By Nadia Ranaputri
Director: Taika Waititi
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban.
In what might be Marvel's biggest gamble since Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: Ragnarok takes the biggest risk that in the process, succeeds a little more brilliantly than Marvel's previous entry, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Ragnarok opens with a humorous monologue from Thor that eventually leads him to have poke around with the devil Surtur, and a great opening fight set to Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song. It is then with the arrival of Hela that leads to Thor's banishment and leaves him stranded in the planet of Sakaar. With the help of his companions, old and new (the incredible Hulk most definitely included) Thor sets out on a mission to prevent Hela from taking over Asgard and cause Ragnarok, the end of everything.
Ragnarok is possibly a rather big gamble for Marvel, but one of the biggest payoffs is that they let Chris Hemsworth's Thor be the wise-cracker, the sass-machine, and the genuinely humorous hero. Waititi's direction and script is one of the reasons why a wise-cracking God of Thunder (mistakenly dubbed Lord of Thunder at one point during the film) works so well, but it's also Hemsworth's genuine performance that adds so much more to what could have been a forced performance. His fellow companions, the return of the always cunning Loki, the innocent Bruce Banner, and the fierce Valkyrie are all great additions that complete the team of misfits that in a way, are the alternate Guardians of the Galaxy.
This of course, is very much a Marvel movie, but it is also, a Taika Waititi film. If you're familiar with Waititi's films, then it wouldn't be much of a shock to see how much of his familiar absurdity is placed in Thor: Ragnarok. Taika's films brims with brilliant humor that feels genuine and have become something that's of his own. No one else could do Waititi's humor better than Waititi himself, and a lot of that is seen here in Ragnarok. You could say it's a Taika Waititi film dressed in a superhero garb. But that's what made it stand out. Marvel took a chance with Waititi, just as much as they took a chance with James Gunn for Guardians.
Waititi's small yet memorable presence as Korg also adds to the absurd dynamic of the humor, adding great humor that's elevated with the Kiwi accent that makes it so much funnier than it would in a standard American accent. It's fitting to see how Korg could be a reminiscent of Waititi's previous roles as Alamein in Boy, given how his constant relaxed way of speaking could remind those of how Alamein tells his misadventures to his son in Boy, or some parts, his Priest speech in Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
Thor: Ragnarok is loaded with eccentricities, and it's not a sin for anyone to relish in its eccentricities. Taika brings in his oddball magic into the world of the God of Thunder with joyful proportions. The previous two films went for the typical Marvel humor, and a grounded story, but Ragnarok is the firecracker that should have been lit up a long time ago. When it goes into an all-out colorful oddball space quest, Ragnarok doesn't just dip its hand, it submerges its hand in a bowl of mixed candy melts. And boy, does it fit with its equally bright palette. Ragnarok is a deliciously colorful candy bowl that bursts with color and flavor in every bite. It's Marvel's very own neon Disneyland. Every brush from its palette is a trippy wonder that is similar to that of Doctor Stange's, but slightly trippier. It's the eccentric space romp that still strays much further from the tone of the Guardians, as it is its own comedic space romp with its own eccentric aspects. Ragnarok doesn't need to go much into specifics, if it's weird, let it be.
The film isn't flawless. It has its faults, despite being covered up in its colorfully lucid palette. As soon as the opening fight sequence ends, the problem begins. The first ten minutes or so of the film that continues after the opening sequence with Surtur could be a little fast-paced, with characters suddenly figuring out what the other had done with no clear explanation other than "I just know it", a sudden arc to a certain character that seemingly came out of nowhere, and the appearance of another familiar face that, while being a very fun sequence; went a little too fast to the point where you question why it's even there. But that's only during the beginning. It does continue to go on its merry way right after. Another lies within the villain itself. Does Hela solve the Marvel villain problem? Unfortunately, no. While Cate Blanchett relishes her chance in playing the Goddess of Death (and it clearly shows in her performance), Hela's presence becomes less threatening the more we see her (which we really don't), that even then when the stuff in Sakaar ends and transitions to her in Asgard, it becomes an entirely different film, and it's easy to forget that she's even there.
Yet in the end, Thor: Ragnarok pays off, big time. Since it's coming from a director who has his own unique brand of comedic tone, Ragnarok's gamble with tackling humor becomes one of its greatest aspects. There's a good amount of substance and heart, too, that grounds its eccentricities, but not entirely as to screech it to a halt. Great chemistry is had between Thor, Loki, and Banner that become the cherry on top and adds more to their dynamic as work partners and as friends (or frenemies, in Loki's case).
Whatever Thor: Ragnarok was going for, it works, in nearly every single possible way, whether it's in the action, chemistry, and the overall tone. As soon as that opening fight sequence rages to the Immigrant Song, the tone is set: it's going to be one hell of a ride. Thor: Ragnarok is the most fun I've had and in the best possible way, the widest smile I've made while watching a film in a long time.
Stars: 4.3/5
Trailer
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
Director: Taika Waititi
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban.
