(Photo: Marvel Studios)
By: Allison Upchurch, Staff Reporter
One of Earth’s mightiest heroes and member of the Avengers return in the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Ragnarok.
In this continuation of Thor’s storyline, Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) learns that the goddess of death Hela (played by Cate Blanchett) has broken from her prison and began her quest to bring an end to Thor’s home of Asgard. Thrown through the Bifrost by Hela onto a planet called Sakaar, Thor must team up with his brother Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston), the Hulk/Bruce Banner (played by Mark Ruffalo), and an ex-warrior Valkyrie (performed by Tessa Thompson) to escape Sakaar and defend Asgard.
Because this is Thor’s third solo movie and fifth one overall in the Marvel Studios movie lineup, then that means that the character of Thor is pretty much developed. However, the plot of this movie lends itself to being perceived as a repeat of what he experienced in his first film because he is sent to an unfamiliar place and must think (and sometimes physically fight) his way out of the situations he is put in.
What has established right away in this movie that differs from the previous Thor movies is the more availability of comedy, both verbal and physical. The setting of Sakaar itself contributes most to the comedy aspect of this movie because of the planet’s active and somewhat narcissistic leader the Grandmaster (played by Jeff Goldblum) and how he has established this planet to receive power from chaos. This dominates presence of comedy also derives from the fact that the comedy is not subject to just one character, but every main character can get at least one chuckle or bellow of laughter from the audience.
Regarding putting this movie and its characters into the context of a Jesuit education, the role of Thor and his purpose in the movie is best summed up in the Jesuit value of “men and women for and with others.” What this film ultimately comes down to is the idea that Asgard is not a place – it’s people, meaning the people itself are the heart and soul of Asgard. Without them, there is nothing. So when the people are threatened by Hela, Thor and his comrades take it upon themselves to best serve the people of Asgard by working together despite differences of opinion and protect them.
From this standpoint, I’ll be one to say that I can see Thor walking around campus as a student and fitting right into the Jesuit atmosphere.