Marvel Cinematic Universe: Every 2017 Project Ranked Worst To Best

Compared to the solo outings of his fellow Avengers Iron Man and Captain America, Thor's hasn't quite had the same warm reception. The first Thor movie was a solid introduction to the character that teed up a lot of potential, but The Dark World didn't really capitalize on it, resulting in one of the MCU's most lukewarm entries. Fortunately, though, the third time was the charm, as Ragnarok has clearly righted the ship, winning over fans and critics alike.

Under the leadership of Taika Waititi, everyone involved seemed to be having the time of their life in Ragnarok, from newcomers like Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, Cate Blanchett's Hela, and, of course, Jeff Goldblum's hilarious Grandmaster to the familiar faces like Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth, who in particular gets to shine in a way none of his past appearances really let him do. It's a gorgeous film to look at, it's funny without undermining the ultimate heavy stakes that rest at the heart of the film's narrative, and it feels like a completely new start for the Thor franchise that will hopefully carry on after the events of Infinity War and Avengers 4 have come to a close and ended this era of the MCU.

For the very few missteps it makes, like the handling of the deaths of the Warriors Three, Ragnarok does so much else right, going bigger and weirder in a way that people all over the world have responded positively to, and that's something to be celebrated. And lest we forget, the movie gave us Korg, and that alone helps elevate the MCU's best project of 2017 even higher.