. Ruffalo’s Hulk is another fantastic addition to Thor’s world, bouncing well off the film’s eponymous warrior as well as the MCU’s newest hero: Thompson’s Valkyrie. Valkyrie is a relatively archetypal character – the soldier who drinks to escape from survivor’s guilt and PTSD – but Thompson brings plenty of levity to the role, and a particularly beautiful memory sequence adds depth to the character. Thor: Ragnarok also features brief but memorable turns from Hopkins as Odin, as well as Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange. All in all, Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok delivers another Marvel hit that excels insofar as it vastly improves upon the groundwork laid by Branagh’s Thor and Taylor’s Thor: The Dark World. Despite Waititi’s unique directorial style and tone, Ragnarok still fits well into the MCU without challenging expectations from fans. That is both a positive in terms of delivering on the billion dollar Marvel brand, and a negative in that moviegoers have seen as many as 16 MCU installments prior to Thor: Ragnarok and may be growing tired. Rather than offer a completely new style, tone, and genre within the MCU, Waititi’s entry reinvents Thor enough to provide a fun and entertaining adventure – just one that doesn’t necessarily break the mold (not that it was really ever expected to). Still, Thor: Ragnarok will no doubt be enjoyable for Marvel diehards (and perhaps worth a trip to IMAX), and fun enough for casual moviegoers as well. 7.7/10 |
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