Review: Thor Ragnarok
The beginning of the film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) captured by Surtur, the ruler of the reign of fire Muspelheim, two years after the battle in Sokovia. After defeating him in a montage to the rhythm of Led Zeppelin's “Immigrant Song”, the dizzying first half hour ties up all the loose ends of previous installments and post-credit scenes, and establishes a new status quo. The hero discovers that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is impersonating Odin (Anthony Hopkins), and together they go in search of their father on Earth. They find him without delay, a Doctor Strange cameo in the middle, and he immediately "dies" releasing his first-born daughter, Hela (Cate Blanchett). The goddess of death quickly makes her power and intentions clear, destroying Mjolnir with one hand and knocking her two younger brothers by the Bifrost.
The destination is Sakaar, who will serve as the setting for most of the film. Anyone who has read the comic Planet Hulk, from which the script takes elements, will remember that this is the world where the emerald giant fights as a gladiator and leads a Spartacus-like revolution. Luckily for the viewer, in the cinematic universe Sakaar is not represented as an orientalist-inspired desert and earthy color palette, but rather a huge and colorful city. Its ruler is the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), one of the Ancients of the Universe along with the Collector, who sponsors intergalactic gladiator fights on his planet.
Inspired by Kirby's cosmic psychedelia, the design of the city and its inhabitants is a welcome change of scenery. Filling more than Xandar, Asgard or any other location that we have seen in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies the possibilities of a cartoon alien planet. To highlight the exotic hue, clothing design, makeup, and even local customs, such as the parade scene and its colored powders, they take both Hindu and Asian elements.
In addition, this Kirbyan Sakaar is presented as a good theater to battles that feature a Thor without a hammer. As for the action diagram, the film is up to Marvel standards, although this is not a point for which it stands out particularly. Luckily, the script comes to the rescue, solving the fights in an ingenious way and distancing itself from falling into the repetitive.
As for the script, just like Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Thor Ragnarok uses a family conflict story as the knot of adventure. This decision is correct because deep down what always worked best in Thor's mythology is his relationship with his brother Loki. To which is now added the revenge of the first-born Hela and the revelation of a hidden dark past about how Odin built Asgard.
As a character, Thor continues to be the weakest on the Marvel hero roster, without the defined and archetypal conflict that defines Cap or Tony Stark. First, they minimize the tragic tones that have defined the character so far, highlighting a sense of humor that was always but never as marked as in Thor: Ragnarok.
Second, they are surrounded by a cast of delightful supporting characters, with whom to feed a round trip that never stops. Loki is joined by Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, who has much more chemistry with Hemsworth than Natalie Portman ever had. Karl Urban as Skurge also adds, with a good bow for his character.
As for the Hulk, his character's arc is somewhat unfinished, new layers of complexity are added to the emerald giant that are welcome. According to Ruffalo, the development his character is facing here is the beginning of a journey that will be continued in the next two Avengers sequels.
While there is an attempt at depth to Hela in Thor Ragnarok, endowing her with a past that explains her desire for universal conquest, the development is too truncated for the viewer to empathize with.
At the beginning the similarities with Guardians of the Galaxy are too evident, the charm of the characters and the propulsiveness of the plot manage to unmark the film, and the viewer to screw it to the armchair. With Thor: Ragnarok, despite its flaws, it is still a movie that you can not miss.