The third installment in the Thor franchise is directed by Taika Waititi who has also directed films such as Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do In The Shadows. He also plays the role of the computer generated Korg as a voice actor. The rocky alien has some quite hilarious moments in this film.

Strap yourself into the leather seat. Get the biggest bucket of popcorn at the concession. Then watch a film that is funny, yet serious. Uses a ton of CGI, but also has real authentic sets to blend in. And has tremendous performances from superb actors. Those actors even make very familiar characters feel completely fresh and new. Don’t forget the newcomers coming into the cosmic universe of Marvel are also very well done.

Thor: Ragnarok is a movie that chronicles the mighty Thor without his beloved hammer, having to deal with dueling the Incredible Hulk in a faraway land. All while Hela-the Norse Goddess of Death-has a plot to destroy his home of Asgard and everyone living there.

This film is very different than the other Thor flicks. The other Thor movies tried to relate the audience to the character (who is the notorious Norse God of Thunder) by humanizing him on our planet of Earth. This method after Thor: The Dark World (to many eyes, one of the MCU’s worst films) was proven that it was interesting, yet has a potential that has a ceiling. Every character that Thor has met on earth is completely forgotten (besides Bruce Banner).

The Hulk is also one of the main characters in this movie. Moviegoers will be surprised by how much more the big green guy has to offer. He no longer grunts and says “HULK SMASH”, nay he is more colorful and actually more human than monster.

The villain-played masterfully by Cate Blanchett-is very menacing and the writers do an exceptional job of forging her past and why she is so important. Odin’s character-played by the great Anthony Hopkins-has a major role in the plot and is the source of ambition for the hero (Thor), the villain (Hela), and Thor’s adopted brother (Loki).

Let’s dive into the acting. Chris Hemsworth adds a savvy and more confident approach as Thor that audiences will be honored to have as their hero. Hemsworth is also playing the main character in a comedic take on an action hero. It is refreshing to see him have a little fun with the character for once.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki never lets us forget that he is the Norse God of Mischief while for most of the movie switching his usual role as a cunning and intelligent villain to a comic relief sidekick. All while at points of the movie reminding us that he cannot be trusted.

Some more newcomers into the Marvel Cinematic Universe are Karl Urban and Tessa Thompson. Urban as Skurge, is a character that the audience can relate to and they can feel his struggles in this movie vividly. Urban’s character is also the same in a way to Idris Elba’s Heimdall who also reprises his role as the wise guard of the Bifrost Bridge. Meanwhile, Thompson plays a badass swordswoman that is an alcoholic, yet has more under her rough skin. The audience finds later in the movie her character is very more important to Asgard and Thor’s dilemma.

Finally, Jeff Goldblum and Mark Ruffalo are both in this movie as well. Goldblum is the eccentric and flamboyant Grandmaster of the planet Sakaar. While with Ruffalo (who is also on the same planet) you get the same Banner from previous movies with a bit more of a comedic effect with Thor that works like a charm. You get where Banner’s Hulk is coming from with his new issues in this movie. This is very unlike the previous Avenger films he has been in. The Hulk is more fleshed out in this movie and doesn’t just focus on the smart qualities of the science whiz.

This film also has action sequences in the finale of the film that is a treat for the eyes of the public because it’s CGI feels so real and you truly feel like you are in a different world. Asgard feels like a living land that is not a just a silly myth. Sakaar has a comparing feel to the bedazzling and tyrannical Capitol in the Hunger Games films mixed with the reckless scavengers and junk of the planet Jakku from the recent Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Then again, every film has flaws and Thor: Ragnarok sometimes shoots itself in the foot with an overload of comedy. The laughs in this movie are abundant and clever, yet some could be placed better or even removed from the movie in some parts. That would allow having a little more serious and hallmark moments. But mostly throughout the 2 hour and 10 minute runtime, the comedy is well placed, yet also knowing that the flick is a very pivotal movie that is leading right towards a universal war with super people.

Thor: Ragnarok is an enlightenment to the thinkers of CGI. Everything in this movie feels so lifelike, unlike any movie I have seen before. The characters are well explained and you know where everyone is coming from. If you have not seen the previous Thor films or Avengers: Age of Ultron in some parts you will be confused as to what is happening in this flick. The story of this movie is very extensive and feels like a single solid film while also preparing the masses of MCU fans for the two-part colossal Avengers: Infinity War starting in 2018. This movie is why I go to the theater.

Grade: A+

If you are bored, have nothing on your schedule, tired of the rat race of life, or just want to do something simple for fun, this is a must see.