(Poster property of Marvel Studios)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Thor: Ragnarok is out in theatres!
The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has made his glorious return to the big screen after sitting out from the game-changing Captain America: Civil War.
But where was Thor as his friends tore each other apart? Read on to find out…
Warning! Spoilers are ahead….
It turns out that the Mighty Thor was captured by the fire demon Surtur (voiced by Clancy Brown and motioned caught by director Taika Waititi) on his quest to search for the Infinity Stones. Surtur taunts the mighty Asgardian God that his father, Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), has vanished and the prophecy known as Ragnarok has slowly unraveled. Once, Thor quenches Surtur and his forces; he goes to Asgard to confront “Odin,” who is revealed to be Loki (Tom Hiddleston). The God of Mischief explains that he sent their father to Earth. The duo arrives on Earth, where Thor meets with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who temps to capture Loki. Thor reveals that he will keep an eye on his no-good brother and Doctor Strange gives them a spell that will reunite with their father.
When the half-siblings reunited with their father, Odin reveals that he is dying and warns them of the arrival of their oldest sister, the bloodthirsty Hela (Cate Blanchett), who escapes from her prison as the Asgardian King passes on. The siblings confront Hela, but she is no match for them as she breaks Mjolnir with ease. The duo retreated to Asgard, but she knocked them to a wormhole, which transported them to the garbage planet: Sakaar.
(End of Spoilers)
Thor: Ragnarok marks the third (and possibly final) chapter in the Thor franchise. The film continues to build upon the intense action that was showcased in The Dark World. Ragnarok’s impressive fight sequences draw both the crescendo and decrescendo to the film. The God of Thunder’s fight with the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in the Grandmaster’s (Jeff Goldblum) arena will delight the fan base, while the final confrontation with Hela’s forces will have moviegoers on the edge of their seats.
Screenwriters Eric Pearson along with Marvel mainstays Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost brilliantly melded elements of Greg Pak’s legendary “Planet Hulk” storyline and the Marvel Universe into the two-hour and ten-minute film. The screenwriters also did a good job giving answers such as Thor’s absence for the past two years. Also, fans also learned what happened to the Incredible Hulk after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron and why we have not heard from Dr. Bruce Banner.
Both Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston commanded the screen as Asgard’s favorite warring sons. While Hemsworth infused a bit of comedy into our stoic God of Thunder, Hiddleston proved that Loki does have a heart…even if it took him until the second half of the film to show that he has a soft side. Cate Blanchett also steals the show as the icy death dominatrix. While Hela’s fate is up for grabs, Ms. Blanchett breathed new life into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the deadly villain. Also, Thor’s legendary co-creator, Stan Lee, made his cameo appearance as the wicked man who cut the God of Thunder’s luscious locks.
Final thoughts & grade: Thor: Ragnarok potentially brings the God of Thunder’s adventures to a close as he enters a new royal role for the next phase in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Iron Man 3 and Captain America: Civil War stumbled, Thor: Ragnarok soared as it combined action and comedy with an excellent story. Excelsior! A
