Spoilers ahead. Reminder if you don't read my reviews that I review the entire movie and do not avoid plot spoilers. Turn back now if that bothers you. Of course... I have to say for this flick it matters less than most. And for that reason this isn't going to be that long of a review. There just isn't a lot to unwrap here. It is fun, fast, big screen fare at its best. Really if you haven't seen the film this review will be hard to follow as it is just kind of a random comment collection on bits in the movie.
The Good:
Idris Elba's Heimdal may be the most underutilized character thus far in Marvel. Part of me wants to see a whole epic movie of what he was doing on Asguard during the Grand Master party sequences.
It is funny... I mean genuinely funny. Very self aware in a good way... It isn't 4th wall breaking Mel Brooks funny just very tongue in cheek. My personal favorite in the whole bit was probably how they made fun of the past Thor movies where despite supposed aeons of history together Thor unfailing falls for Loki's mirage tricks. Here they turn the tables and make the Trickster the slow poke unchanging one.
I like the Bad Ass Valkyrie and unstoppable Hella Goddess of death. Gal Gadot's DC Wonder Woman looks to just be the first of some more equal opportunity ass kicking going on Hollywood style.
Dr. Strange makes a nice cameo and the nod to Cumberbatch's Sherlock was one of the few bits it took me a second run through to really catch. Perhaps Waititi should get a shot and a follow on for Dr. Strange. His weird comedy and Dr. Strange really could be a good fit.
Mostly I am meh on the Sekar segment as a setting but it has a so many good 'bits'. The Willy Wonka ride introduction to the Grand Master is classic. As is Corg the "living Pile of Rocks". "Another Day.... Another Doug". And the Quinn Jet Authentication bit with Thor's authentication phrase is "Point Break" and "The Strongest Avenger" is Banners welcome (and an attempted authentication by Thor) are fantastic callbacks.
Most of Hella was just pure and simple Bad Assery. Something oddly rare for a female role. A high mark to me which was played to the hilt and made full use of having such a heavy weight in Blanchet in the role was the reveal of the history Odin had paved over of the Rise of Asguard.
Sometimes old jokes are not bad. Honorable mention must go to Karl Urban's "Skurge" getting busy with a shake weight.
The So So:
Being a Marvel big screen special effects fest means it suffers from green screen hell. These movies are seriously one step from going full Toy Story.
I must Say Goldblum had a good bit.... but not so sure it or the whole Sekar (or however you spell it) sequence will really stand up long term visually. The piles of trash and general overall setting put me in mind of Idiocracy.... and not in a good way.
Another Hulk Fight? Don't get me wrong... Seeing who wins among the Avengers fighting each other is great and all but they might be going to the well a bit to much here. That said I kind of wish they had left off the Iron Man vs Hulk bit and just waited for this one... and managed to hide it in the build up a bit better. The fight itself was a special effects success.
The Bad:
What was up with killing Thor's Posse like that? I mean seriously... the leader of the Guard at the entrance to the Palace puts up more of a fight than Thor's band of Hero's. I smell contract hell bleeding onto the screen.
So the first time through I was laughing to hard to really pay much attention to the movie as a whole. The second time though... some weak spots were pretty glaring. The flow while I think overall is good does suffer from some pretty sharp breaks and disjointedness in the set transitions. The other thing that becomes very apparent is that most of the comedy is really skin deep. Not the kind that keeps on giving. Most of the better bits really owe a LOT to The Avengers. Lets see... Point Break, Tony's Clothes, Hulk's flip flop smashing of a God take II, and Loki's reaction to Hulk's reveal call back to same. The "adopted" bit with the brothers.
There was a story I read that tossed this on top of the heap as funniest Marvel universe film and I am not buying it. In terms of outright Comedy it is a fair claim. For shear quantity it outstrips the rest fairly easily except maybe Guardians. But I personally would still rank The Avengers tops. It gets funnier the more I have seen it... there are layers on layers in all the Banter Joss laid into that opus. Next would be Guardians 1. I'd probably put this one as a toss up with Guardian's 2.... Really it has funnier highs... But Guardian's is better crafted overall. Both are somewhat lackluster on the 'Epic Scale' despite both being about the end of the universe as we know it...
The damn trailer. I avoided everything I could and even so I could see the whole Hulk Reveal from a Mile away. The best viewing of this movie would be for someone who had no idea who was going to be in it. As is the trailer really ruined one of the best gags.
Now I like the bad ass Female thing. But the whole chugging a 40 drunk thing felt a bit off to me. I think they could have found a better way to have a 'damaged' character flaw to liven things up. Seriously just having her keep Thor on his Toes and tongue tying him in addition to literally tying him up may have been enough on its own.
Conclusion:
Two thumbs up. It has its flaws but nothing terminal. It is a fun flick and I want to see some more.
