Thor Ragnarock Is Damn Fine Marvel Entertainment Despite Being Overhyped

2017 has been nothing short of an astounding year for comic book movies in general. What started out as a triumphant finish to an actors legacy of playing an iconic character for 17 years in the case of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in Logan to Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins defying all expectations with Wonder Woman, to Tom Holland successfully rebooting Spiderman in the Marvel universe with Spiderman Homecoming, and Justice League not being as disastrous as what people were expecting, now comes full circle with the release of Thor Ragnarock, the third and surprisingly strong installment in the popular Marvel franchise. The Marvel universe has been on a roll this year with Spiderman Homecoming successfully bringing the character into the Marvel universe while making it appeal to audiences the way Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire's Spiderman trilogy did. While the first Thor movie wasn't necessarily one of Marvels strongest films, it introduced the character to audiences with a strong first impression thanks to Chris Hemsworth's performance as Thor and Kenneth Branagh's solid storytelling. Thor ll: The Dark World is among Marvels weakest films to date, but it proved to be more successful than the first Thor as the first movie successfully established his character with audiences despite the story being weaker. With Thor Ragnarock, the filmmakers take notice of the fact that the previous Thor films, while entertaining and fun aren't necessarily the strongest films in the MCU. With Ragnarock, director Taika Waititi delivers what's easily the strongest installment in the Thor franchise yet although the movie while being extremely fun to watch, is definitely a victim of being overhyped.

      Thor Ragnarock by all means is a fun and entertaining ride, that will please Marvel fans alike not just in being exciting and thrilling to watch, but also with the fact that it's a much stronger film than the previous installments in the Ragnarock trilogy. The style of the film is similar to that of Guardians Of The Galaxy, which makes it feel like a feel good popcorn blockbuster, and in some cases a more fresher film than Vol 2 of Guardians. The plot for Ragnarock centers around the almighty Thor now imprisoned, finding himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against his former ally, the Hulk. Having discovered this revelation, Thor must fight for his own survival and race against tim to prevent the all powerful Hela from destroying both his home and the Asgardian civilization. In terms of performances, Hemsworth once again shines and chews up the scenery as Thor, proving that he is the ideal pick for the part with Tom Hiddleston shining as Thors twisted brother Loki. Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, and Tessa Thomspon shine in their supporting roles with Thompson delivering a likeable performance as Thors ally Valkyrie. Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as Dr. Strange for a brief yet slick cameo. Perhaps the films most interesting addition to the cast is Jeff Goldblum, proving once again to be likeable on the big screen even if his character is the antagonist this time (Goldblum is great at playing sleazy villain roles while doing his Goldblum routine of stealing every scene he's in while creating a complex for his characters). Anthony Hopkins does the best he can with the brief role he has in the film as Thors father Odin, and Karl Urban as Skurge (Is the guy ever not good). As for Bruce Banner/Hulk, Mark Ruffalo continues to grow on fans as being a solid choice for the part, picking up where Eric Bana left off with Ang Lee's underrated 2003 attempt at bringing The Hulk to the big screen, and Edward Norton's superior follow-up titled The Incredible Hulk. With Ragnarock, Hulk is fleshed out more in the film and given a more emotional complex, that fills the void for Ruffalo's character not having his own solo film like the other characters (Hulk being able to talk in this one is a real treat along with the visual aspect of his character being striking). In terms of acting performances, everyone does a solid job and appears to be having a blast with the material their given in this film. Ragnarock is first and foremost supposed to give off the impression that its a fun ride, and never does it attempt to become more than just hardcore entertainment for Marvel fans. For those looking for pure excitement and fun, that's more than enough for them. For those looking for deeper substance within the story, the film while being highly entertaining leaves more to be desired (Especially when some fans and critics throw the word masterpiece around to describe it).

      On a technical level, Thor Ragnarock is just as visually striking as any recent Marvel Cinematic Universe film with the special effects being impressive, and the atmosphere of the film being appealing with it's colorful universe that deliberately imitates Guardians Of The Galaxy. The difference between the first two Thor films and Ragnarock is while the first two films were fun-spirited movies with moments of drama, Ragnarock completely immerses itself in the genre of comedy, never allowing a moment for itself to be taken seriously. The humor combined with the visual style of the film make this one an unusual catch with audiences in the realm of Marvel movies, while at the same time making it a universal crowd pleaser. Ragnarock defies the stereotypical feat that comes with third installment of sequels in which they lose the spark of the first two films, instead Ragnarock shines above the other films and ends up being the crown jewel of the trilogy. One feels that Taika Waititi should handle the future installments of the Thor franchise as he knows how to capture the character in his best moments. Despite Cate Blanchett's performance being good but her character being rather underdeveloped as the films antagonist, the movies killer soundtrack elevates the lack of strong character development and helps to take audience along for the ride. The concept of the Thor franchise puts a fun spin on the whole Gods and gladiators aspect of the story, and one feels that Waititi understands that and plays off that angle.

