Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Review

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Thor: Ragnarok follows Thor, who, following the passing of his father, must contend with his evil sister Hela, forcing him to battle his way through Sakaar and enlist the help of Hulk, Loki, and Valkyrie in order to stop her and save the people of Asgard. 

Part of my goal in rewatching Thor: Ragnarok was to see, post-Love and Thunder, how the film holds up and if possibly, it was just my views on Waititi’s style of humor that have changed. And the resounding answer is no, they haven’t changed, Ragnarok is just a far superior movie—a stunning blend of comedy, action, and emotional weight that reinvigorates a stagnant character and makes him interesting all over again. More importantly though, it’s got a story worth telling, forcing Thor to realize his true potential and become King of Asgard, as a true test of a man’s worth as king is how he overcomes the perils of being powerless. 

And while obviously powerful before (though always feeling a little nerfed), Thor reaches a level of power that finally feels godlike in this film (fitting considering he’s gonna need it come Infinity War). Sure, Ragnarok is goofier and puts Hemsworth’s natural comedy chops to good use, but the presence of Hela and the rekindling of him and Loki shows a Thor who has grown exponentially, obviously in power but also as a man, who despite so much loss (especially here) can remain pure and inspire those around him. 

We get an awesome cast too, starring Clancy Brown, Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Goldblum, Taika Waititi, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, and Chris Hensworth. Hemsworth is probably at his best in his third solo outing, hamming it up wonderfully and as badass as ever, showing so much natural chemistry alongside Thompson, Waititi, and Hiddleston, while Blanchett manages to chew every scene she’s in to perfection.

Thor: Ragnarok, directed by Taika Waititi, finally realizes Thor’s full potential as a character, laying into the cornier sides of the character, while still making him one of the most unstoppable and badass characters in the MCU and having loads of fun along the way. 

9.3/10