Third Time’s the Charm!
After thwarting an attack on Asgard, Thor returns home to find his adopted brother, Loki, watching the throne while disguised as their father Odin. Upon locating the real Odin with the help of a certain wizard, they learn of the return of a destructive force that want’s to usurp the throne of Asgard. The two brothers are now tasked with defending their home from this force, who they may be closer to them than they thought.
The Thor franchise has never been my favorite part of the MCU, but the presence of humor has revitalized it. Out of the gate, we get a brand new Thor. No more serious presence of a Norse God, but we now have a wise cracking hero, in essence of the Guardians of the Galaxy and that’s a welcome change. And it’s not just the God of Thunder who’s changed, but most, if not all of the cast are having fun in this entry in the franchise. Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster is flashy galactic playboy that wants to have fun by any means. Whenever he was on screen, you can expect to laugh. Even with the small cameo of a newer MCU character was a pleasant viewing.
***Warning: Spoilers***
This was the most interesting Thor story of the three solo films. This is mostly attributed by the villain, Thor’s long lost sister, Hela. The other films seem to have random villains, but having a sister involved made it feel more personal. Although the insertion of the first-born of Odin felt out of leftfield, she was a great villain. I wish there was some indication of her existence in the MCU somewhere, but what can you do in this first-of-it’s-kind universe. Her power was limitless and seemed unstoppable, only fitting for a god.
The Planet Hulk storyline was a great diversion. Meeting people like the Grandmaster and Valkyrie, while expanding on the big green guy, add to the this evolving universe. From the Willy Wonka tunnel, to the gladiator arena, the Grandmaster colored this film, compared to the previous dreary entries of the series. Valkyrie introduces an untold story in the Asgard corner of the MCU and when she has a run-in with Loki, we get a visually stunning segment of a life-changing event in her life. With the Hulk, we learn more about how he ended up on this world and how his powers are evolving.
One thing that I feel that most people won’t mention are the transitions. The editing was very clever and transitioned things between major set pieces. Whether it was a loud banging noise, or a star backdrop leading into a theme park ride, the use of integrating pieces of scenes create smooth transitions.
This was a fun and great entry into the comic book genre. This definitely proves that comic book movies can have fun while telling their stories. With a great story and clean tools to tell it, anyone and everyone should run out to a theater and watch it.
Recap
+ Fun and Funny!
+ Best Thor and Hulk Story
+ Clever Editing
- Out of Nowhere Important Character