Thor: Ragnarok: It’s hammer & tongs fun

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson

Rated: 7/10

Marvel is clearly having fun here and doing so on a strict agenda to make its super-hero andAvengers buffs in the mood for a treat at Asgard, Thor’s original home — and of course his battle to save his land from none else but his own blood sister, the totally delightful Goddess of Death.

Had Kate Blanchett not been helming this lean, mean, stag-headed character on a death roll in sheer black and gothic make-up, you would have wished fervently she had, so tailor-made is the role for her. She devours people and footage with style and chutzpah.

But the film is not so much about her wish to kill every inch of the ground she walks on, as it is about the thrills that she inadvertently unlocks when she is at it. Veteranism is at play all through this Disney film so there is a balanced package of fights, humour, inter-galactic mysticism, magic, sorcery and hi-tech spatial outings in equally high-tech imaginary cities like Asgard. It is here that Thor loses his hammer but not his sense of humour as he spends time in captivity on a dump-yard planet along with a totally gone over the top Hulk whose crescendo of rage does not permit him to return to his dovish Bruce Banner self (Mark Ruffalo) for most part of the film.

The film, never taking itself too seriously and mostly on a trip to gentle laughter, is a real-time entertainer with all the props being used with gay abandon and yet with caution and care. The production qualities are unquestionable as usual and the proceedings full of moments. Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Loki (the delightful Tom Hiddleston) and Hulk get on with the show way away from Earth this time even as Anthony Hopkins sets the pace with his early departure into neverland, leaving behind a job to do for Thor.

The good — and the path-breaking — thing is that Thor gets a haircut in this one which makes him look more gorgeous than he did while trying to manage his Rastafarian blond locks in his earlier films.

It’s fun and frolic on a rollercoaster, Kiwi style thanks to its director, so do go to this Marvel for a happy treat with this engaging God of Thunder who wins without the hammer, mind you.

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 05 November, 2017