I have decided to start a new approach to reviewing movies, TV shows, and books on the site. Enter “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” segment. First up is the latest in what has become the exhausting MCU.
Simply put: I loved this movie.
The previous two entries in the Thro franchise set up an interesting relationship between Thor and Loki, but never seemed to produce a movie that was worth the price of admission. With that it mind, let’s get to it.
The Good: Loki (in my opinion) has been one of the few bright spots in terms of a largely underwhelming stable of villains the MCU has marched out for the shiny Marvel movies. Here, Taiki Watiti treats the god of mischief as he should be: chaotic neutral. Loki, traditionally, is less a black hat and more a “let’s watch them dance” kind of antagonist. This is revived here with requisite humor. Thor Ragnarok was, quite simply, fun, which has been sorely missing from the MCU. Hela was a great villainess and the supporting cast, especially Korg, proved to be wonderful. Jeff Goldblum delights as well, though I would have expected nothing less. The Good: characters, dialgoue, music, and overall story.
The Bad: There was not a lot to complain about in this movie. One criticism I have seen levelled at it is the lack of seriousness. While the plot is peppered with humor and misadventures, I never felt as if it needed more seriousness. The Bad: very little at stake in the larger MCU picture (not really a bad thing).
The Ugly: Valkyrie was one of my favorite characters in the film. However, there was a point at which the movie veered toward her as a potential love interest for Thor. She deserves to be an autonomous character, not beholden to a potential amorous companion for Thor. The Ugly: hinting that Valkyrie might tumble into love-interest territory.
Overall Score:
out of 5
Dan O'Brien | Author & Consultant 