Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Thor: Ragnarok 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

The Third Thor Tale in 3D.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 22, 2018

Thor: Ragnarok just released to theaters several month ago, but it's no longer the latest installment in the ever-expanding, increasingly complex, and endlessly fun Marvel Cinematic Universe. The latest film is Black Panther, and Thor: Ragnarok reminds viewers at credits end that the hero will be returning in Avengers: Infinity War, which will be hitting theaters around the time Black Panther should be making its home video debut. That's a lot of movies, a maelstrom of Marvel, but "while the iron is hot" and all of that. Thor: Ragnarok is the third film to feature the blonde-haired Nordic warrior from Asgard as the lead, following on 2011's Thor and 2013's Thor: The Dark World. Ragnarok, which is not a reference to a place or character but rather an idea -- the prophecy foretelling the destruction of Thor's home world of Asgard -- is a humor-heavy, abundantly colorful, and ridiculously fun movie. It's maybe a little skimpy in terms of dramatic resonance, getting caught up in its laughs, locations, and lightning-paced action, but as a core MCU experience that brings together a few familiar faces in large parts and small supporting roles alike while also introducing a few new and dynamic characters, it's a winner.

The film opens with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) battling the hellish Surtur, a demon he believes that, if killed, will nullify the prophesy of Ragnarok, which predicts the destruction of his home, Asgard. Thor slays the beast and returns home to find his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) missing and his mischievous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) disguised and in Odin's place. The two travel to Earth to find Odin dying. He warns Thor that his long-imprisoned sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) will rise to power in his death. Hela does indeed appear, removes one of Thor's great sources of power from the equation, and leaves the hero for dead in space. Thor survives and finds himself on a strange planet called Sakaar where he is detained by an alcoholic rogue known as "Scrapper 142" (Tessa Thompson). She takes him to the planet's Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) who selects Thor as his new arena battle champion where he will face off against a familiar foe. Meanwhile, Hela's grip over Asgard tightens, and Thor must find a way off Sakaar and back home if he's to save his world from certain destruction from his own blood.

Not that it wasn’t true in previous films, but it’s abundantly clear in Ragnarok that the MCU is truly an expansive universe, and the films and characters and narratives are so interwoven that it practically requires a Ph.D. in all things Marvel movies to keep up, or at least numerous views within close proximity, as well as an intimate knowledge of the comics, to fully appreciate the nuance and sprawl. Ragnarok introduces several characters new to the movie universe but well established in the pen-and-paper world. But that speaks to the richness of the characters and stories and, just as impressive, the various filmmakers’ abilities to maintain a certain tone and style of execution that maintains not only narrative continuity but a consistency of essential presentation. That said, this film is more comedically inclined than the others. It’s lighter on its feet, even while dealing with dark prophesy that foretells the destruction of Thor’s home world and as he encounters his sister, a darkly clad, cunning villainess whose headpiece will almost assuredly remind audiences of the deadly Medusa. Yet Hera is almost a forgotten villainess through much of the film. The bulk takes place on the playful scrap world of Sakaar where abundant color and playful beats define various action and character building scenes, where Thor encounters the Hulk, meets the Asgardian Valkyrie, and even gets a hair cut from a familiar face. Hera more or less lurks, and Director Taika Waititi allows her presence to simmer, her darkness playing in stark contrast to the abundant light through a middle stretch that almost passes for something out of The Fifth Element rather than the MCU.

The film does take some liberties with the material, not remaining strictly faithful every scrap of detail in the comics, but Ragnarok, perhaps more than any other to bear the Marvel logo, certainly has its own identity. It's a film in which Led Zeppelin and Techno music meet in storytelling harmony as the characters uniformly move to those otherwise disparate beats. The movie is more Guardians of the Galaxy than it is Winter Soldier, more frisky and less dramatically intense and narratively deep, a film that's confident in its playfulness, sure of its characters, and unafraid to end on dueling notes of cheer and despair. The cast is all-in as well, playing off one another and embracing the comic cycles that do more to advance the narrative than the action. The wry jokes and perky character building moments come dangerously close to overwhelming the movie, but Taika Waititi never allows the laughs to become the sole focal points, always easing back just enough to keep the story and action front-and-center, a balance some of its humorously bent non-MCU contemporary peers have absolutely failed to achieve. From Hemsworth on down, including actors voicing digital characters like the rocky Korg (who is, interestingly, voiced by Taika Waititi), the performances are infectious, and the actors, including veterans like Jeff Goldblum, thrive on the film's easy-come laughs. Only Idris Elba, playing the stoic Heimdall, seems necessarily immune.

Thor: Ragnarok 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

It's a shame Disney hasn't made Thor: Ragnarok's Blu-ray 3D release available in the United States, but this region free disc from the U.K. plays just fine anywhere in the world and it's well worth the effort (which is really no effort at all) of having it shipped overseas. The fun begins with the Marvel Studios logo, which features both inward and outward 3D goodness. There's a wonderful shape to the static images, as they appear to extend out of the screen and, eventually, draw in backwards. It's a fun effect that sets the proper tone for the rest of the movie, which delivers a first-rate 3D viewing experience.

