Remember that feeling when you first saw 'Avengers Assemble' like you'd never seen anything so cool in your life? Like you were witnessing the best film ever made and it actually made you ache? Yeah, well, it would seem that will never happen again.
But who cares because I went to see Thor: ragnarok yesterday and I. BLOODY. LOVED. IT.
It is a fantastic film, beautifully made and lovingly acted, BUT it is an out and out comedy for 75% of the time and that is not what Marvel movies are supposed to be.
This film will definitely divide the world, casual movie goers and non biased film buffs, will see it for what it is and that's a jaw dropping, hilariously funny, fucking amazing film. Hardcore comic book fans however, will be sorely disappointed. I'm certain of it. This film effectively makes a mockery of superheroes and that is a massive shame - at one point we even see Hulk showboating for a crowd for god sake! Its not in keeping with the tone set by past movies - Tony Stark was the only bit of comic relief we needed, the rest was belly flipping coolness and pure indulgent fantasy. Marvel has lost that now and what we're left with are self-depricating Superheroes who are being made to look human, with all the faults that come with that status. We have Guardians of The Galaxy for this, so we don't really need anything more.
At least its not pretending to be something other than what it is - the trailer sets the tone for the movie perfectly, so just expect more of what the trailer gives you and you wont be disappointed.
I, for one, don't care though so I laughed, cried and gasped my way through it.
I do have one or two negative observations to make, nothing too major - Cate Blanchett was delightfully campy and wonderfully physical (when not using a stunt double) but all I could see was the most recent incarnation of Rita Repulsa, with antlers, so that kind of made her a bit of a joke for me.
Also the 'original score' was basically a rip off of 'It Follows' and 'Stranger Things' - stop it with the synthesizer now please, its getting old.
Karl Urban's accent was atrocious and unnecessary! Why was he cockney? It just wasn't needed and it was actually quite jarring. Although he did a very good job otherwise and I actually liked him by the end, so all was not lost.
Lastly, Dr Strange absolutely did not need to be in this movie - some cross overs are just pointless.
Highlights for me were basically everything else about it.
I feel like the dialogue was largely improvised, so the script can't really be commented on - it wasn't terrible but it wasn't anything to shout about.
I would like to shout about Taika Waititi, though - this man has been making me laugh for 10 years and when I heard he was given the mammoth task of directing such a huge project, I have to say it stopped me in my tracks and I questioned this decision. I needn't have even blinked though because he did a wonderful, wonderful job. The framing of the shots and the whole entire look of the movie is beautiful - so colourful and pleasing to the eye. He even has a small voice part, which I clocked onto the second he opened his mouth - his voice is so familiar to me and connected to such lovely memories, it felt like a little piece of home.
You will notice that I said its an out and out comedy for 75% of the time, that is because the other 25% is still that wonderful Marvel, fantasy, superhero, over the top coolness, that we have come to expect and particularly a 3 minute section that actually made me want to start a standing ovation - I can still see and hear the beginning shot of this particular sequence in my head, it was beautiful - absolutely gob smacking.
I can't really say much more than this without getting in to spoiler territory but what I will say is - go and see it. Forget what you think about Marvel movies and go and witness a really fun and really well made film, on the big screen. Let yourself go into the silliness and you will enjoy it.
One last thing, look out for some pretty hefty cameos near the beginning and also Thor's hairdresser.
But who cares because I went to see Thor: ragnarok yesterday and I. BLOODY. LOVED. IT.
It is a fantastic film, beautifully made and lovingly acted, BUT it is an out and out comedy for 75% of the time and that is not what Marvel movies are supposed to be.
This film will definitely divide the world, casual movie goers and non biased film buffs, will see it for what it is and that's a jaw dropping, hilariously funny, fucking amazing film. Hardcore comic book fans however, will be sorely disappointed. I'm certain of it. This film effectively makes a mockery of superheroes and that is a massive shame - at one point we even see Hulk showboating for a crowd for god sake! Its not in keeping with the tone set by past movies - Tony Stark was the only bit of comic relief we needed, the rest was belly flipping coolness and pure indulgent fantasy. Marvel has lost that now and what we're left with are self-depricating Superheroes who are being made to look human, with all the faults that come with that status. We have Guardians of The Galaxy for this, so we don't really need anything more.
At least its not pretending to be something other than what it is - the trailer sets the tone for the movie perfectly, so just expect more of what the trailer gives you and you wont be disappointed.
I, for one, don't care though so I laughed, cried and gasped my way through it.
I do have one or two negative observations to make, nothing too major - Cate Blanchett was delightfully campy and wonderfully physical (when not using a stunt double) but all I could see was the most recent incarnation of Rita Repulsa, with antlers, so that kind of made her a bit of a joke for me.
Also the 'original score' was basically a rip off of 'It Follows' and 'Stranger Things' - stop it with the synthesizer now please, its getting old.
Karl Urban's accent was atrocious and unnecessary! Why was he cockney? It just wasn't needed and it was actually quite jarring. Although he did a very good job otherwise and I actually liked him by the end, so all was not lost.
Lastly, Dr Strange absolutely did not need to be in this movie - some cross overs are just pointless.
Highlights for me were basically everything else about it.
I feel like the dialogue was largely improvised, so the script can't really be commented on - it wasn't terrible but it wasn't anything to shout about.
I would like to shout about Taika Waititi, though - this man has been making me laugh for 10 years and when I heard he was given the mammoth task of directing such a huge project, I have to say it stopped me in my tracks and I questioned this decision. I needn't have even blinked though because he did a wonderful, wonderful job. The framing of the shots and the whole entire look of the movie is beautiful - so colourful and pleasing to the eye. He even has a small voice part, which I clocked onto the second he opened his mouth - his voice is so familiar to me and connected to such lovely memories, it felt like a little piece of home.
You will notice that I said its an out and out comedy for 75% of the time, that is because the other 25% is still that wonderful Marvel, fantasy, superhero, over the top coolness, that we have come to expect and particularly a 3 minute section that actually made me want to start a standing ovation - I can still see and hear the beginning shot of this particular sequence in my head, it was beautiful - absolutely gob smacking.
I can't really say much more than this without getting in to spoiler territory but what I will say is - go and see it. Forget what you think about Marvel movies and go and witness a really fun and really well made film, on the big screen. Let yourself go into the silliness and you will enjoy it.
One last thing, look out for some pretty hefty cameos near the beginning and also Thor's hairdresser.