Con SuiteThe Reactor

Reactor Review: Thor Ragnarok

By Boukenred

The God of Thunder is back for Marvel’s next installment in Thor: Ragnarok, directed by Taika Waititi. This will be the third film in the Thor movie franchise and it is connected to the continuing the story of Thor as well not to mention a few others connected to Marvel’s cinematic universe. The cast of Thor: Ragnarok include Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Hopkins.

[Spoiler warning – mild spoilers ahead]
After a disastrous encounter with Hela on Earth ( she subsequently invades Asgard), Thor finds himself imprisoned on the other side of the universe. Hela also destroyed Mjolnir in the process, leaving Thor without his trusted weapon and in somewhat vulnerable state. Thor must now race against time to save Asgard from the Ragnarok destruction that Hela is about to unleash. In order for Thor to be set free and leave to save Asgard, he must fight for his freedom on the Sakaar where he must battle the champion of the Grandmaster’s battle arena. To Thor’s surprise, the champion on Sakaar is none other than his teammate from Earth — The Incredible Hulk.

Thor: Ragnarok continues with Thor’s story after the event of Avengers 2: Age Of Ultron. The movie does continue on some of the plot elements from Thor: The Dark World, but otherwise, the story stands on its own without the need to see the other movies for continuity. This is great to introduce those unfamiliar to the franchise however I would recommend watching the first two Thor movies to gain an understanding of the character’s backgrounds. It was notable to me that influence behind the story of Thor: Ragnarok is drawn from the comic World War Hulk story, by writer Greg Pak. This was worked in as a subplot for the Hulk’s story on the planet Sakaar; the movie gave viewers the an exciting story for both Thor and Hulk to work together as well as the chance to see both heroes battle in arena style.

Chris Hemsworth’s charismatic performance proves again that he is a worthy actor to portray Thor. Audiences will appreciate Hemsworth’s performance as Thor throughout the movie, as he defends Asgard and the journey to Sakaar. Perhaps the most appreciated character development for Thor throughout this movie is the comedic dialogue , as this makes the movie fun and exciting to watch.

Audiences will also enjoy Tom Hiddleston as he returns as the fan-favorite mischievous God, Loki. The pairing with Thor works great and they play to each other’s persona. he sibling rivalry and bonding moments are hilarious and fun to watch.

While eyes may be trained on Tom Hiddleson, the breakout star of this film would have to go to Mark Ruffalo as Hulk/Bruce Banner. As a major Hulk story from the comic (World War Hulk) was utilized through most of the part of this film. This gives the Hulk more opportunity for more character development, as you’ll see this time Hulk has been able to speak more in full sentences, rather than just being silent or only speaking a few words.

The newest addition to the movie franchise is Tessa Thompson as a Valkyrie; as she will be aiding Thor against the threat against him. Valkyrie will be the new favorite among female fans, as her character displays a great strength and fighting skills and empowering many viewers as Jamie Alexander did as Lady Sif, in the previous Thor movies. The other new addition to the movie is Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster; his role throughout the movie help sets up the battle arena on Sakaar, as well as being the secondary antagonist of the film. While his role may not be as menacing as a major villain, Jeff Goldblum’s charismatic performance do make the audiences laugh and enjoy what he has in store for both Thor and the rest of his team.

The main antagonist of the film is Cate Blanchett’s Hela. Throughout her performance, audiences will sense the terror her character can deliver. Perfect example is shown in the trailer where Hela shatters Mjonir by simply crushing it with her hand. Although her character may be powerful as she was in the comics, Cate Blanchett’s performance amplifies Hela’s terrifying and ruthless nature. In my opinion, her performance in this will make her one of the most memorable villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Throughout Thor: Ragnarok, you’ll see many great elements inspired from the illustration by Jack Kirby. As the movie seems to be a love letter to Jack Kirby’s creation, from the space elements, technology, and the infamous Kirby Krackle energy that emits throughout each scenery. Overall, the film sets the bar to a higher-level as one of the best Marvel cinematic films, as well as setting up the story for next year’s Avengers: Infinity Wars movie. So if you’re a fan of the Marvel Cinematic films, be sure to catch Thor: Ragnarok, hitting theaters November 3rd.

Do you plan on seeing Thor: Ragnorok? Click here to join the conversation on the FoCC forum.