Thor: Ragnarok is getting a lot of attention for being a good, but different Marvel movie. Is it worth hitting the theaters to watch, though? Here’s a review of the film so you can decide.
Music
Mark Mothersbaugh did a great job as composer for the film. It’s a unique Marvel soundtrack that doesn’t interfere with what’s happening. It adds to it, as a soundtrack should. But, I wouldn’t say it stands out as a really great score. It’s electronic heavy, which may be a bit much for some. I personally liked the techno 80’s vibe to it. Overall I’d say it’s good but not great.
Effects and Look
There were plenty of special effects, cgi, etc. in this Thor movie. Some of the figures looked really great and others looked too computer done. For example, Surtur who is at the beginning film battle isn’t quite as realistic from a cgi standpoint. It might be because of how much is computer graphics that the look suffers a bit.
Hulk looked great in this film, and it really appeared like Bruce Banner as a monster. Another effect that was stellar was Hela’s uses of weapons and headgear.
Where cgi felt a bit too much in this film, there was a lot of costumes and practical sets that made up for it. It’s a vibrant film with a lot of things going on with wardrobes and set pieces. There’s a line by Bruce Banner about the planet being one that was designed to make him angry, and I’d say it’s possible with saturation of color and constant action in the background. It just looks great to have all that, though. Sorry, Bruce.
Characters
This movie much like Captain America: Civil War was not centered around just the title character. I’ll expand on that later, but it explains why there were so many people in this film.
Jeff Goldblum did a terrific job as Grandmaster. He brought a unique flare to the character that made him a force to be reckoned with while having fun in entertainment. Tessa Thompson was a strong Valkyrie. She conveyed the complication of the character while also being tough. Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Tom Hiddleston reprise their characters Thor, Hulk, and Loki. Out of the three Ruffalo stands out to me as the one that did a phenomenal job. It might be because of not getting a lot of screen time in the past, but he really came through as Bruce Banner for me. Hiddleston was finally the mischievous Loki from the comics. In the past he’s been much more villainous than playful, and this time it was the Loki that likes to mess with people and be a villain. Hemsworth did great as Thor, but it was still the typical Thor we all know. Cate Blanchett was an amazing villain. She was evil and powerful, and her performance was powerful too.
My favorite character, though, was the director played Korg. He stole the show each time he was on screen.
Story
rDon’t worry. I won’t give away the big plot points so you can still see the film.
Ragnarok has the basic elements of most Marvel films. A big bad is trying to take over a world and heroes have to stop her. But, this was also a bit of a hero’s journey. I don’t just mean for Thor. I think many of the characters had to go on the journey to get to be who they really are.
I liked the pacing and the way the story went. The script helped with it not dragging on. In moments that could have had too much explanation, snappy dialogue helped break it up. As for overall story, if you’re looking for something entirely different than any other Marvel movie Ragnarok is not this. It does have something else though…
Thor: Ragnarok Review Conclusion
So, is it worth seeing based on those categories above? Yes! Even though it doesn’t knock it out of the park in each category, all the elements come together wonderfully. There is one more something this movie has in spades: fun. It is just a fun movie. There is so much witty banter going on that I laughed the most I’ve laughed for any Marvel Studios production! And it’s a film in space. It warrants the need to see it on a big screen. There are big vibrant shots throughout. I think even if you’re not a big Marvel fan, this is still a good movie to see because it’s so different. It’s more of a genre film than a Marvel film.
If you’ve seen it, what do you think of the movie? Let us know in the comments below!
