THOR: RAGNAROK

             At this point, Marvel Studios seem to know what they want, and they have perfected their formula. Granted, this is a Taika Waititi film through & through and it is very much his vision, but Marvel signed off on the guy and on the film, so they know what they want. Like many recent MCU films, Thor: Ragnarok focuses on the fun & light-hearted tone and feels more like a comedy than anything else. I cannot deny that it works and I really enjoyed it (and as recent record suggest, fun movies like these prove success in the box office), but I have to admit I kind of miss the intensity from the likes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier...

                If you have seen the other two MCU films this year, you probably know what to expect from this film. A lot of humour & comedy mixed with cool, colourful action in a fast-paced story. The humour in this film is top notch - I think it is better than the other two MCU films of the year. It really is a very funny film from start to end, and there is never a boring moment. And you can't deny that films like these gets people flocking to the theatres (and I can now see why DC and Justice League strives for similar tone...)

                But as much as this is a very fun film and a film that people will really love, it is not exactly perfect, nor it is the best of the MCU film by any stretch. For me, the plot - especially in terms of the execution/delivery - lacks the depth. Maybe it is because that they focus too much on the fun and humour, that they didn't deliver the more powerful moments as they should have. Which is why (and I am not particularly complaining) I think if it had more balance between the humour & story (like The Avengers or Doctor Strange), the powerful moments would have been more felt. For that matter, the first two Thor movies (as much as they are not that great) have an excellent balance of drama & humour - they are pretty funny when they can be, but they don't forsake the storytelling.

                All that being said, the plot actually doesn't hold back at all and takes bold moves (more in the spoiler review). And the characters in this film are pretty good. The banter between the characters (Thor & Hulk, Thor & Loki) are excellent fun to watch. And Loki remains the most charming character in the MCU. What it lacks is character development (perhaps also borne from the lack of dramatic pacing), and the smart & Shakespearean dialogue that is more prevalent in previous Thor movies.

                Other aspects are more on the 'good, not great' level. The action is colourful & fun. The music is also decent, but does not stand out. Oh, and the villain Hela is interesting as a character, but doesn't do much in terms of character significance.

                But despite all my above comments, in the grand scheme of things, it remains a very fun & fast-paced film with top-notch comedy with likable characters you can enjoy to watch. I suppose I'm just trying to pick out why I did not enjoy the film as much as many others seem to do, and why it felt a little out of place given how previous Thor movies executed their storytelling & humour. For sure, the Thor movies will never be as intense as the Captain America movies, but Thor, Thor: The Dark World, and The Avengers showed that there could be better balance.

              Nevertheless, ignore most of my comments above. If you like MCU movies, and if you like fun & fast-paced storytelling, you will have a hell of great time with this film! Go watch it!

VERDICT: 79 / 100