Rolling Thunder! | THOR: RAGNAROK – Review

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"Rolling Thunder! | THOR: RAGNAROK – Review"
L to R – Hulk, Thor (Hemsworth), Valkyrie (Thompson), and Loki (Hiddleston) embrace the art of battle in THOR: RAGNAROK | © 2017 Marvel Studios

See the flash!

Hear the rumble!

Feel the fury!

Admit it! Marvel will always grab your attention. One way, or another, they’ll deliver entertainment to the best of their abilities. Therefore, brace yourselves, because the outcome of universal adventures has set upon us once again. Back to link yet another unbreakable chain of heroic deeds to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Do you hear that? I do. And you should, too! The God of Thunder is back. Introduced in 2011 (THOR), followed by deeper, darkened touch-ups with the aftermath in NY in 2013 (THOR: THE DARK WORLD), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns with a bit of a shift in form of style. Still that magical, mythic hero we’ve grown to love; however, in THOR: RAGNAROK, the hammer slams hard with spectacle, only exposing it with comedic appeal. An appeal that may generate a cringe from fanaticals, but trust me… It works!

In this chapter, Thor finds himself imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty, side-kick hammer! Caught in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok (the destruction of his world and extinction to Asgardian civilization) at the hands of a surprise visit by a new threat, Hela (Cate Blanchett), The Goddess of Death… Uneven footing finds him having to tend to other duties like gladiatorial scenarios (pitting him against a long, lost friend – The Hulk), followed by occurrences leading towards Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and a host of other colorful, complex characters.

Cate Blanchett is both a Beauty and a Beast as The Goddess of Death in THOR: RAGNAROK | © 2017 Marvel Studios

Off the bat, RAGNAROK answers the following question: where were THOR and HULK during CIVIL WAR? We know now. Way across the universe. It’s good we know that, because for anything to matter while watching this flick, you had to have seen prior films intertwined within the MCU. There are lots of tidbits and nuances exposed in RAGNAROK that when understood, it allows you to enjoy the flick even more.

RAGNAROK rides high in humor. Really high! So high, it’s almost psychedelic considering the film’s color palette, soundtrack, and overall swag. It’s almost an elongated, 80s, larger-than-life music video. Total blast if I may add! Funny, clumsy, and slap-stick, but the drama and sense of angst isn’t drowned out. Fantastic chemistry by its leads, especially a charming, bromance, “tango” between Thor and Hulk/Banner. Loki continues to live up to his charismatic self, Hela is harsh, Skurge (Karl Urban) wants to feel valuable, Heimdall (idrs Elba) maintains loyalty; however, stand-outs (for me) had to be Korg (voiced by director Taika Waititi), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum).

Without any sugar-coating, this was the most enjoyable film (in general) I’ve seen this year so far. If there is one thing that it does right, is that it leaves you wanting more! From breathtaking visuals, to quirky (yet) witty dialogue, to amazing action-sequences, to fantastic new characters and upgrades for seasoned ones… This is a top contender as one of MCU’s best stand-alone titles! It’s an overall scope that combines the humor of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and the action scenes from CIVIL WAR, totaling what may be Marvel Studios’ first cosmic, rock-n-roll opera, rumbling with harsh thunder! Kudos, respect, and much love to the team of director Taika Waititi for kicking down the door and presenting his touch on his first and for sure blockbuster, along with writer Eric Pearson.

Thor finally got to expose what it is to be a badass God of Thunder. The one we’ve had glimpses of in the past, but now get in full, intergalactic throttle! Now… If there were a “downer,” I think although resonating within its narrative, it’d have to be Asgard never really seemed to be on the brink of extinction. Personally, I think that’s because Hela needed more screen-time displaying her menacing, force-to-be-reckoned-with power we see during the first act. (You’ll see what I mean!) BUT, that doesn’t hurt the film at all. It makes up for it in other ways by keeping us in tune upon the storyline’s dark themes even though we’re rolling in laughter, as well as setting up next year’s INFINITY WAR movie. And I cannot tell a lie, it also triggers that desire to see a Hulk, stand-alone piece. One we ALL know can now officially be done well. That said, don’t forget to stick around for those trademark, post-credit scenes. Two of them. Fully worth the wait!

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Website: THOR: RAGNAROK

Grade: A / Genre: Sci-Fi, Action-Adventure, Comedy, Drama / Rated: PG-13 / Run Time: 2:10

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins

Directed by: Taika Waititi

© 2017 Marvel Studios

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