The box office hit of November, Thor: Ragnarok, is a bold, humorous exploration of characters, family, and what it means to be a hero.

Ragnarok focuses on Thor, a hero played by Chris Hemsworth, and follows the storyline of how he must save his home planet, Asgard, from its prophesied destruction. It opens with Thor’s imprisonment and escape from Surtur, a fire demon planning to destroy Asgard with the help of the Eternal Flame. Thor, after learning this information, escapes in a humorous battle sequence before heading back to Asgard.

After finding more news waiting for him there, he goes to Earth, meeting up with Doctor Strange. This begins the main premise of the movie: Hela, Odin’s oldest daughter, has been freed. The goddess of death, played by Cate Blanchett, acts as the main villain for the rest of the story.

She causes Thor to crash land on a planet known as Sakaar, a literal trash planet with a questionable king. He’s captured by a previous Valkyrie, now known as Scrapper 142, a sassy character wonderfully played by Tessa Thompson. Thor is forced to fight in gladiator-style battles for his freedom while Hela plots her takeover of Asgard, slaying its armies and resurrecting the dead.

The movie provides a refreshing, self-aware look at the Thor franchise, including a surplus of humor to balance out some of the more serious moments. Even minor side characters are quirky and memorable, both in design and acting.

It explores Thor’s identity as a real, selfless hero, providing a striking contrast to the previous movies. This time around, he isn’t fighting for himself or any selfish reason; he’s fighting for the people of Asgard, and realizing how much he really cares about them.

The characters have big personalities: Chris Hemsworth gives the character life with comedy and plays up some of Thor’s faults, while Tessa Thompson provides a delightful counter of sass and wit.

In some ways, the humor is almost too much, as it does take away some of the tension of the movie. It’s hard to focus on the overarching ‘save the world’ plot when slapstick comedy is playing on screen, and in some places the story feels more like an afterthought. However, the typical superhero movie plot feels new and refreshed by these characters, offering a new outlook to an old theme.

Thor: Ragnarok is a witty movie, showcasing the humor and humanity in the situations that the characters find themselves in. While the plot itself isn’t particularly fresh or original, the way that the actors bring the storyline to life feels innovative and new. It doesn’t take itself too seriously; if you’re looking for a gritty, realistic study on the life of a superhero, it isn’t for you. However, if you want a clever exploration of Thor as a character, this movie just might match.