I remember seeing the trailer for this for the first time: Thor losing his hammer, and his hair, and ultimately having to fight Hulk. It looked amazing...
The film does not disappoint.
Here is another great example of a film in a cinematic universe that doesn't rely on the rest of the world.
When Thor returns home after the battle with Ultron, he goes to prevent Ragnarok, the prophesied destruction of his home-world. Finding the entity responsible, and promptly defeating him, Thor returns home to find Loki, disguised as Odin, has been running Asgard. Thor exposes Loki, and demands to be taken to his father. After a comedic run-in with Doctor Strange, they find Odin just in time to say their good-byes, as Odin moves to the next life...
And the chaos begins...
Hela, the godess of Death, arrives to claim her place as queen of Asgard. She seeks to resume the world's history of conquest and destruction. Naturally, Thor tries to defeat her with his hammer, and, if you've seen the trailer, you know how that goes. At this point, Loki and Thor are kicked from the Bifrost and land in what I can only describe as the void where all famous abysses open into.
It is on this planet that Thor must fight Hulk. Eventually, the group escapes the planet, return to Asgard and save it... Sort of, but more on that later.
One thing I loved in this film was the cinematography and editing. The visual style, as well as the effective use of slow-motion and music throughout the film make a great journey with the film, ultimately returning to that amazing use of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song", showing that, in spite of everything that has befallen Thor, he is still the God of Thunder.
Some critics have challenged the inclusion of Hela, claiming she is one dimensional and does little for the film. I couldn't disagree more. The film strives to flesh her out, showing her history, as well as her personal opinions on how Gods should behave. She sees the Asgardian people as warriors whose destiny is to conquer all of the galaxy, and her ambition knows no bounds. When she sees that Odin had erased her from Asgard's history, she is genuinely heartbroken. Each of these moments show a unique dimension for the villainess, and Cate Blanchett does an amazing job in the role.
The biggest thing that I liked in this film was the overall them of identity. We see Thor weakened after the loss of his hammer, but ultimately realizes he never needed it for his power. Valkyrie tries to forget who she was, but ultimately accepts her part. Even Banner has an arc where he accepts being the Hulk, even risking being permanently transformed to help in the final fight.
And now for the biggest element of identity... Asgard.
Remember how I mentioned they save it... sort of. Well, as it turns out Asgard, the home planet, is lost in the end, but the people of Asgard, the true Asgard, survive. While the planet is no more, the people will continue to thrive in a new era on earth... Provided Thanos doesn't destroy it first.
The film is full of humorous references to past events in the MCU, as well as hinting at things to come. We see the characters we love grow over the course of the film, even to a hinted reconciliation between Thor and Loki.
Of the Thor standalone film, this is by far the best one, and arguably one of the best solo films for the core Avengers. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great ride with an internal journey just as strong.
Let me know what you thought of Thor: Ragnarok in the comments below. Did you like Hela as a villian? Can Loki be trusted in Infinity War? How do you think Thor will explain the loss of his hammer to the rest of the team?
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