“Taika
Waititi” doesn’t feel out of place in the MCU, but for him to direct Thor, which
is considered Marvel’s less popular but more serious movie franchise, was a
risky move that paid off well. Ragnarok’s most striking aspect is the top-notch
cinematography, easily the best in the MCU. The action sequences are diverting when
they need to be, and some are surprisingly heartbreaking. We’re used to
laughing during Marvel’s movies, but “Waititi” upped that scale with cleverer jokes.
The humor in Ragnarok is not just limited to witty characters and jabs here and
there, it’s everywhere from looks, to action sequences, even some places held
some laughs.
“Chris Hemsworth” and “Tessa
Thompson’s” chemistry was explosive, but it wasn’t distracting enough from the
fact that the only explanation we got to Jane’s character being cut is “Mutual
Dumping”. Hela played brilliantly by “Cate Blanchett” easily wins best character
for me. While it’s fun seeing a villain backstory and some pitiful reason that
drove them to do bad things, it’s ten times more pleasurable to see Hela being
evil just for the sake of it. “Blanchett” had me rooting for Hela, just for the
sole purpose of seeing her go against bigger heroes or villains next. “Taika’s”
Korg, “Mark Ruffalo’s” Hulk and “Jeff Goldblum’s” Grandmaster are the true
stars of this film. Loki, managed to steal the show again even with being as predictable
as ever, a fact that Thor acknowledged.
One of the things
that bothered me is the lack of heart in Ragnarok, a gap that the could’ve been
filled if sensitive scenes were left joke-free in order for the emotional
impact to set in. It left me feeling less invested, something I’ve never felt
with the previous Thor movies. A part of the reason why Hela’s fight scenes,
sans Thor, were so good is because the lacks of humor set the brutality to
another fearsome level. Which is something we rarely see in Marvel.
Thor Ragnarok is
Marvel’s first risk taking movie. While not perfect, it’s a stepping stone for
sure. You will leave the theater laughing, but you won’t likely remember it the
next week. It lacks suspense and wonders, but it pays off in a slightly happy
ending. It won’t leave you on the edge of your seat, but that’s okay because
Infinity War is meant to do that.
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