Marrying a barebones version of Planet Hulk to the Ragnarok storyline - the most consequential of all possible Thor sagas - was always a bizarre choice and challenging balancing act for Marvel and director Taika Waititi. It’s apparent that Thor: Ragnarok isn’t as invested in Asgard as it is in Sakaar, despite Ragnarok being part of the film’s title. He doesn’t have any real arc to speak of here in Ragnarok there are opportunities to explore some depth between Thor and Hela that the movie deflects in favor of moving on to the next set-piece or gag. Who, after all these years and films, is Thor exactly? And what really mattered to him here in this film? Asgard’s very existence being at stake never seems to emotionally register with him as much as it should. Lead actor Chris Hemsworth seems to be enjoying himself more here than in any previous Marvel movie, but it’s apparent by the end of Thor: Ragnarok just how wildly inconsistent Thor’s overall MCU arc has been, from Shakespeare Lite to, now, Space Bro. There, they encounter the long-lost Hulk and meet the hard-bitten Valkyrie, another Asgardian far from home, before they all team up to return to Asgard to stop the vengeful Hela, the goddess of death, from destroying the realm.

This flippant and flashy film sees Thor reuniting with his “dead” brother Loki before the pair find themselves on the planet Sakaar, which truly is a wretched hive of scum and villainy. But it also encapsulates the MCU’s increasing desire to go for the gag, to mock its own innate absurdity, even at the expense of the characters and settings Marvel Studios has spent years now establishing. This makes for a fun and often hilarious romp, and a film that looks as vibrant and out there as an old Jack Kirby Marvel comic. Thor: Ragnarok is as glib and cheeky as the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and embraces a deliberately ‘80s space opera aesthetic and synth score (composed by Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, providing the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most distinctive original music yet).

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