It has taken three movies to get here, but Marvel has fully
embraced the transformation of Thor into a genuine comedy star. There’s always been
a sly sense of humor to the studio’s stories centered around the Norse thunder
god, even in Kenneth Branagh’s more operatic first
outing. But with each subsequent installment, tongue was wedged further and
further into cheek.
“Thor:
Ragnarok” is helmed by gifted New Zealand director Taika Waititi
(“What We Do in the Shadows,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”),
and the filmmaker injects his unique brand of humor into the proceedings,
making it the first “Thor” film to qualify more as an outright comedy than an action
flick.
With a
candy-colored aesthetic and a joke-a-minute tone, the film is frequently
hilarious. But that jovial, slapstick-y attitude too often seems to come at the
expense of its story, which finds Thor imprisoned on the planet of Sakaar, where
he’s forced to compete in a deadly gladiatorial contest against his old friend
the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). In his absence, Hela, the
Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett, clearly having a time), sets about her plans
to lay waste to Asgard. Naturally, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki is also back, alternately ready to help
or hinder his heroic brother as it suits him.
The
motivations and machinations involved in all of this are the weakest aspect of
the script, credited to Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost. There
are certainly stakes in the film’s multi-stranded plot, but they lack weight.
The potential destruction of Asgard doesn’t feel like
any more serious than Thor’s flowing locks being shorn off during his gladiator
makeover. The result is plenty fun, but in the end, this feels like the least
of the three Marvel movies released this year — after “Guardians of the Galaxy
Vol. 2″ and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
The scenes
set on Sakaar are obviously where Waititi’s heart
truly lies, and that section finds the film at its freewheeling best. The
planet is ruled over by The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), a droll and
arbitrarily sadistic leader. Goldblum has a knack for the film’s jokey
dialogue; he and Waititi are a natural fit, and I
hope the two work together on something else down the line.
The film’s
other key player is Tessa Thompson (“Dear White People,” “Creed”) as another
denizen of Sakaar, the hard-drinking, warrior-turned-mercenary Valkyrie — a
role that should finally turn the gifted actress into a household name. And Waititi himself nearly walks off with the film, providing
the voice of Korg, a daftly good-natured rock beast
who’s one of The Grandmaster’s prisoners.
Blanchett is
a slinky joy, hamming it up as Hela (and looking amazing in her goth eye makeup
and antler headdress), though the character lacks the shading the actress was
able to bring to the Wicked Stepmother in “Cinderella,” her last outing as a
deliciously over-the-top Disney villain. Hela talks a good game and definitely
brings the carnage, but she doesn’t add up to much.
Hemsworth has proved himself to be an exceptionally adept
comedic actor, after “Vacation” and the “Ghostbusters” reboot. A performer with
the pleasing ability to poke fun at himself, his goofy charisma holds the film together.
He’s in on the joke of his ridiculous, practically inhuman perfection, and that
makes him somehow even more charming. It’s delightful to watch him play off
Thompson, Ruffalo, and Hiddleston
in any and all of their various pairings.
The film is
filled with striking visuals and inventive production design inspired equally
by comic artist Jack Kirby and “Flash Gordon.” Valkyrie’s gorgeously stylized
flashback to a previous encounter with Hela is a particular highlight. Mark Mothersbaugh’s score, combining typical Marvel bombast with
the musician’s signature synths, adds a zippy energy, and the soundtrack also
makes excellent use Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” at several key points.
“Thor:
Ragnarok” doesn’t take itself too seriously, but there are a few intriguing
ideas bubbling under the surface, including the idea that Hela represents a
reckoning with Asgard’s colonialist past — implications
that it’s not hard to imagine may have sprung from the filmmaker’s Maori
heritage. The film doesn’t dwell on those details, though; it’s much more
interested in providing a good time.
The film’s
ability to poke fun at itself is only a problem when it deflates any attempt to
build up tension: It’s hard to get too worried about the fate of our heroes
when they themselves don’t appear concerned. Under the guidance of Waititi, “Thor: Ragnarok” achieves it modest aims, even if
in the grand scheme of the extended Marvel Cinematic Universe, it sometimes
feels like it’s treading water.
Check back on Friday for additional film coverage, including a review of the
“Wonderstruck,” from director Todd Haynes.
This article appears in Nov 8-14, 2017.
