Thor: Ragnarok tries to vow its audience by well-timed jokes and spectacular action pieces. And it often succeeds in completing the task of being a good popcorn flick but is it anything more than that?
The story picks up some time after Avengers: Age of Ultron. Thor quest for Infinity Stones takes him deep into the planet of a Fire Demon Surtur where he gets imprisoned by big metallic chains. Now that scene sets the tone for the complete film of being filled by good laughs and Thor kicking ass. The plot is simple just like what trailers suggested. Thor’s home planet Asgard gets destroyed by evil goddess Hela whereas Thor and his brother Loki are stranded on the junk planet. The script is funny but my only problem with it was that writers didn’t take such good characters to their full potential; Loki is a fascinating character but here he was only used as a comedian. Though this movie is better than both its predecessors but Loki was handled well earlier. Not to say there was anything wrong with Tom Hiddleston, he was still as charismatic as ever, but the stuff given to him was quite mediocre.
Another gripe I had with this movie was the overuse of CGI in some scenes. But now enough with all the criticism, there was some serious enjoyment in this movie especially the chemistry between Thor and Hulk. That was a good duo and throw in mix the Valkyrie (played by Tessa Thompson) and Loki, you have a team to rival Guardians. The gladiator fight between Thor and Hulk was just as amazing as you thought it would be. The climax battle was sublime but never our heroes felt to be in danger but that’s okay, it’s been a tradition in marvel films for almost a decade except for few gems (Captain America Movies). But then again, Thor: Ragnarok never tries to be a thought provoking movie.
The main antagonist, Hela enjoyed an excellent screen time mainly because of the acting muscles of Cate Blanchett. Her role was satisfying. Not perfect, but did a better job than rest of Marvel Disposable Villains. Her personal executioner, Skurge (played by Karl Urban) was also a good character. Their arc, consisting of dominating Asgard and finding the Rebellion (Led by Heimdall) was also excellent but not without faults. The Warrior Three was terribly underused, why not make them help Heimdall? Why not kill them in climax instead of in their first scene?
There were many Easter-eggs here and there, and some really good cameos, (Most Notably) of Stephen Strange (Played by Benedict Cumberbatch), I would have had no problem if he played a larger role. Matt Damon as actor playing the role of Loki in Asgard Theatre also brought a chuckle. The soundtrack was also startling.
VERDICT
Thor: Ragnarok is a fun movie made for laughs and escapism. Filled with terrific jokes and amazing action sequences, this movie is guaranteed to provide you a fun time but if you are looking for a thought provoking story or a good drama between well-developed characters, this may not fill your mind with satisfaction when the credits roll.
MY SCORE: 7/10