Thor: Ragnarok

Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in! The last few Marvel movies have been so bad that I didn’t even bother to write a review for them, and even the few that I did like (Ant-Man and Deadpool) while entertaining and funny, were for the most part fairly forgettable. So I came to the conclusion that after The Black Panther came out, I would be done with the Marvel universe forever. I mean, if I paid money to see that other trash, I’d have to at least support my brothers and sisters getting wild in the jungle before throwing up the deuces sign. Plus they did play Vince Staples in the trailer; I thought for sure they’d sell out and play some Macklemore or Iggy Azalea to appeal to the masses.

But anyway, as you can imagine, it took some serious convincing for me to pass up the Bills vs Jets Thursday Night Game to go see what has been the worst of the Avenger solo projects to this point. Ok, I hope you realize that was a joke but seriously, if there had been a halfway decent game on to watch that night, I might not have seen Thor 3 at all. I must admit however that a part of me relates to Thor as I’m a big child who works out way too much. The one thing that I find to be frustrating is that on my way to work every morning, I see at least 5 homeless dudes that are way more ripped than I am! How is this possible?!?! Is Planet Fitness really that cheap?!?! And where are they getting their recovery supplements from?

Well, I’m happy to say that it turns out that I made the right decision! Thor: Ragnorak was actually a good movie. It’s directed by What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Taika Waititi (both good films if you haven’t seen them) and he brings his natural comedy and love for adventure to the Marvel universe. Now I know that most of you are saying that that element has always been there but my response to that is, there’s JV football and varsity football. The terrible comedy and action that exists in movies like Spiderman: Homecoming or Age of Ultron clearly belong on the scrubby JV team while what we experience in Ragnorak is varsity level.

Now I won’t lie to you, I’ve already kind of forgotten what the plot is but basically it revolves around Thor and Loki’s evil sister, Hela (Cate Blanchett) and her quest for revenge. And yes, she’s apparently worse than Loki is as she’s Australian versus that of British. The day their father Odin dies, she is released from her prison and returns to wreak havoc on the universe. Thor and Loki try to stop her but are somehow cast off into this weird middle world where the galaxy’s lost apparently go to die. But before they die, they steal, gamble and drink themselves silly, and this is where Jeff Goldblum shines.

He is the film’s clear highlight as his quirkiness brings the element of oddball comedy that this franchise has been sorely lacking. He has his own little fresh band, a ball of death, and an arena where gladiators fight to the death. And it’s in this arena that we finally see the return of The Hulk and are also introduced to yet another highlight in Korg; one of Goldblum’s reluctant undercard champions who sounds like a surfer that’s missing fish tacos and the wonderful sounds of the oily Sax Man. The Hulk however, seems to have lost his way as he stays in Hulk form and continues to smash everything in sight, including his friend Thor. Can Thor, bring him and Korg back around in time to escape this lost world and save the universe? Will Loki continue being Loki and find a way to capitalize off of what is happening? And I haven’t even mention the badass female scavenger/former warrior in Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) yet.

Well as you can see, there’s quite a bit going on in this film but unlike the other Marvel movies, the writers do a great job of giving you just enough background into each character that it feels as though they are a necessary part of the story. So thankfully you don’t have scrubs like Vision just sitting around baking cakes, drinking wine, and listening to easy jazz. Every scene with The Hulk is fun and funny and Thor discovers and unleashes a new power that makes him even more of a badass. And this is why this Marvel film is one that I won’t completely forget in the next 6 months. Is it intellectually stimulating? No, but not every movie has to be; all I ask is that you don’t dumb it down so that only people in Florida and Arkansas can enjoy it. I give Thor: Ragnorak a rating of FRESH and I suggest that you go see it.