25 Nov Nerdy for Thirty #7: Thor: Ragnarok

THOR: RAGNAROK

dir. Taika Waititi, starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, and Jeff Goldblum

BLUF: Ragnarok is, unfortunately, lightning in a bottle. It is the best Thor movie, imminently re-watchable, and has some of the best action and comedy in the MCU. Plus, the Hulk best MCU appearance, BY FAR.

If the Captain America trilogy is the best internal MCU series, Thor is, unfortunately, the worst. Like the Daniel Craig 007 films, the odd ones are good, and the even entries are bad. The first Thor movie had a mountain of a challenge, introducing a C-list Marvel character from space whose comic book appearance and setting was goofy at best. And yet, Thor not only succeeded, but, in Chris Hemsworth, managed to make Thor the character an A-list superhero. Thor: The Dark World was wildly inconsistent, contained one of the greatest threats in the entire MCU, and…just failed, with excessive Marvel studio meddling the probable cause, before they loosened up and started trusting their filmmakers. I’ll address Thor: Love + Thunder later in the review…

But Thor: Ragnarok was pure, unadulterated joy. Director Taika Waititi was exactly what was needed to course correct the Thor at a critical moment the character’s MCU development arc. Waititi and Hemsworth injected the exact kind of humor that Thor needed, while also introducing a level of pathos and suffering on the character that powerfully portended his next two appearances in the MCU (Infinity War and Endgame).

There are three pillars to this film’s success: the writing/story, Waititi’s colorful direction/production design, and, I’m not ashamed to say, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk/Bruce Banner, who is the perfect addition to the entire affair.

Throughout the entire MCU, Thor has the best developmental character arc in the entire franchise, and this movie provided the real foundation. Thor 2 should have, when Thor mother was killed by Loki’s indirect treachery, but the movie was such a mess it failed to capitalize on this event. Instead, Ragnarok takes Thor’s losses to another level entirely, by taking away his father, bringing in his insanely treacherous sister, destroying Asgard, and grievously injuring him. These events provide the backbone for Thor’s growth from being a self-centered, unfocused jackass to being a real character that the audience truly empathizes with—despite being (maybe) the strongest Avenger, he has real weaknesses, suffers real losses, and ends the film on a dour note.

This is where Waititi’s particular skill comes into play. Like his masterpiece Jojo Rabbit, he injects this admittedly serious subject matter and tragedy with a level of outrageous humor that off-sets a story that would otherwise be tough to watch. In fact, he perfectly balances the tragedy and comedy, with Thor and Hulk/Banner being character analogues for these complementary traits.

The supporting cast also elevates the movie, with Cate Blanchett’s turn as Hela both funny and terrifying—she is stronger and more intimidating than her younger brother, providing a real challenge for him. Jeff Goldblum’s Grand Master is unhinged and all the better for it. And Waititi himself as Korg is a completely unexpected joy, with almost every line of dialogue a winner, from his Kiwi accent to the dry, self-deprecating humor of a ROCK alien who was defeated by not printing enough PAPER pamphlets in his revolution. And, of course, Anthony Hopkins turns in another fantastic performance as Odin, particularly during his touching passing. Hopkins, known for his terrifying portrayal of Hannibal Lector, rarely receives enough credit for his ability to convey the tender human emotion, particularly here, as a father who has loved but utterly failed all of his children.

Personally, I also have a weak spot for The Incredible Hulk, and Ragnarok is the best Hulk movie ever made. Ruffalo’s performance is terrific and seeing the Hulk at his most savage peak is both wildly entertaining and intense. His fights with Thor are great, and his fights with Fenric and Surtur are a blast. Marvel/Universal rights issues aside, it is a blessing that Marvel managed to sneak the best Hulk movie into the best Thor movie.

Ragnarok sets up an important foundation for Thor’s character development in Infinity War and Endgame, where he goes to some very dark places. Ragnarok is the film where so many things are taken away from Thor, that he truly suffers in the Avengers films. But the greatest tragedy is that after Endgame, Thor, as a character, is done a true disservice in Thor: Love + Thunder, when all the development Ragnarok established is laughed away, and Thor’s development as a character reverts to a sad, pre-Ragnarok state. But no matter what, we will always have Ragnarok.

There is so much I love about this movie, that I suspect it leaves me on the fringes of common opinion. Most people think it is pretty good; I think it is truly great. On any given day, I might put it in my MCU Top 5. But there is one list where it is consistently MCU #1: re-watchability. Other MCU entries are arguably better films, but Ragnarok is fun, (relatively) short, and just a blast, start-to-finish.

Pros:

• Hemsworth’s truly NAILS the character for the first time, based largely on his comedic instincts
• The blending of comedy and tragedy is flawless
• Hela, Grand Master, and Loki are distinct, excellent villains
• Special effects are top notch, with production design and cinematography completing the trilogy of excellent supporting facets of this great film
• HULK!!

Cons:

• No notes, unless you have a general disdain for Marvel’s growing tendency for injecting excessive humor into every film; despite this one truly earning and benefiting from it
• The Warriors Three complete their three-film arc as utterly underutilized, nigh-useless characters, at least in this corner of the multiverse

Rating: 4.5/5
Thor: Ragnarok is basically perfect, an opinion I may be isolated in holding, but clutch dearly to my chest, as it brings me joy each time I watch it. I’m knocking it down by half a point only because I’m willing to admit that for some reason, some people disagree with my assessment.

Review by Jim Washburn