Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

The phrase third times a charm is best applied to this latest instalment of the Thor franchise so prepare yourself; there will be laughing, there will makeovers, some epic slow motion formation walking, and of course a slew of disposable henchmen for Thor to Ragna-knock some sense into.

(I’m so sorry, that pun was so bad but I honestly couldn’t help myself #NoRegrets!)

Our sleeveless hero Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has been away from Asgard for some time, and a lot has changed in his absence – primarily the fact that his cunning brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has shipped off their father Odin and has taken his place on the throne.

Together Thor and Loki travel to Earth to seek the Allfather, who is nearing the end of his days. Odin (Anothony Hopkins) warns his sons that Ragnarok – the end of Asgard – is nigh, and reveals that before either of them, there was another – his daughter Hela (Cate Blanchett) – and when he falls, like her name implies, she will rise and bring death in her wake.

Rise she does, and with her she brings a power and vengeance stronger than both Thor and his hammer, and Loki and his tricks. Their encounter leaves the brothers thrown into the chaos of the universe and Asgard ripe for the taking.

With a virtually unstoppable villainess laying waste to his home and knowing he can’t stop her alone, Thor rally’s a ragtag team of forgotten heroes and prays to Odin they can save Asgard before it’s too late.

This movie.

This movie was just… Yes. I guess sometimes all you need to do, is completely change absolutely everything in order to get something to work.

What was nice is that right from that opening scene, the tone for the whole movie was set: Comedy and Action. We were in for a wild ride filled which would be a little more mythology based and a lot more humours than the preceding movies.

The thick layer of comedy that was added to the script stood out the most as the biggest change that actually surprisingly worked really really well. Who knew Thor would end up being the funny Avenger?

Everything from the ‘slightly electronic neo-classic rock’ soundtrack, to the cinematography that featured some amazingly effective slowmo’s and awe inspired wide angles during those impossible action sequences, came together to provide the perfect revamped recipe. Not to mention the how well the movie was cast. Who knew that The Hulk and Thor would end up having the best Marvel bromance?

On the subject of cast – we need to talk about Tessa Thompson. Where has she been all our lives?! (Well I’ve know she’s existed since her Veronica Mars days but still). She provided balance to the testosterone filled ensemble, without being labelled as the girl who likes the boy. A character in her own right she had a history and an agenda, and all in all, fit right into the story like she belonged from the start.

I’ve never seen a movie in cinema twice but I am tempted for the first time in a long time to go and see this bad boy again.

My main issue with the movie came on Hela’s side of the table. Her character’s actions and motives were just too cliche; I’m undefeatable and can lay waste to everything with the help of my never ending stream of un-dead henchmen because I want to control the whole universe Mwhahaha!

Like, yeah lady, who doesn’t? Take a number.

The reason it bugged me so much is that her character is so richly rooted in Norse Mythology, which could have been exploited a lot more than just the Fenris Wolf, (which is based on Fenrir from the mythology) her goals were simply too human. Cate Blanchett played the role hela well, and I for one was a massive fan of Hela as a character.
(Though was it me or was the whole crazy evil sister thing was a little Sherlock series 4?)

I’m being a little picky here but I wasn’t a massive fan of the Doctor Strange inclusion (like pshhh who died and made you earth’s sole protector?). Admittedly, the scene was fun, did it’s job, and I’m sure was a convoluted set-up for something bigger to come, but… yeah I don’t know – maybe I just don’t like the character… or Benedict Cumberbatch’s terrible American accent.

As far as I can recall, since the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe took flight, there has been no more than three movies allocated to each individual hero (Spider-Man doesn’t count).

Yes that could all change, and though anything more seems a little over kill…. personally (and I wouldn’t have said this after Thor:The Dark World) I wouldn’t be mad at another.

Basically this movie Ragnaroked what the Thor movies was previously known for – a slightly dull MCU filler with a dope cast.

Though the other movies can’t be erased, Thor:Ragnarok was a big-fat reset button, and the audience deserves to sample a little more of what was cooked up in this pretty epic (and debatably now my favourite) Marvel movie.

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