‘Thor: Ragnarok” is wonderfully weird in every way. It’s an oddball in every aspect, from its indie New Zealander director Taika Waititi to its mishmash of Norse mythology and 1980s sci-fi and sword and sorcery films.
Also out of place is its place amongst the “Thor” series of films. Rarely, if ever, is the third movie in a series the best, but “Ragnarok” puts the previous “Thor” films to shame.
The Goddess of Death, Hela (Cate Blanchett), has returned to Asgard, reclaiming the throne from Odin and Thor. Defeated and lost from his kingdom after facing her, Thor finds himself on a strange, garbage-covered world of alien creatures, scavengers and gladiator arenas ruled by an eccentric totalitarian overlord (Jeff Goldblum). Forced to fight for his life, Thor faces off against estranged Avenger the Hulk, who may be his best chance to get off the bizarre alien world and return to Asgard.
Director Waititi, known for his fantastic indie comedies “What We Do In The Shadows” and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” injects his dry and quirky brand of humor throughout, as well as allowing Chris Hemsworth to finally have fun and flex his comedic timing. Hemsworth was hilarious in the “Avengers” films when he was given the chance, as opposed to the somewhat more serious portrayals the previous “Thor” films have required of him. It’s great to see how much Waititi and the writers recognize that, and Thor has never been a more enjoyable protagonist.
Blanchett is vicious and delightfully vengeful as Hela, a character whose theatricality and commanding grandiose presence makes for the perfect sword and sorcery villainess — a character who would fit just as well in “Conan the Barbarian” as she would on a drag show stage. Someone get RuPaul on the phone.
Tom Hiddleston returns as Loki and is superb as always, solidifying his place as one of the most enjoyable villains/antiheroes of the entire Marvel cinematic universe. Mark Ruffalo returns and plays the bantering sidekick Bruce Banner/Incredible Hulk. The dynamic between Thor and the shifting personalities of Banner and the Hulk is ’80s fantasy adventure gold: a prince charming who becomes best friends with a neurotic Dr. Jekyll and an infantile Mr. Hyde.
Tessa Thompson is a great addition to the pantheon of Marvel cinematic heroes as Valkyrie, an amoral and drunken scavenger with Han Solo-esque swagger. Valkyrie is an awesome character who gets a very cool development and backstory, and it would be nothing short of unfortunate if she didn’t get some great future appearances in the further adventures of Thor.
The actor having the most fun here, however, is Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster. The character is eccentric and bizarre, a humorously villainous tyrant with a quirky and strangely likable personality. He commands every scene he’s in, which is in no small part the result of being dressed like a swinger at Burning Man.
“Thor: Ragnarok” isn’t jam-packed with action, but the thrills are top-notch, even if the sense of stakes or consequences aren’t felt quite as deeply as they should be. The filmmakers decided to put all their efforts into how much fun the audience has.
Though the color palette, great camaraderie and sci-fi weirdness may borrow a bit obviously from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” the humor and style of it all is distinct and unique to Waititi’s vision for the film. Though “Guardians” probably is the movie to retain the status of Marvel’s best movie, “Ragnarok” may very well be in the studio’s top five, and is worth the price of admission for an all-out two hours of escapism — overpriced concessions and all.
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“Thor: Ragnarok” is currently playing at the Riverside Cinemas, 1017 S. Boone St. in Aberdeen.
George Haerle holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing for media and lives in Cosmopolis.