In what might be Marvel's biggest gamble since Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: Ragnarok takes the biggest risk that in the process, succeeds a little more brilliantly than Marvel's previous entry, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Ragnarok opens with a humorous monologue from Thor that eventually leads him to have poke around with the devil Surtur, and a great opening fight set to Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song. It is then with the arrival of Hela that leads to Thor's banishment and leaves him stranded in the planet of Sakaar. With the help of his companions, old and new (the incredible Hulk most definitely included) Thor sets out on a mission to prevent Hela from taking over Asgard and cause Ragnarok, the end of everything.
Ragnarok is possibly a rather big gamble for Marvel, but one of the biggest payoffs is that they let Chris Hemsworth's Thor be the wise-cracker, the sass-machine, and the genuinely humorous hero. Waititi's direction and script is one of the reasons why a wise-cracking God of Thunder (mistakenly dubbed Lord of Thunder at one point during the film) works so well, but it's also Hemsworth's genuine performance that adds so much more to what could have been a forced performance. His fellow companions, the return of the always cunning Loki, the innocent Bruce Banner, and the fierce Valkyrie are all great additions that complete the team of misfits that in a way, are the alternate Guardians of the Galaxy.
 |
| Image source: Imgur |
This of course, is very much a Marvel movie, but it is also, a Taika Waititi film. If you're familiar with Waititi's films, then it wouldn't be much of a shock to see how much of his familiar absurdity is placed in Thor: Ragnarok. Taika's films brims with brilliant humor that feels genuine and have become something that's of his own. No one else could do Waititi's humor better than Waititi himself, and a lot of that is seen here in Ragnarok. You could say it's a Taika Waititi film dressed in a superhero garb. But that's what made it stand out. Marvel took a chance with Waititi, just as much as they took a chance with James Gunn for Guardians.
Waititi's small yet memorable presence as Korg also adds to the absurd dynamic of the humor, adding great humor that's elevated with the Kiwi accent that makes it so much funnier than it would in a standard American accent. It's fitting to see how Korg could be a reminiscent of Waititi's previous roles as Alamein in Boy, given how his constant relaxed way of speaking could remind those of how Alamein tells his misadventures to his son in Boy, or some parts, his Priest speech in Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
Thor: Ragnarok is loaded with eccentricities, and it's not a sin for anyone to relish in its eccentricities. Taika brings in his oddball magic into the world of the God of Thunder with joyful proportions. The previous two films went for the typical Marvel humor, and a grounded story, but Ragnarok is the firecracker that should have been lit up a long time ago. When it goes into an all-out colorful oddball space quest, Ragnarok doesn't just dip its hand, it submerges its hand in a bowl of mixed candy melts. And boy, does it fit with its equally bright palette. Ragnarok is a deliciously colorful candy bowl that bursts with color and flavor in every bite. It's Marvel's very own neon Disneyland. Every brush from its palette is a trippy wonder that is similar to that of Doctor Stange's, but slightly trippier. It's the eccentric space romp that still strays much further from the tone of the Guardians, as it is its own comedic space romp with its own eccentric aspects. Ragnarok doesn't need to go much into specifics, if it's weird, let it be.
 |
| Image source: IMDB |
The film isn't flawless. It has its faults, despite being covered up in its colorfully lucid palette. As soon as the opening fight sequence ends, the problem begins. The first ten minutes or so of the film that continues after the opening sequence with Surtur could be a little fast-paced, with characters suddenly figuring out what the other had done with no clear explanation other than "I just know it", a sudden arc to a certain character that seemingly came out of nowhere, and the appearance of another familiar face that, while being a very fun sequence; went a little too fast to the point where you question why it's even there. But that's only during the beginning. It does continue to go on its merry way right after. Another lies within the villain itself. Does Hela solve the Marvel villain problem? Unfortunately, no. While Cate Blanchett relishes her chance in playing the Goddess of Death (and it clearly shows in her performance), Hela's presence becomes less threatening the more we see her (which we really don't), that even then when the stuff in Sakaar ends and transitions to her in Asgard, it becomes an entirely different film, and it's easy to forget that she's even there.
Yet in the end, Thor: Ragnarok pays off, big time. Since it's coming from a director who has his own unique brand of comedic tone, Ragnarok's gamble with tackling humor becomes one of its greatest aspects. There's a good amount of substance and heart, too, that grounds its eccentricities, but not entirely as to screech it to a halt. Great chemistry is had between Thor, Loki, and Banner that become the cherry on top and adds more to their dynamic as work partners and as friends (or frenemies, in Loki's case).
Whatever Thor: Ragnarok was going for, it works, in nearly every single possible way, whether it's in the action, chemistry, and the overall tone. As soon as that opening fight sequence rages to the Immigrant Song, the tone is set: it's going to be one hell of a ride. Thor: Ragnarok is the most fun I've had and in the best possible way, the widest smile I've made while watching a film in a long time.
Stars: 4.3/5
Trailer
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