The film begins in Surtur's dank, dark realm. Even through the pervasive bleakness -- blacks and grays broken up only by bright red fiery coloring -- there's a tangible sense of location space and identifiable shape and size to the demonic creature, impressive considering it's all made in the computer. The sequence boasts some of the best 3D pop-out effects the film has to offer, as Thor's hammer encircles the battle zone and, at one point, pushes outward from the screen, stops, and rushes back in. Thor raises it towards the heavens moments later, pleading his homeworld for an instantaneous exit. Later in the film, at the beginning of the second act after crash-landing on Sakaar, Thor extends his arm to the screen, instinctively calling for Mjolnir, and it appears to reach out into the theater.

But essential depth is the calling card here, even as some very strong and enjoyable pop-out effects are apparent. Various vistas are breathtakingly large and expansive, whether a New York City overhead view, a sprawling cliffside locale where Thor and Loki first encounter Hela, the large-scale view of the trash planet Sakaar, and of course the arena in which Thor battles Hulk, presenting with an amazing sense of spacial volume, both along the arena floor and upwards into the circular stands. Perhaps the single most impressive example of depth in the film comes in the holographic lead-up to Thor first meeting with The Grandmaster; a tunnel, for lack of a better word, seems to extend as close to infinity as 3D allows. There's plenty of separation between objects and characters, with one shot of particular note being the ragtag group of scavengers watching Valkyrie descend from her ship soon after Thor lands on Sakaar.

Essential image quality characteristics are wonderful, too. Textural efficiency is strong. The image delivers complex detailing across the board, losing very little in transition from flat 2D to 3D. Colors follow suit, perhaps lacking the absolute intensity seen on the 2D-only image (and of course the HDR UHD colors) but holding firm and robust nevertheless. This presentation also features variable aspect ratios, shifting form standard 2.39:1 to an open 1.78:1 throughout. This is a great 3D release that format fans will want to pick up from where it's available.

Thor: Ragnarok 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Thor: Ragnarok contains the same DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack as the U.S. Blu-ray. It delivers a dense and detailed and effortlessly fluid listening experience. Sound details swoop and sweep with dynamic, traversing detail while taking advantage of every speaker around the listener. Thor's hammer soars with a metallic weight. An arena battle encircles the listener with crowd noise while the chaotic battle sends debris flying, turning the home theater into a raucous circular battlefield. Musical width and depth are superb, whether more traditionally oriented score or pulsating techno beats on Sakaar that rise and lower in intensity as they pop up around the listening area. Environmental effects, such as thunder and wind heard within the 22-minute mark, are organically positioned and saturate the stage with seamless detail. Dialogue is rich and detailed with firm front-center placement and prioritization. All that said, the track plays timidly at reference volume. It's rich in clarity but poor in low end engagement and heft, similar to another recent Disney release in Coco.

Thor: Ragnarok 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Thor: Ragnarok's UK 3D release comes bundled with a 2D disc which contains all of the supplements found on the U.S. release. No extras appear on the actual 3D disc.

• Director Intro (1080p, 1:44): Director Taika Waititi humorously discusses why he got into moviemaking and the film's cinematic "influences." It's easy to see where the film got its sense of humor. Available under the "Play" menu option.
• Getting In Touch With Your Inner Thor (1080p, 6:39): A discussion of the character's history in recent film, this film's tone, the character's evolution, and Hemsworth's performance.
• Unstoppable Women: Hela & Valkyrie (1080p, 5:58): A closer look at two of the film's lead female characters, portrayed by Cate Blanchett and Tessa Thompson.
• Finding Korg (1080p, 7:34): Another humorous piece that looks at Waititi's work as director and digital-physical-voice actor for the film.
• Sakaar: On the Edge of the Known and Unknown (1080p, 8:24): Cast and crew discuss the film's newly introduced, colorful, and very unique fringe world.
• Journey Into Mystery (1080p, 5:47): A discussion of the film's place in the MCU timeframe, the film's Marvel comic book story influences, making the film a tribute to Jack Kirby's artwork, and more.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 2:18).
• Team Darryl (1080p, 6:08): The Grandmaster steps in as Darryl's new housemate.
• Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years - The Evolution of Heroes (1080p, 5:23): A quick discussion of several key MCU characters -- Iron Man, Thor, Captain America -- as well as their work together in the Avengers films, other recent MCU entries, and the upcoming Infinity War.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 5:43 total runtime): Extended Scene: Thor Meets The Grandmaster, Extended Scene: Stupid Avenger vs. Tiny Avenger, Extended Scene: Grandmaster and Topaz, Skurge Finds Heimdall, and Hulk Chases Thor Through Sakaar.
• 8-Bit Sequences (1080p): Crude computer animated storyboards for a pair of scenes but certainly more crisp, clean, and detailed than classic 8-bit graphics. Included are Sakaar Spaceship Battle (0:58) and Final Bridge Battle (2:17).
• Audio Commentary: Director Taika Waititi, true to the form seen throughout the extras, delivers one of the most humorously inclined commentary tracks ever recorded that blends general commentary insight with witty play-by-play.

Thor: Ragnarok 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Thor: Ragnarok is just flat-out fun. It's light on story, even with a tough new villainess and a deadly serious prophecy as its namesake. For so many dark cues, Director Taika Waititi keeps the movie continuously light on its feet by painting a balance between quips and quality of story and action. The film accomplishes enough universe expansion to leave an indelible mark on the MCU, as well as redefine tonal expectations for the Superhero film, bringing the heretofore almost exclusively Guardians of the Galaxy brand of humor into the rest of the universe's very lifeblood. Disney's region free UK 3D release is fantastic. The 3D presentation is well worth the effort of importing, and by doing so fans are also getting the same Blu-ray and special features as the U.S. release. Highly recommended.