Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok is the 2017 Marvel Studios film adapting the comic book character Thor. It is the third film in the Thor movie series and follows Thor: The Dark World as well as Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

Directed by Taika Waititi, this movie represents a significant tonal shift from the previous two films. Downplaying the classic fantasy trappings and earthbound melodrama of previous films, this one leans hard on the Jack Kirby styled sci-fi-as-fantasy tone of the comics.

Chris Hemsworth returns as God-adventurer who finds his home, his people and his very identity threatened by his long-banished half-sister Hela (Cate Balnchett). With the element of surprise on her side Hela casts Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) out of Asgard where she aims to dominate as their warrior queen. The feuding brothers end up on Sakaar, a planet driven largely by the demented gladiator cage-fights orchestrated the The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). Thor is captured by a mercenary scrapper (Tessa Thompson) and thrown into the arena to face their greatest champion, who turns out to be Hulk (Mark Ruffalo -- last seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron). Thor musters an unlikely group of allies intent on returning to Asgard and saving it from destruction at Hela's sword.

Thor: Ragnarok traded largely on comedy, stunning comic-book set and costume design and a 1980s aesthetic, all injected by Waititi, to create a crowd-pleasing film spectacle. The fact that the film's stinger directly leads into Avengers: Infinity War is an added bonus.

The movie is followed by Thor: Love and Thunder.