Thor: Ragnarok (2017) **1/2

I haven't really kept up with the Thor movies in the Marvel Universe. It just seems like such a dumb concept to throw a bunch of Norse gods in with a bunch of modern superheroes, although I guess mythology and comic books aren't all that different. I did eventually see the first Thor movie, from 2011, and I have to admit, it was more entertaining than it should have been. “Thor: Ragnarok” is on Netflix now, so I decided to give it a chance.

“Ragnarok” finds Thor returning home to Asgard to find Odin missing, with Loki impersonating Odin and sitting the throne. Presumably, this is due to something that happened in “Thor: The Dark World,” which I didn't see. In any event, Thor makes Loki go with him to find their father, Odin, and when they do find him, he is dying. He warns the brothers that with his death, their older sister, Hela, will return. Hela (Cate Blanchett) is the goddess of death, and stronger than both her brothers together. She destroys Thor's hammer and returns to Asgard, determined to turn its power upon the universe and kill all who oppose her.

Thor and Loki do what they can to stop Hela, each in his own way. While Loki cozies up to the wealthy baron of a trash planet, Thor tries to recruit the Hulk and a Valkyrie to his cause.

Without his hammer, Mjolnir, Thor feels powerless, and he must figure out how to summon his strength without the tool he has depended on for so long. Thor is a god, but his sense of loss and diminishment here is something most humans can identify with. There's some good material to reflect on here, but then the “Thor” movies aren't really designed to make you think. They are about humor and action, and “Ragnarok” supplies a steady stream of both, in numbing proportions that almost make you forget that this film just recycles the story line from the original “Thor” movie: Thor loses his hammer and must figure out who he is without it.

Everyone in “Ragnarok” says their lines and hits their marks, but there's a palpable feeling that the franchise has overstayed its welcome. Mark Ruffalo (who plays Bruce Banner) seems a little embarrassed to be here, and even Tom Hiddleston (as Loki) seems like he may be having a long talk with his agent soon. The extras who play the humans living in Ragnarok look absolutely miserable, as their only job is to cower and huddle together. Fortunately, Jeff Goldblum is a good sport and puts some hilarity into his portrayal of the Grandmaster. The other bright spot is the Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson. She's super-hot and has a good time with her drunken-warrior role.

I'm one of the few people in the free world who hasn't seen “Avengers: Infinity War” yet, so I don't know if anything from this film winds up being important for the final Avengers movie. If Thor is still hammer-less in “Infinity War”, then “Ragnarok” explains why, but otherwise I think this is one you could easily skip. It's not nearly as good as one of the Captain America or Guardians of the Galaxy movies, although I suppose it holds up fairly well compared to everything else streaming on Netflix right now.

2.5 stars out of 5