By Kyle Osborne
I always go into these Marvel movies with high hopes, even though the whole Superhero/Comic Book genre is not my favorite. Not even close. What’s great about Thor: Ragnarok is that it’s the Superhero movie for people who aren’t that into Superhero movies. I really liked it. Second only to Deadpool (among Marvel flicks), which benefited from its “R” rating.
This is the third Thor installment, and though the other two generated plenty of goodwill, it’s the best of the bunch because of its sense of humor. It’s like a SNL skit about Thor. Self-aware, but never taking itself seriously.
Chris Hemsworth has always been a big part of the appeal–in this one, he’s joined by a spectacular cast that includes Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum as perfectly villains and, drum roll, The Incredible Hulk as a buddy. Mark Ruffalo (in his human form Bruce Banner) is doing something, can’t put my finger on it, but something that’s got a bit of Marlon Brando camp to it. It grows on you, no pun intended.
Director Taika Waititi, surely the least likely man on the planet to have scored this gig, is the secret to this sauce. His quirky, sideways take on things provides just the right touch. I hope they signed him up for a sequel.
Director Taika Waititi and Kyle Osborne
I’m not going to get into the plot because who cares–but color me shocked that any movie with the word “Ragnarok” in the plot, not to mention in the title, could be a huge hit. It’s nice to be surprised.
Thor: Ragnarok is rated “PG-13” and runs a little over 2 hours. Watch the trailer here:
Mark Ruffalo and Kyle Osborne