I don’t think I’m too out of line when I say that Thor: Ragnarok is a lot to take in. It’s technically a super hero film, but it’s really more of a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid. It’s an action film, but is equally a buddy comedy. It’s the third in a trilogy, is killing it in theaters on the second weekend out, comes from a major studio, and is a visual spectacle.
It’s a word salad, and is an absolute blast.
With only a week away from the highly anticipated Justice League release, this is the latest in a series of fun Marvel flicks it will likely be compared to. However, while both films feature heavy hitters teaming up for collective smashing, we’re looking at vastly different takes on the team situation, I think. Marvel Studios has a lovely habit of creating genre films featuring Superheroes, the Guardians films are space opera types, Ant-Man was a heist flick, and here they have their buddy comedy. But with a little twist.
The buddy rotates out.
It’s Tango and Cash, and McClane, and the T-800. Thor gets to share the tropes of mismatched pairs having to bind together, with a team’s worth of folks. He shares banter, in-fights, reconciliation, and motivation from the likes of his mischievous brother, the Hulk, Banner, a rock man, and a Valkyrie in about equal share. It’s probably been done before, but it works so well here. Even when they team up, there are rarely more than two badasses shoulder to shoulder.
This allowed the story to flow well, without having to fill exposition in long sequences, we get to learn about each person through the rotation of screen sharing. Much like real life, we never learn the full story of our co-workers during one lunch break. It works well to tell the story, and gives the action and comedic bits time to break it up. It flies by at two hours and ten minutes, and it’s fun and pretty to look at from top to bottom.
And holy shit, this movie is hilarious.
The screenplay is written by fellows who have worked with plenty of the fun Marvel animated stuff, including the Planet Hulk animated film, and directed by Taika Waititi of the great What We Do in the Shadows and Flight of the Concords. And it feels like it. The movie is almost more comedic bits, than even action adventure, and it works. Thor isn’t exactly the easiest character to take seriously, and the first film did a good job of playing with a bit of that, through his fish out of water antics. But The Dark World, while having stuff I enjoyed, just felt a little too serious for a character who flies via hammer spinning, and talks like he’s a Shakespearian actor. Don’t get me wrong, I love the big guy, and that’s why he didn’t fit quite right, until he was in a straight comedy.
It works, and I can’t recommend it enough.
I’m trying to stay away from my usual spoiler filled rants, because the most fun bits are exactly that, bits, and shouldn’t be watered down by a second hand telling. But I can express that the Hulk stuff is just the most delightful shit, and if you like Goldblum at all, he’s really on ten in this flick. Hopefully, I’ll have fun when I do finally see Justice League, and I know I’m going to go absolutely bonkers for The Punisher, but I challenge anything to entertainment as thoroughly as Thor: Ragnarok did.
