Third time is a charm.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017): 10 out of 10: After the last film Left Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in charge of Asgard disguised as his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) whom he trapped on earth, Thor comes home to set things right. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) then finds out he has an older sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) who is the vying for the throne. Can Thor stop the usurper, take his place as the rightful heir and save Asgard from Ragnarok, a prophesied destruction of both Asgard and all the old gods?
The Good
The Good: Pretty much everything. Looking at the above synopsis, one can easily imagine a dour grey family drama with lightning. (Heck, one doesn’t have to imagine it. Just watch Thor the Dark World again.) Instead, we have a joyful, colorful, action-packed film that is easily the most fun I have had watching a movie in a long time. It is pure joy. Too many things are perfect but a shout out to the use of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song and director Taika Waititi as super friendly rock monster Korg.
The Bad
The Bad: Nothing. Seriously, nothing. Okay, fine, the use of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’s Pure Imagination is a little on the nose. There is also a realization while watching that not enough films have Jeff Goldblum in them… does that count as a negative?
In Conclusion
In Conclusion: Thor Ragnarok is simply the most fun I had at the movies this year. Dunkirk is a slightly better film, and there are more “important” films out there, but this was pure joy. Imagine a comic book movie that felt like reading a comic book. What will they think of next?