This weekend just past, I saw Thor: Ragnarok for the second time
My Quickie Review
Marvel is consistently hitting it out of the park with their franchises, and this is no exception. It's funny, heartfelt, funny, full of awesome action, funny... did I mention it was funny? This film was practically an action comedy and it really, really worked.
My Longer Review
If I find out the man can sing, I'm going to lose my temper.
The opportunity for Hemsworth to flex his comedic muscles (no pun intended), was clearly leapt upon. The whole cast appears to have had a blast with this film, Hemsworth most of all. Props to Taika Waititi for letting the actors just run.
Tom Hiddleston's return to Loki was fantastic as well. He and Hemsworth play well off one another, creating a fun dynamic that is always a delight on screen. Honestly, I could happily watch them together all day.
I also loved Idris Elba's Heimdall. I was thrilled he got to step up this time, and become a greater part of the Thor films. Elba is a leading man, and was absolutely wasted as Heimdall in the other films. This time around, he's smart and courageous, stepping up to save the Asgardians when there was no one else. Thank you for giving more to Elba this time around. He can certainly carry it.
Karl Urban cracked me up as Scourge, and Jeff Goldblum reached peach Goldblum in this film. Both were fantastic.
The one cast member struggling to keep up, it felt like, was Mark Ruffalo. With so many naturally talented comedians around him, there were a few times where he missed the mark. It's an unenviable job, trying to keep up with the ad lib jokes flying thick and fast around him.
The story itself was typical of these kinds of films. Hero suffers loss, overcomes loss, makes sacrifice, wins. Nothing all that new or fresh. The presentation, however, was.
There were so many jokes, big and small, that had me laughing all the way through this movie. Of course there were the obvious jokes, and the hilarious physical comedy stuff. But it was the small things, the little jokes that made me laugh the hardest. One of my favourites was the BBC's Sherlock-like harpsichord music as Thor goes to see Dr. Strange following his brother's sudden disappearance. Another favourite of mine was the whole slaves vs prisoners with jobs bit, which, besides being funny, was a sly commentary on the modern penal system.
Sure, some of the same gags were reused in the film at different points, but they remained hilarious to me.
Finally
What you will get out of it is a rollicking good time, and many, many laughs. I really enjoyed it, and will happily see it over again.