Funny and Action-packed, Thor: Ragnarok Will Not Let You Get Bored for a Single Moment

By Avik Basak

Do you remember the time, when the first Thor film hit the theatres? There was absolutely zero expectations from it, rightly so as the Asgardian god of thunder is not known to be one of Marvel’s popular creations. Still, it turned out to be a huge blockbuster. The well-crafted story, the compact screenplay and director Kenneth Branagh’s vision compelled cinemagoers to pay a visit to the “Odinson”.

Then Thor made a good enough mark in the first Avengers movie and the expectations from the sequel, Thor: The Dark World became high, but unlike its predecessor, it did not turn out to be a pleasing watch. As a result, I was a little sceptical about Thor: Ragnarok, despite the fact that the trailers looked promising. But I can say after watching it, that the Asgardian crown prince comes back to form in this one along with his trickster brother as this movie dazzles us and keeps us entertained right from the very first frame till the time the screen turns black (If you know what I mean Marvel fans).

The movie begins with the thunder god’s search for his father, Odin as he learns about the rise of Hela, the goddess of death and how it could cause Ragnarok, the prophesied end of Asgard. Thor then attempts and struggles to find his way back home to stop this prophecy from becoming a reality.

The most different thing about Ragnarok is that this is wickedly funny for a Thor film yet it manages to infuse the required amount of darkness the movie needed. Little-known director Taika Waititi deserves a round of applause for the way he balances the acts of humour with the sharp scenes of dialogue and the exceptionally well-choreographed and shot action sequences. The writing team of Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost did an excellent job with the screenplay, which Waititi builds upon with his quirky style and Mark Mothersbaugh’s excellent soundtrack, among which the standout is Led Zeppelin’s popular Immigrant Song. The visual effects are top notched as we can expect from any Marvel movie, while the use of 3D is just mind-blowing.

The best thing about Ragnarok though is the casting of Cate Blanchett in the role of Hela. Menacing and evil, Blanchett just owns the character and makes it one of the best villains the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever produced. Chris Hemsworth once again makes Thor convincing but yet again it is Tom Hiddleston as Loki who outshines him. Whereas Anthony Hopkins and Idris Elba have very little parts to play as Odin and Heimdall here, Tessa Thompson and Karl Urban amaze us with their turn as Valkyrie and Skurge respectively.

When we are talking about the performances, the list cannot end without a special mention of Mark Ruffalo and his turn as Bruce Banner and his monstrous alter-ego, Hulk. This film probably marks his best performance in the character. The way he portrays the alter-egos in two different styles and is still able to seem funny and impressive deserves serious acclaim.

Overall, I cannot say whether Thor: Ragnarok is the best Thor film till date or not because the first one still holds a special place in my heart. Still, what I can certainly state without any second thought is that this one deserves a watch in the theatre, preferably in 3D. I am sure, you will not leave the auditorium disappointed.

4.5 Stars Out of 5 from Me...