      Thor Ragnarock is first and foremost a fun-spirited spectacle of a film, that instantly pulls the audience into this amazing universe of characters and superheroes, drawing them in and never letting go until the films finale. While the film does it's best impersonation of trying to match the sheer spectacle, high level fun, and stylish atmosphere of James Gunns Guardians Of The Galaxy films, it trades in it's exploration of characters and plot for popcorn entertainment that will please all Marvel fans alike, but also make them realize that outside of the flashy visuals and humor, the film doesn't necessarily stay with you long after it's over. The movie is awesome in entertainment value, but doesn't give the audience anything to reflect on theme wise unlike Civil War where the audience is forced to decide whether the Avengers team do as much damage to the population as they try to stop or should be allowed to operate freely . The film is a tongue-in-cheek adventure, that knows exactly what it wants to be and executes it's story with the utmost confidence in telling it with the sole mission to entertain. With all the praise directed towards the film, one wonders where the overhyped aspect of the film comes in. The film itself is not a bad movie and is actually highly recommendable, but it's not the masterpiece some Marvel fans make it out to be as it doesn't fully flesh out the characters nor give themes that the audience can reflect on after it's over. As far as Thor films go, it's the most satisfying installment out of the trilogy and makes you earn a deeper appreciation for Hemsworth in the lead role, and happy that The Hulk has a much bigger role in this film. There are hardly any fans that will find disappointment in Ragnarock, but they will differ in how good of a film it is. A good movie it is forsure as well as being one of the strongest installments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it ends up falling short of being a masterpiece. It has the fun of Spiderman Homecoming but it never reaches the emotional depth of films such as Logan and Wonder Woman, but it takes the best elements of Guardians Of The Galaxy, delivering it's best imitation of it from the colorful atmosphere down to the humor and carefree approach to it's story with a killer soundtrack added on. Thor Ragnarock is not as strong as some of the other great comic book movies that came out this year, but it certainly delivers in terms of giving popcorn entertainment that's both funny and feels good. For that reason alone, Ragnarock is a must see even if those aren't fans of the previous Thor films as the movie is set up to draw in newer fans instantly.

                                                                                             Final Verdict: SEE IT

                                                           

The Last Jedi Is The Best Since Empire Strikes Back

The most anticipated film of 2017 has finally arrived after much speculation and build up hype, (No I'm not talking about Justice League)admist a year full of ups and downs quality wise. While there's been a few blockbusters this year that met and surpassed expectations both in critical and financial terms such as Beauty And The Beast, Wonder Woman, Spiderman Homecoming, Stephen Kings IT, Thor Ragnarock, and Coco. While those films went into surprising audiences with their quality and overall performances, none had the anticipation and the hype that came with The Last Jedi, the eighth installment in the popular Star Wars franchise now owned by Disney, and the second installment in the newer trilogy of film's that began with JJ Abrams 2015 smash hit The Force Awakens. Exactly two years later, the story for the new era of film's continue with Rian Johnson now taking the directors chair from Abrams as well as writing duties. The storyline picks up directly after the ending of the first movie with Rey now seeking the help of a reluctant Luke Skywalker to show her the ways of the force by helping to develop her newly discovered abilities while the Resistance led by General Leia Organa prepares to do battle with the First Order. The trailers and marketing prior to the film's release promised a much darker and more intense story that would answer questions regarding Reys background, the conflict between Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren, and where did Snoke come from. Having seen the new Star Wars film, one can say that the film not only further explores its characters and questions behind their backgrounds and story, but the movie as a whole proves to live up to the expectation of being the best Star Wars film made since The Empire Strikes Back.

