So this movie premiered in Poland today and I just got home from the theater. I have two things to say: this is hands down the best installment in the Thor trilogy and it also definitely ranks somewhere in the top 5 MCU movies for me.
This movie was a wild ride from start to finish. The story was a ton of fun and so many things happened along the way, keeping you engaged at all times. While I do love slow movies that allow their scenes to breathe, the crazy pace of this one worked in its favor. There wasn't as much action as I had expected, but we did get some cool fights and general destruction. In the typical Marvel fashion, there were a lot of jokes and most of them were really, really hilarious. Some of the MCU movies try way too hard to be funny and I end up feeling annoyed at how many quips they cram in there, but in Ragnarok, the humor definitely worked. My personal favorites were the "Get help" scene, Thor's story about Loki turning into a snake and Bruce falling onto the Rainbow Bridge (especially Fenrir's reaction). Those had me laughing uncontrollably. And on the other end of the spectrum, there was quite a lot of emotional weight to both Odin's demise and the fall of Asgard. The movie struck a good balance between the two, keeping things exciting and light-hearted most of the time, but not being afraid to go a little deeper when the situation called for it.
As for the acting, Chris Hemsworth seemed to be really enjoying himself and while I'd often found Thor to be the blandest Avenger in the past, he had a lot more personality and charisma to him here. He was extremely likable and funny, but he was also the hero you rooted for throughout the movie. Cate Blanchett didn't get to do much as Hela, to my disappointment. She looked incredible and she did the best she could with what she was given, but in the end, the Goddess of Death didn't do much in terms of breaking the tradition of one-dimensional, evil-for-the-sake-of-it MCU villains. But she did at least seem to relish and enjoy her evilness. Tessa Thompson stole the movie for me. She was amazing as Valkyrie. She had wonderful chemistry with Thor and I like the idea of the two of them together, she's a much better love interest for him than Jane, but she was by no means reduced to that role here (thankfully!). She was a fully-fledged character with her own arc and personality. She was brash, badass and absolutely deadly in a fight while still having a more vulnerable, softer side and dealing with horrible trauma. She reminded me of Jessica Jones in that way. Watching her go from a drunken scavenger back to a mighty warrior ready to fight for her home and her king was a pleasure. I absolutely loved her and I hope to see more of her in the future MCU movies. Tom Hiddleston delivered as always, Mark Ruffalo was a great addition and Bruce's partnership with Thor was fantastic, and the supporting cast was also very good.
The soundtrack. Man, the soundtrack. 11/10, totally buying it. One of the best I've heard in a while.
The cinematography was gorgeous. So many colors, so many beautiful shots (the one with the Valkyries bathed in light riding towards Hela who was surrounded by darker colors? Holy shit, that looked like a baroque painting. Absolutely stunning). It was a pleasure to watch. The special effects were simply outstanding as well. Fenris/Fenrir was magnificent and let's just say I want ten angry, giant wolves immediately.
I had high hopes for this movie. The first Thor was pretty good, the second was meh (perfectly adequate, but painfully forgettable), but there was a lot of hype around this one and I really wanted it to be great. And it was! I had a blast watching it and I'd definitely see it again. Every standalone hero trilogy in the MCU so far has had at least one fantastic installment. Iron Man had the first one. Captain America had The Winter Soldier. Now, Ragnarok joins the circle. I'm very happy that it turned out as well as it did.
I don't get nearly as excited about the MCU as I used to (mostly because they're churning out movies and TV shows at a rate that I just can't keep up with), but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Definitely worth watching.
Some loose thoughts/things I enjoyed below (spoilers are marked):
- the story is good, the 2nd act is kind of slow, but it picks up towards the end
- the fight scenes are super cool and creative (especially the one on the bus and the one on the scaffolding)
- I liked the way they utilized the rings in fights, it felt really fresh and like something we haven't seen before
- the final battle is actually awesome (monkey brain loves big monsters and explosions)
- the cast is excellent (I'm particularly thrilled to see Awkwafina getting more recognition)
- the soundtrack is beautiful and I love the way they used traditional Chinese melodies
- badass women all around (Michelle Yeoh my beloved)
- impeccable CGI
- some gorgeous scenery
- MORRIS
- loved the callback to the Mandarin mess from Iron Man 3
- Brie Larson cameo (I know the fandom has collectively decided to hate her, but I don't care, that was a treat for me and me only)
- Xialing effectively utilizing girl power by taking over her father's crime empire (I feel like there was definitely some comic book reference flying over my head there but who cares). My friend and I joked that she'll be getting a Disney+ series shortly
Overall, it was a treat. Strongly recommend.
