Last Saturday, we ventured forth from the Fortress of
Ineptitude to go see Thor: Ragnorok.
While we have been big fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,
we have not actually seen all of the movies. For example, we have not seen Thor or
Thor: The Dark World. Still, we headed into Thor: Ragnorok fairly confident we
could keep up. We know Thor, Hulk and Loki from the Avengers movies. We’ve seen
Doctor Strange. We figured anything coming off of the two prior Thor films, we
could pick up on.
It helps that one of my super powers is being able to
describe the plots of movies I’ve never seen. For example, I know that at the end of Thor:
The Dark World, Loki is on the throne of Asgard in the form of Odin while Odin
himself has been consigned to Earth.
A lot has been written about the level of comedy in Thor: Ragnorok. Comedy is not something one normally associates with Thor. In the comics, Thor and his adventures have been approached with all the levels of Shakespearean bluster that Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and others could bring to bear. Everything was super serious, super epic. Every damn day was Ragnorok.
Yes,Thor: Ragnorok is funny. But it's also epic. The film's opening battle between Thor and Surtur is the best art of Jack Kirby and Walt Simonson brought to cinematic life.
Likewise other sequences are spectacular: Thor and Loki's confrontation with Hela; Hela's destruction of Mjolnir; Hela's rampage of Asgard; Thor vs. the Hulk; the final battle with Hela by Thor, Loki, Valkyrie and the Hulk; the destruction of Asgard.
Still, all the emphasis on humor heading into this movie might lead on to think this is going to be some kind of sitcom, The Odd Couple with Thor and Loki. But ultimately, Thor: Ragnorok is epic on a grand stage of gods and demons and worlds beyond worlds.
But yeah, this movie is very funny. Take the bit after Thor has defeated Surtur when Thor returns to Asgard. Loki might be disguised as Odin but come on: Loki just can’t help himself. Thor arrives to find a giant statue of Loki that “Odin” has commissioned to commemorate the valiant sacrifice of his son, a sacrifice re-enacted in the form of a play with Matt Damon as Loki. (Really.)
A lot has been written about the level of comedy in Thor: Ragnorok. Comedy is not something one normally associates with Thor. In the comics, Thor and his adventures have been approached with all the levels of Shakespearean bluster that Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and others could bring to bear. Everything was super serious, super epic. Every damn day was Ragnorok.
Yes,Thor: Ragnorok is funny. But it's also epic. The film's opening battle between Thor and Surtur is the best art of Jack Kirby and Walt Simonson brought to cinematic life.
Likewise other sequences are spectacular: Thor and Loki's confrontation with Hela; Hela's destruction of Mjolnir; Hela's rampage of Asgard; Thor vs. the Hulk; the final battle with Hela by Thor, Loki, Valkyrie and the Hulk; the destruction of Asgard.
Still, all the emphasis on humor heading into this movie might lead on to think this is going to be some kind of sitcom, The Odd Couple with Thor and Loki. But ultimately, Thor: Ragnorok is epic on a grand stage of gods and demons and worlds beyond worlds.
But yeah, this movie is very funny. Take the bit after Thor has defeated Surtur when Thor returns to Asgard. Loki might be disguised as Odin but come on: Loki just can’t help himself. Thor arrives to find a giant statue of Loki that “Odin” has commissioned to commemorate the valiant sacrifice of his son, a sacrifice re-enacted in the form of a play with Matt Damon as Loki. (Really.)
Back on Earth, Thor gets help from Doctor Strange in locating Odin. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum challenges Thor's decorum as reality keeps shifting. The good doctor is also chagrinned when Thor's hammer returns to him via a rather circuitous route that shatters many presumably expensive artifacts in the Sanctum.
On the planet Sakaar, Thor is brought to meet the Grandmaster via a psychedelic tube with "A World of Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka playing in the background. It's absurdly funny but that very absurdity also serves to reinforce how far outside Thor is from is usual frames of reference.
Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster? It's as if the Apartments.com guy was a powerful megalomaniac. The Grandmaster has the power of life and death over his subjects. But mostly, he's chill about it. It's a very amusing take on the Grandmaster that also underscores what a bastard he can be.
There is a lot of humor in Thor: Ragnorok but it mostly services the story. And nobody is out of character. Thor is still Thor even as he find himself in the odd position of talking his way out of a fix instead of hitting it with a hammer.
By the way, that whole "Sun's getting low bit..." used to calm the Hulk down? Yeah, it appears only work for hot red heads in leather. Thor tries to make it work. It doesn't.
Bruce Banner seems a bit more on edge than I remember him from the two Avengers movies. But he's spent two years as the Hulk and when he's finally back to being Bruce, discovers he's on a frickin' alien planet. Yeah, I would be a bit on edge too.
Stand out new character: Korg, an alien warrior made of rock who assures Thor there is no reason to fear him, unless you're made of scissors. Get it? Rock/paper/scissors? Korg's understated line deliveries in a low key Australian accent is a favorite bit of mine.
So yeah, Thor: Ragnorok is a very funny movie. It is, I dare say, the funniest Marvel movie since the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy. But Thor: Ragnorok is also a major epic, action packed fantasy adventure.
Fun AND fight scenes in equal measure? Thor: Ragnorok shoots and scores.
__________________________________
Next up on the blog thing, I've got to chat about Doctor Who. We got a glimpse of the Doctor's future this week. And I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that.
Until next time, remember to be good to one another.
On the planet Sakaar, Thor is brought to meet the Grandmaster via a psychedelic tube with "A World of Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka playing in the background. It's absurdly funny but that very absurdity also serves to reinforce how far outside Thor is from is usual frames of reference.
Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster? It's as if the Apartments.com guy was a powerful megalomaniac. The Grandmaster has the power of life and death over his subjects. But mostly, he's chill about it. It's a very amusing take on the Grandmaster that also underscores what a bastard he can be.
There is a lot of humor in Thor: Ragnorok but it mostly services the story. And nobody is out of character. Thor is still Thor even as he find himself in the odd position of talking his way out of a fix instead of hitting it with a hammer.
By the way, that whole "Sun's getting low bit..." used to calm the Hulk down? Yeah, it appears only work for hot red heads in leather. Thor tries to make it work. It doesn't.
Bruce Banner seems a bit more on edge than I remember him from the two Avengers movies. But he's spent two years as the Hulk and when he's finally back to being Bruce, discovers he's on a frickin' alien planet. Yeah, I would be a bit on edge too.
Stand out new character: Korg, an alien warrior made of rock who assures Thor there is no reason to fear him, unless you're made of scissors. Get it? Rock/paper/scissors? Korg's understated line deliveries in a low key Australian accent is a favorite bit of mine.
So yeah, Thor: Ragnorok is a very funny movie. It is, I dare say, the funniest Marvel movie since the 1st Guardians of the Galaxy. But Thor: Ragnorok is also a major epic, action packed fantasy adventure.
Fun AND fight scenes in equal measure? Thor: Ragnorok shoots and scores.
__________________________________
Next up on the blog thing, I've got to chat about Doctor Who. We got a glimpse of the Doctor's future this week. And I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that.
Until next time, remember to be good to one another.
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