echo Written by Fajar Binti Benjamin
Thor Ragnarok Rocked.
Tis’ been a year for superheroes. 2017 kicked off with a familiar mutant turned R-rated reluctant father. Not long after, our five favourite space lunatics blasted us through a good time. Next a beautiful Amazon debuted as not only a pioneer for women heroes, but good DCU movies. Then a young hero swung by sweeter, cooler and funnier than ever, rocking his high tech spandex.
Which brings us to most recently, Thor Ragnarok. It should be noted, that after every single one of the above-listed movies, I said “this is the best superhero movie ever. Nothing can beat it”. But.. THIS is the best superhero movie ever. NOTHING CAN BEAT IT.
Arguably the funniest and boldest of all MCU films (think GOTG with actual stakes.. on crack.. and without any poop jokes) it blew me away. The director, Taika Watiti (also the voice of Korg), proves to know humour better than any before him, leaving us snorting Pepsi at the unexpected and wonderfully creative gags.
Like every single Blockbuster we have received within the past 2 years (good or bad) it is visually stunning. But NOTHING is as visually stunning as Chris Hemsworth, one eye bloody, the other glowing a piercing blue, crackling with electricity while that cocky grin spreads across his face.
I, like Bruce Banner, am DIGGING the haircut. Big time.
Movies are only as good as its villains. And Cate Blanchett is not one to disappoint. She swaggers into Thor’s life, the definition of “overpowered” and then just keeps swaggering. Switching between antlers and pontianak grade hair, she injects a little darkness into the painting.
The side characters fill out well. Loki returns mischievous, sly and the perfect yin to Thor’s yang. Hulk smashes his way into our hearts with more dialog than ever heard before. Valkyrie (our heroine) struts with attitude and fights with a grace you don’t normally find in alcoholics. Even Banner brings out smiles as he adjusts his pants and weathers the chaos Thor brings about.
The age of cookie-cutter superhero films is over. Although our favourite beats are still there; relationships, redemption, growth and loss; the arcs have been restructured and shuffled around. Hela was hella on point (I’m sorry I had to) when she said: “you have no idea what is possible”. I don’t, but trust me, with Black Panther and Infinity War next in line, I can’t wait to find out.
(Now let’s pray Justice League is good, because if it is, that’ll be a winning streak for 2017.)