Three words: I. LOVED. IT.
Listen, I'm a simple bitch, okay? Let's establish that right out of the gate. I can make fun of tropes all day long (especially the romantic ones) but in the end, I will eat that shit right up and walk out of the theater with the biggest grin on my face. Arthur and Mera accidentally hold hands and suddenly I turn into your 80-year-old grandma Gladys clutching her pearls and going "oh my". Jason Momoa and Amber Heard are DCEU's new dynamite duo (as much as I love Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, they've been knocked off the top spot for me). Their chemistry makes my skin tingle. Was the romance cliche? Hell yeah it was! And I adored every second of it!
Of course some stuff besides the romance also happens (but who cares about that? Not Gladys, that's for sure). The main plotline of finding the Trident does feel kinda like a treasure hunt with Arthur and Mera hopping from place to place, but because their chemistry and dynamic is just THAT good, it's all very fun and watchable. The villain is... well, he certainly is, eh? Actually there's two of them, but neither really made me feel anything. Still better than Steppenwolf, I guess? Although that's not saying much. The jokes hit more often than they miss and the movie did get a few good laughs out of me. But the more serious moments hit home for me as well, whether it's Arthur's reunion with his mother or his admission that he knows he doesn't deserve the Trident but it's his only hope of saving the people he loves. The tone feels pretty consistent and the transitions between the dramatic and comedic moments don't seem as jarring as in some other DCEU installments. The fight scenes are awesome. Especially the one in Sicily really made me feel pumped.
My favorite scene was by far Mera really experiencing the life on land for the first time. Her wide-eyed wonder (no pun intended, I guess) not only reminded me of Diana arriving in London, but it also had something wonderfully Little Mermaid-like (and not just because of the hair) about it. It was soft. It was pure. It made me feel warm inside. Mera eating the roses and Arthur immediately doing the same? Nobody's ever gonna ride for me this hard. Those are the kind of scenes that ground these huge superhero movies, that make them feel relatable to me and allow me to take a breath and really connect with the characters. And when 20 minutes later Mera goes full Bad Bitch In Charge on those soldiers and kills them with deadly wine spikes? Oh, I just about lost my mind. I want her to murder me. But aside from that entire sequence, there were plenty of other moments that really got my attention: little Arthur at the aquarium, Arthur and Mera's escape from Atlantis (such a fun chase!), our favorite power couple emerging from the ocean looking like they're on Baywatch (it was great, don't @ me), every time Mera used her powers (the glowing eyes!), the list goes on.
The visuals are absolutely stunning. Gone are the dreary grays of some lesser DCEU movies. Instead we get beautiful colors (Atlantis is beyond gorgeous), some great shots (Arthur and Mera swimming with the flare while surrounded by thousands of Trench people is breathtaking) and of course incredible CGI. It's a very aesthetically pleasing movie. And the music! I loved the music. This is one of the soundtracks I'm definitely gonna need to listen to at some point. And it takes some big balls to put a cover of Toto's Africa in your movie. I appreciate that. Some people are definitely gonna cringe when they hear it, but I had the biggest grin on my face.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable ride. It's quite long, but it didn't drag. I was invested in Arthur's journey. I thought the casting was perfect (and gosh darn do Jason Momoa and Amber Heard look good together! That has to be one of the most visually stunning pairings to have ever graced the big screen). And I just... felt super happy afterwards. I still can't stop smiling. It's a good movie not just by DCEU standards, but in general. I'd love to see it again and I'll definitely try to do so over the holidays. I honestly didn't expect to like it as much as I did. What a great surprise.
Is this movie cheesy, dumb and just a bit too much at times? Yes.
Is this movie also colorful and sweet and just plain fun to watch? YES.
