[Review] Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Thor: So much has happened since I last saw you! I lost my hammer, like yesterday, so that’s still fresh. Then I went on a journey of self-discovery. Then I met you. 

This review contains spoilers.

After seeing “Thor: Ragnarok”, I finally understand why Marvel hasn’t dropped the Avengers: Infinity War trailer, yet. Simply because they need to tweak that opening scene from the leaked teaser. Why? Because Thor will pull an Odin look during the third act of this space opera extravaganza.

I’ve pondered on the use of humor in the Marvel movies and I sort of put the finger on why it works for me. Think of Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers or Thor. On the surface we get the wise-ass, mild-manner, righteous and quirky profiles but inside, on a deeper, soul level analysis there’s pain, there’s anger, there’s sadness and there’s trying to rise to a higher purpose. The humor exists in these movies because is what we also need as spectators. I need it. Because these characters hit home. Their flaws make them human heroes - even the ones with extra-powers. They suffer, they rise up and they keep on fighting. Just like us.

The third entry for Thor offered the best portrayal of this Shakespearean hero. Taika Waititi took on the clunky material from Thor:The Dark World and Avengers: Age of Ultron and finally made Thor an interesting hero without always falling in the shadows of other characters. The story was balanced around Thor and tried to close some lose threads from the other installments.

“Thor” has always been a family drama cloaked by the fantasy elements of the comics used in the MCU. It’s been the vision of Kenneth Branagh to use as starting point “Henry IV” and “Henry V” but most of the times, these elements made Chris Hemsworth fall in the background and Tom Hiddlestone’s Loki win the crowds. Waititi doesn’t leave Loki to the background but succeeds in making Thor a full fledged flawed hero on his own two feet. And what Waititi does wonderfully is reintroducing Thor and Loki after the events of Thor: The Dark World without too much fuss and a mess. It’s Thor’s whatever attitude towards his adoptive brother that finally let’s the story to move on. There’s also Anthony Hopkins’ Odin, maybe used as a regal cameo who restarts the rebuilding of bridges between the two fallen brothers. Both of them have been raised by Odin and as Hela notices it: Thor has the brash attitude of his father while Loki has adopted his Machiavellian diplomacy. 

Thor: Ragnarok is Thor and Loki’s chapter of finally letting it all go and following their destiny. Hela, sadly, for now remains another villain used to usher a story, be the eternal cackling antagonist who just so happens gives a new twist to the family tale. Hela is Thor’s sister. Well, I could have lived without this element because it rings too close to the first installment of the Thor trilogy with Loki reclaiming his birth right. But you know what? I’m going to ignore it. Most of the times, the villains in MCU serve the role to inspire and help the heroes achieve something in their quest. Yes, Zemo is still the only one who accomplished his mission without the need of an army but hey, there’s Avengers: Infinity War on the horizon and I can’t wait to see how the damage of Civil War will be addresses and friendships will be rebuild.

In the meantime, Cate Blanchett had fun being a female Loki, Mark Ruffalo added more layers to the Bruce Banner persona, although the Black Widow romance, the one the whole fandom his moaning about, is still there - hey, while you’re at it, do recall one Wanda witchy magic on the whole lot of Avengers and how her antics made all of them behave almost out of character. You’re welcome. It might not be romance, may it be romantic friendship based on trust. Yeah, I didn’t buy the whole Bruce/Natasha lovey-dovey thing but I worked it into something I can live with, you should try it too.

Thor’s buddies were eliminated quickly and this actually rubs me the wrong way because why the fuck would you add them in two movies only to kill them - minus one Sif who wasn’t in this tale - swiftly in a couple of second. It looks like a waste or talent and characters. Idris Elba finally had the chance to show his rugged looks more and embrace the renegade warrior story for Heimdall. Karl Urban’s Skurge had an intriguing character but there wasn’t enough time to explore him fully. Skurge was an Asgardian warrior who wanted to show he can do more than simply be part of the winning crew. He was odd, he had a thing for Midgardian weapons, he was wise in knowing with whom to side when the battle wasn’t in his favor but at the end of the movie, he worked the redemption arc maybe a bit too quickly, and the same goes for the fanbase new love, the Valkyrie. Tessa Thompson isn’t here to be the new Jane for Thor, in fact, what is wonderful about this installment is that Thor finally realizes his purpose. MCU has tried to put together couples and sometimes these couples just don’t work out: Thor and Jane, Steve and Sharon to name the main offenders. Just like in the real world, sometimes love doesn’t mean forever. Or you need to take some time off and think about many aspects of ones relationship: look at Tony and Pepper.

In Thor: Ragnarok there wasn’t enough time to bring all the old, familiar faces and work with the new ones. And push the story towards the whole Thanos arc. It was a matter of finding the main story-lines, close some old ones and move forward. For better or worse. Oh yeah, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster. I just didn’t give a damn about his character in the story’s economy but the whole gladiator/Planet Hulk extravaganza was fun - yes, there was a Guardians of the Galaxy vibe, it also means it’s a smart move to have structure and continuity in the MCU, it doesn’t mean it was stolen because it worked for James Gunn and it could salvage the Thor franchise. It simply worked because it is all connected after all. 

And so, I return to the fact that Thor pulled an Odin move. In fact, Thor loses one eye and the last minutes of the movie bring everything together, with the two brothers out in space, with the whole Asgardian nation stranded in a spaceship, trying to find a new home. Thor and Loki finally come to a closing point in their tumultuous relationship. Both of them accept each others flaws as well as their on misconducts. It also brings one intriguing end credit scene, with their spaceship face to face with Thanos’ spaceship. This little scene kinda makes the whole leaked teaser from this summer in need of a touch-up and raises a few questions like: Loki did take the Tessaract from Odin’s Vault before leaving Asgard, will he give it to Thanos in a scene related to the end credit one or is there’s something else in store? Is the Asgardian spaceship blasted into oblivion leaving Thor the sole survivor and pushing towards the meeting with the Guardians of the Galaxy? Truth is, deciding that Thor loses his eye and granting him the whole metaphysical, spiritual, you can’t escape your destiny, Odin parallel, reshape a bit what we saw in that leaked footage. However, it was a great move coming from Waititi and embraced fully by Hemsworth.

Did I enjoy Thor: Ragnarok? Yes, I did. I loved the fact it didn’t take itself too seriously yet added gravitas to the whole tale. I liked that some story-lines finally found closure. What I liked the most was the redemption arcs given to the characters. All of them, Thor, Hulk, Loki, the Valkyrie needed something to push them from a stranded point. It worked and this brings us closer to the main event for next year, after Black Panther. Avengers: Infinity War, the last chapter of a great story which began in 2008.

Why I don’t complain about the use of humor? Because it’s what helps some characters get from one day to the other. I helps them survive. Sometimes the deepest, most miserable darkness lies in those makes us laugh. Those laughs cover the sadness.