Applause for Marvel’s most recent hit, “Thor: Ragnarok”

Marvel fans, rejoice — Thor has returned to the big screen in a fiery and fun fury in “Thor: Ragnarok.” Director Taika Waititi delivers a hilariously action-packed, yet visually stunning return of the superhero, as he battles for the survival of his people and his home planet.

Crisis strikes Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) home planet, Asgard, as it is threatened by the return of his evil sister Hela, Goddess of Death. Thor finds himself imprisoned without his hammer on the other side of the universe, and lands himself in a grueling gladiator battle against his former ally and Avenger, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).

In his quest to stop the impending doom that is Ragnarok, he is joined by ex-Asgardian Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and must unleash the full force as God of Thunder to save his people.

The film is a wonderfully engaging quest to save humanity, with fantastically crafted cinematography by Javier Aguirresarobe. The cast was a perfect fit for their respective roles, and followed casting for previous films, with familiar characters appearing, such as Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, and Odin, played by Anthony Hopkins. The Grandmaster of Thor’s prison planet, Sakaar, is played by the ever-amusing Jeff Goldblum, and brings a fresh and quirky energy to the film.

The plot is fast-paced, yet easy to follow without becoming dull. The outstanding visuals are only enhanced by the superbly-fitting soundtrack, featuring Led Zepplin’s “Immigrant Song”, and energetic electronic tracks created by Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh.

The dialogue throughout the film is downright hilarious at almost every turn, and really gives the cast a natural chemistry. Tessa Thompson, as the Valkyrie, is the aloof, hardened sidekick, which is a perfect balance to Chris Hemsworth’s goofy yet courageous Thor. Cate Blanchett was the perfect fit for the insidious Hela, and it was impressive to see her handle such a dark role, especially following her role of Galadriel in the “Lord of the Rings” series.

The film is currently up for two Golden Trailer nominations, including a Best Music nomination and a Best Motion/Title Graphics nomination. Following a very successful first box office weekend, the film will no doubt be nominated for additional awards as well.

The end credits, of course, give viewers a sneak peak at the future for the Marvel superhero, and the theater erupted in hoots and applause as hints of Thor’s appearance in the 2018 “Avengers: Infinity War” film were displayed at the end of the credit sequence.

While some argue that the direction of the film did a disservice to the hero because of the heavy comedy, it truly gives the series a darkly relatable laid-back take on surviving the end of the world.

“Thor: Ragnarok” is everything it should be — beautiful, engaging, battle-filled and perfectly humorous, and definitely worth every minute.