It honestly has everything: a cute lesbian love story, Meryl Streep living her absolute best life in an utterly unhinged role that feels like Miranda Priestley on crack (ready to throw hands with a 17 year-old, exuding pure MILF energy and ending up with Keegan Michael Key who is no less than 22 years younger than her (legends only), serving looks left and right - GIVE HER OSCAR NO. 4 RIGHT NOW), Nicole Kidman going All That Jazz on my unsuspecting gay ass (ma'am, this is the McDonald's Drive Thru), a banging soundtrack, homophobia being defeated with the power of a musical number, glitter and sequins galore, and finally, a hopeful message of kindness, acceptance and love that made me cry like a baby.
10/10 would recommend.
Wow. For perhaps the first time in my life, I am completely speechless. I just got back from an early screening of the movie (we have early screenings in Poland! Who knew?). I'm going to try and collect my thoughts as I write, but I'm just buzzing with excitement, so I make no promises as to how this will turn out. I hope you'll stick with me regardless.
After BvS and Suicide Squad were poorly received by critics (and audiences too, although here the opinions were more divided), a lot of people were afraid of how this movie would turn out. And I swear, no one was more scared than me. I didn't grow up with Wonder Woman - hell, I wasn't even aware of her existence until like two years ago, but I so desperately wanted her movie to succeed. A female superhero in the title role and a female director? That is huge. That's something I've been waiting for since I was a kid. And I spent the last year kind of holding my breath, hoping with all my might that this movie would be good.
And it is. Thank the gods, it really is.
Oh, and before I forget: this review will be spoiler-free, I don't intend to ruin any of the important plot points for anyone.
So, let's get to it, shall we?
First of all, the plot. The plot is simple, linear, without unnecessary storylines shoehorned in there for no reason. That doesn't make it any less engaging or exciting, of course. If anything, it allows you to really immerse yourself in the story. And boy, is the story great. There's plenty of cliches there, but honestly, there is something to be said about cliches. If done correctly, they are amazing. And they definitely are done correctly here.
The movie looks gorgeous as well. There are actual colors there, along with some stunning shots. The editing is on point, everything flows pretty much flawlessly.
The music is sick. I mean, they managed to incorporate WW's theme in there, with all of its electric cello glory. And it's just... insane.
The action scenes will make you want to fist pump and yell "Hell yeah!". Whatever you're imagining, I promise you, the movie will exceed your expectations. I still have goosebumps and it's been like an hour since I left the theatre.
As for the acting, everyone does a wonderful (no pun intended) job. I want to talk about Gal Gadot for a second, because I feel like a lot of people had doubts as to whether or not she could handle such a huge role and such an iconic heroine. Worry not. She's got this. It's actually kind of jaw-dropping how much she's got this. She pours everything she has into this performance. Her Diana is layered, a perfect balance of innocently naive and fiercely badass. She brings heart and humanity and a range of emotions to the character. She will make you laugh. She will make you cry. And most importantly, she will make you feel the sheer power and confidence that she radiates while still having moments of vulnerability. She's glorious. She IS Wonder Woman.
Everyone loves Chris Pine, and he does a great job here as well. Steve Trevor keeps up with Diana without once trying to overshadow her and they make a fantastic duo. And he has his fair share of cool moments as well. Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright manage to do a lot with the few scenes they're given. Lucy Davis is super funny. Overall, a pretty awesome cast of supporting actors.
And finally, what struck me the most about this movie was how heartfelt and genuine, and just... good it was. I mean, it's a brilliant movie, but it's also good in the sense that it inspires you and fills you with hope and optimism, which I think is something we rarely get in movies nowadays. It warms your heart and makes you feel so many different things. It hits all the right notes. There's no shortage of dramatic, incredibly emotional moments that will bring tears to your eyes. But it's also often hilarious and joyful - I laughed out loud more than once, and so did the rest of the room.. And when it wants to be epic, it is larger than life, powerful and spectacular.
I recognize and respect the fact that to many people, this movie won't be perfect. But to me, it is. It's everything I wanted it to be and then some. Hats off to Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and everyone else involved. They created something truly incredile. I'm seeing it again on Saturday. And quite possibly a few more times after that. If I blow all my money on tickets for this movie, it will be worth it. No regrets.
Now, time to go to bed and cry about how much I love Diana. I hope everyone has as unforgettable an experience with Wonder Woman as I did.
UPDATE: Having seen this movie 4 times in 2 weeks, I can safely say that it's insanely rewatchable. Also, I'm an emotional mess who's cried at least 3 times during each one of those 4 screenings. I'm fairly certain that this movie actually gets better the more you watch it.
