Thor: Ragnarok is the third film in the Thor franchise and is by far the best installment. Picking up after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, the story begins with Thor having failed in his quest to find the Infinity Stones and now in the hands of the demon Surtur. The tone of this film is apparent from the opening scene as this is the funniest Marvel film to date, a direct result of director Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople). Waititi, who also plays the scene-stealing character Korg, infuses this film with his trademark wit, makes this film completely his own, and is the major reason Thor: Ragnarok works on so many levels. Following the great, Led Zeppelin-themed opening scene, the film is about Thor attempting to stop the villainess Hela, played with vampy fun by Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett, from enacting Ragnarok which is Asgard’s version of the apocalypse. The majority of the movie takes place on the gladiator planet of Sakaar, after Thor ends up there following his first confrontation with Hela and is where Thor meets up with fellow Avenger Hulk and a former Asgardian Valkyrie.

Every comedy relies on a stellar cast that has great chemistry with each other, and this is where Thor: Ragnarok stands out. In his fifth outing as the God of Thunder, Chris Hemsworth delivers his best performance yet as Thor. He gets to show off his stellar comedic chops in this film while still showcasing his natural action skills. Marvel newcomer Tessa Thompson (Creed, Westworld) plays Valkyrie, a legendary Asgardian warrior and is the breakout star of the film. She is a perfect equal to Thor in her great fight scenes but also shares great chemistry with Hemsworth which will hopefully continue in future movies. Tom Hiddleston is once again fantastic as Loki and is so slimy but likeable at the same time and is one of the most interesting characters in the MCU. However, the true standout of the film is Jeff Goldblum (Independence Day, Jurassic Park) as the ruler of Sakaar, The Grandmaster. This film uses Goldblum perfectly and it is impossible not to love him in this role. Goldblum is literally just playing himself in this movie which fits in perfectly with the tone and blends in so well with the world that Waititi created.

This film is such a fun time at the movies and is one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe films ever as a result of the addition of Taika Waititi and the comedic focus that this film took. Even though this film is wrapped in a heavy comedic tone, there are still heavy dramatic stakes that help ground the film and keep it from becoming too soft and feeling like a throw-away. Thor: Ragnarok is pure entertainment and, while not every joke hits, the majority do, making this is a stellar entry in the MCU.

Thor Ragnarok: 9.25 out of 10

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