‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Gets Cosmic Reviews: ‘Who Knew a ‘Thor’ Movie Could Be This Wonderful?’

Critics rave about Taika Waititi’s direction as well as humor brought forth by Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo

thor ragnarok trailer comic-con chris hemsworth tom hiddleston thor loki teamup

Reviews are in for “Thor: Ragnarok” — and so far, 36 critics who reviewed the film love it so much that it’s hit a 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes score. And so far, there’s just one negative review (which knocked “Ragnarok” off its previous 100% perch).

“It’s an enthusiastic, hilarious reboot of the idea of what a Marvel movie can actually be, resulting in an effervescent, delightfully self-aware ride that was the most fun I’d had in a superhero movie in years,” The Verge’s Bryan Bishop wrote.

“Who knew a ‘Thor’ movie could be this wonderful?” added Uproxx’s Mike Ryan. “I guess Taika Waititi did. And please let Taika Waititi make whatever other movies he wants from now on.”

TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde wrote, “Waititi and screenwriters Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher L. Yost know how to balance stakes and silliness, which is exactly what this movie needs. Audiences committed to the ongoing expansion of the Marvel screen universe will come away feeling respected for their devotion, while those who aren’t interested in the set-up for the next ten movies in the franchise can have fun and get on with their lives.”

“Ragnarok” stars Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Hiddleston and finds Thor (Hemsworth) imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer, and in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok — the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization — at the hands of Blanchett’s ruthless Hela.

The film hits theaters on Nov. 2.

See below for the 9 best reviews.

Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly

“‘Ragnarok’ is basically a Joke Delivery System — and on that score, it works. The movie is fun. So to recap: Taika Waititi was mostly the right director for the job. Chris Hemsworth is hilarious. Tessa Thompson is going to be a star. And while ‘Ragnarok’s’ story is an aimless mess, you won’t stop laughing.”

Mark Hughes, Forbes

“‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is fun, and it’s also funny. It is also dramatic, it is also terrific art, it is also the best ‘Thor’ movie by a wide margin, and it is one of the best Marvel sequels released so far. If those statements or words bug you, then get over it.”

Jim Vejvoda, IGN Movies

“‘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). 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. 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.”

Steve Rose, The Guardian

“It basically throws up its hands at its own ridiculousness and plays it all for laughs – and it gets them. The price of this irreverence is the possibility of taking anything that happens all that seriously – even the potential destruction of the Norse gods’ home (that’s not a spoiler either: it’s the title of the movie). There’s a potentially intriguing subtext about Asgard’s gilded spires – and by extension European civilisation – having been built on the suffering and riches of others, but, being a bit of a downer, it’s dealt with fleetingly. The romp must go on.”

Bryan Bishop, The Verge

“Waititi is the New Zealand-based filmmaker and comedian behind movies like ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ and the vampire mockumentary ‘What We Do in the Shadows.’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is his first Hollywood feature, but what he’s done with ‘Ragnarok’ doesn’t just boil down to adding new characters or throwing in extra comedy. Instead, it’s an enthusiastic, hilarious reboot of the idea of what a Marvel movie can actually be, resulting in an effervescent, delightfully self-aware ride that was the most fun I’d had in a superhero movie in years.

Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend

“Taika Waititi’s ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is finally the film in the series that leans into its greatest strength, and while its comedic leanings do have the effect of undercutting some of the more dramatic aspects, it’s also the best of the ‘Thor’ features and impressively one of the better MCU offerings.”

Jeremy Aspinall, Radio Times

“Kudos to the witty script and Kiwi actor/director Taika Waititi (‘What We Do in the Shadows’), who cut his teeth on comedy show ‘Flight of the Conchords.’ Here he serves up a hugely entertaining, laugh-out-loud romp with brilliant brawls, humour delivered with delightfully deadpan finesse (not least by Waititi himself as hilariously random rock beast Korg) and plenty of in-jokes (the look of horror on Loki’s face when he sees the Hulk, who clobbered him in Avengers Assemble, is a peach)…  right now, Ragnarok rocks.”

James Dyer, Empire Online

“Daft as a badger sandwich and twice as funny, this is vintage Waititi, and the boldest, most outrageously fun film Marvel has yet produced.”

Mike Ryan, Uproxx

“‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is by far the most unusual of the Marvel movies – a crazy, colorful, ambitious, hilarious ride through the cosmos – even surpassing the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movies as the former holder of that title. And it’s by far the funniest. It’s not even a question that ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ is the best of the ‘Thor’ movies and it’s certainly up there as far as the best in the MCU. Who knew a ‘Thor’ movie could be this wonderful? I guess Taika Waititi did. And please let Taika Waititi make whatever other movies he wants from now on.”

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