Thor - Ragnarök (2017)

You can think what you want about Marvel Studios' films. What is striking, however, is that the studio's films, which all take place in a universe that spans the globe, are increasingly becoming a meta-narrative about the entertainment industry in general and that of the comic book adaptation subgenre in particular. Thor - Ragnarök is the third film that has the God of Thunder as its protagonist and is now the 17th film whose action takes place in the Marvel cinematic universe. Positively, all of these films are elements of one of the most successful and best film narratives of all time. If you look at the machinery of Marvel Studios, which is part of the Disney corporation, like a sausage factory, you may see in these films only an endless string of clichés and telenovela plotlines.

But Thor - Ragnarök becomes a minor masterpiece thanks to the brilliant directing of Taiga Waititi. Thor - like Guardian Of The Galaxy before it - is a comedy that happens to be set in the mom Marvel movie universe. Chris Hemsworth shows here again the comedic talent that he could already show in rudiments in the remake of Ghostbusters (2016). Thor has not only muscles in this film, but also humor. All those involved display such a joy in acting that at times it is hard to believe that the masters of the sausage factory let the makers get away with it. But that's probably the secret to the success of this Marvel meta-narrative. There is room for every shade in it. The overall picture consists of exactly these different styles and still generates a consistent image. In contrast to the competition from Warner Brothers, who failed miserably with their - so far - failed attempt to copy the form of the cinematic meta-narrative, in the form of the DC Universe, from Marvel, Marvel films succeed in producing entertaining films for the mass audience while at the same time satisfying the hardcore fans. Even subversive and socially critical tones are played out, wrapped in candy colors. As a New Zealander, Waititi is well aware of the issues of colonialism and racism. That history is told by the victors is not a new insight. However, the presentation of this realization in a film with gods and spaceships is new. Waititi plays with the conventions of superhero movie tropes and breaks them through humor. Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster improvises a wolf, Cate Blanchett as the goddess of death Hela celebrates the drag queen in her, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Mark Ruffalo as Hulk deliver their best interpretations of the role. Tessa Thompson in her embodiment of a bitter Valkyrie, Benedict Cumberbatch as the fed-up wizard Doctor Strange, and Idris Elba as Heimdal and Karl Urban as Skurge are all excellent in their roles. Even director Waititi takes it upon himself to step in front of the camera as the stone monster Korg and steal the show from everyone with his performances.

The director Zack Snyder wanted to revive the dusty figure of Superman. In an interview about his plan, he expressed disdain for the Thor film adaptations. "We're talking about Thor here. So please. The problem is that you have to establish a character like Thor before you change it. Zack Snyder didn't think so with Superman. You can fundamentally change the behavior of a character like the Man of Steel, because every child already knows this character. But the audience and the press saw it differently. At Marvel, on the other hand, the time was ripe to reinterpret the character of Thor. He had previously been seen in four films. A change of the character from the serious Shakespearean director to the comedy director Waititi is carried along, because the fundamental aspects of the character are not touched. And without having seen even one other Marvel movie, Thor - Judgment Day is just plain fun as a standalone film. Nothing less than the end of the world is negotiated. And yet you leave the cinema with the realization that the recipe against this is simply a shot of good humor.

In meinem Film Podcast Movie Watchdogs spreche ich mit Tim Krauss und Timo Josefowicz über den Film.