      The Last Jedi not only meets the quality of its predecessor head on, but largely improves upon the new story set up by Abrams with The Force Awakens. With The Last Jedi, everything is bigger in terms of the scope of the story to the characters being more fleshed out and developed, making the audience genuinely care about them even more than they did before. The Last Jedi is first and foremost Rey and Kylo Rens story as the film picks up from where these two last left each other after their big lightsaber fight at the climax of the first movie. Although the story includes Luke Skywalker, Finn, Leia, and Poes characters journey, the heart of the film is Rey and Kylo struggling to grasp their powers as well as figure out their place in the scope of things. Daisy Ridley delivers a strong performance as Rey with her scenes with Luke played masterfully by Mark Hamill being among some of the finest moments in the film. Hamill gives a genuinely gripping performance as an older Luke Skywalker, whose experienced loss by witnessing Ben aka Kylo turn to the dark side, leading to his refusal to train Rey at first but finally agrees to. Hamills performance is among the strongest in the film and one that warrants a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination as the audience loves every minute that he's on the screen then anticipates his return. With his return, Mark Hamill takes the opportunity of a lifetime and gives his all with the part. Adam Driver does a strong job playing Ren, effectively portraying the conflict his character feels in regards to being drawn back to the light while becoming the Sith Lord he desires to become like his grandfather Darth Vader. Ren is more effective of an antagonist in this movie and has nice moments where he battles the light and darkness, but it can also be said that as hard as Drivers character tries, he doesn't measure up to the awesomeness of Vader being the villain in the original trilogy (His internal struggle though is fast more convincing than anything Hayden Christensen gave us in the Prequel trilogy). Perhaps his character isn't meant to be as frightening and more of a personal struggle as he's caught in the fight between good and evil internally. One does wish however that he kept his mask on longer as it made his character more intriguing and menacing in The Force Awakens. John Boyega returns as Finn, delivering another charismatic performance as well as developing a unique type of relationship with Rose played by Kelly Marie Tran. Benicio Del Toro and Laura Dern shine in small supporting roles, making welcoming additions to the cast with Del Toro playing a smuggler named DJ and Dern playing Vice Admiral Holdo. Oscar Isaac shines once again as Poe with a bigger role this time while still bringing the charm and humor his character possessed in the previous film. Carrie Fisher shines as General Leia Organa, delivering her final film performance while making it an emotional experience for the fans (The scene where she reunites with Luke is a powerful one that's both heartwarming and touching). In terms of acting and directing, everyone brings their A game to the film with Mark Hamill giving the best performance, and Rian Johnson directing the movie with a similar kind of energy that JJ Abrams had with directing The Force Awakens, giving the film twists and turns throughout its story.

         As far as the film's technical achievements go, The Last Jedi is a stunning film to behold visually, which has become the standard for Star Wars films to showcase terrific special effects. The new weapons used in the film are effective thanks to the visual outlook of them as well as the film's top notch Cinematography to mix with the art-set decoration. One advantage that the newer Star Wars films have over the prequels, is the fact that they look like true continuations of the world established in the original trilogy. The Last Jedi not only feels right at home in that regard, but is breathtaking to see on the big screen, particularly its space battles. Both Abrams and Johnson direct their films from the perspective of being fans themselves and asking the question of what they would like to see on the screen while making the characters appear to be larger than life. Like The Force Awakens, audiences become fully invested in the story of The Last Jedi and find themselves fully caring about the characters while dreading that the audience has to wait two years to see the next film that continues from where The Last Jedi ends in epic fashion.

       The Last Jedi continues to prove that Disney is extremely skillful at crafting the newer stories while providing a great deal of fan service. The Last Jedi is both a technological breakthrough as well as an extremely worthy entry in the new saga of film's. Watching The Last Jedi, one can tell that great care was taken in regards to making the film both exciting and powerful for fans. Was the movie perfect? No, there's still questions left to be answered by future installments and some of the revelations fell a tad short of their true potential (Rey's parents revelation, unanswered questions regarding Snokes past, newer and minor characters being introduced but not fully fleshed out such as Laura Dern and Benecio Del Toro characters (Missed a really good opportunity to bring back Billy Dee Williams in this sequel), Captain Phasma having a cool sequence with Finn but still largely underdeveloped as a character), questionable writing such as Leia's big Mary Poppins moment that makes sense when the audience thinks about it but is executed sloppily, and Luke's first dialogue exchange with Rey is a slight missed opportunity. Despite the films minor faults, it soars above every Star Wars prequel, The Force Awakens which was awesome, and even Return Of The Jedi. What will probably end up being the most divisive installment in the series outside of the prequels takes the most risks with its characters and deserves huge credit for pulling off its risks and further advancing the story. With the way Disney has set up the newer film's, the Star Wars universe will continue on past the Skywalker family arc as both Rey and Ren are strong enough characters to carry the storyline as the old one fades. Whereas The Force Awakens played it extremely safe by delivering a scenario very similar to A New Hope, The Last Jedi takes the characters and the story into newer territory while sharing only limited parallels to The Empire Strikes back such as Luke training Rey (The reverse of Yoda training Luke), and Return Of The Jedi (With Snoke trying to lure Rey and Ren to the dark side in Emperor Palpatine fashion). The Last Jedi dares to take new risks for the franchise while honoring the past. With those risks, not every Star Wars fan will necessarily agree with the approach Rian Johnson took to the story but in the end, The Last Jedi largely satisfies as being a worthy successor to The Force Awakens that'll someday go down as being one of the best installments in the series. The Last Jedi is not only one of the best movies of the year but a terrific space adventure as well as being one of the most satisfying Star Wars films ever made (in my humble opinion, it's the best one since The Empire Strikes Back). The Last Jedi dazzles audiences from start to finish while opening up the universe to a new generation of fans. The Last Jedi serves as being a bridge between the past and more exciting things yet to come with Episode 9. Here's hoping that JJ Abrams can continue to build off what Rian Johnson established and bring this newer trilogy to a strong and powerful conclusion. The Last Jedi is a must see.

                                                                            Final Verdict: SEE IT