Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

User Review

• 

  thismoviestinks

  7 / 10

  Sifting through my feelings about Thor: Ragnarok is proving to be an unexpected challenge. Walking out of the theatre tonight I was feeling mostly positive. The film is as funny and lively as Iron Man with the scope and visual effects bombast of The Avengers. These are things I can get behind. On the other hand, its villain doesn't quite work, the narrative is held together with duct tape, and the humor, while charming, is excessive. So what rises to the top here?
  
  The film struggles to find its footing until about a half hour in when Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster first appears on screen. Up to that point the story is being set up in a series of disjointed character introductions and reunions. Perhaps this is a Marvel film which requires great familiarity with what came before because I was lost and annoyed. This is a considerable flaw, but not a fatal one. Once all the principles are assembled things click, and this movie soars.
  
  I greatly appreciate the acting talent assembled here. The majority of these performers shine, successfully balancing a high stakes plot with lighthearted characterizations. The surprising outlier here is Cate Blanchet. She's easily the best actor in this cast yet gives the least remarkable performance. To be fair, the villain in this film is an afterthought to the big second act, but I would have liked to see one of my favorite actors used more effectively.
  
  Thor: Ragnarok is another success for Marvel, and deserves its favorable critical reception. I would simply recommend that you temper your expectations. When the hype dies down this one will reside near the middle of the pack.

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