Marvel Studios released three films in 2017, all of which ranked in the top ten films of the year. The last of which, Thor: Ragnarok, paired Thor and Hulk on a funky space adventure, somewhat bridging the gap between The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. And now you can watch it over and over on Digital HD, available now from all major providers.
The trouble begins when Hela (Cate Blanchette) arrives in Asgard, the long lost sister of Thor and Loki. Banished to a realm called Sakar and forced into salvery, Thor is forced to battle opponents, becoming reunited with Hulk and uniting powers to rise up against their captors. But is the god of thunder any match for the queen of Hel?
Zany, wacky, and fun, Thor: Ragnarok is instantly the best in the Thor film series. Director Taika Waititi has a lot of fun with the subject matter and the film’s style has a uniquely 1980’s inspired design esthetic that somehow works. The costumes are wild, the battles are epic, and there are so many hidden Easter eggs and details that fans will want to obsess over every frame.
The Digital HD release is available one week in advance of it’s Blu-Ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release. This review is based on the iTunes digital package and the bonus features contained within. While bonus features may vary by retailer, using any of the Movies Anywhere connected services (iTunes, Vudu, Amazon, Google Play) ensures that you receive access to all of these bonus features.
Bonus Features
- Director’s Introduction (1:45) – Taika Waititi provides a hilarious introduction to the film.
- Team Darryl (6:09) – When Thor moves out, the Grand Master moves in to Darryl’s apartment. This short created just for this home video release is hilarious!
- Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years – The Evolution of Heroes (5:24) – Kevin Feige and the cast of all of the films look back on ten years of the MCU and ahead to Avengers: Infinity War.
- Thor and Hulk: A Galactic Adventure (3:00) – The buddy dynamic of Thor and Hulk is explored in this short featurette.
- Getting in Trouble with your Inner Thor (6:40) – The cast and creative team discuss how Thor has evolved over the seven years he’s been part of the MCU.
- Unstoppable Women: Hela & Valkyrie (5:58) – Cate Blanchette and Tessa Thompson are celebrated by their fellow cast members, with a look at their characters’ comic origins.
- Finding Korg (7:35) – Taika Waititi, the eclectic director of the film, is immortalized in the film through the character of Korg, whom he voices and provided the on-set motion capture reference for.
- Sakaar: On the Edge of the Known and Unknown (8:24) – The wacky realm of Sakaar is explored in this featurette with the creative team and how they celebrated the style of Jack Kirby with the art direction.
- Journey into Mystery (5:48) – The history of Marvel Comics is celebrated in Thor: Ragnarok and this featurette reveals the film’s inspirations.
- Gag Reel (2:17) – The cast goof off and make mistakes in this blooper reel.
- 8-Bit Sequences – Two “previs” sequences were made in 8-bit and are offered for your retro enjoyment.
- Sakaar Spacechip Battle (0:59)
- Final Bridge Battle (2:17)
- Deleted Scenes (14:22) – Nine deleted/extended scenes are presented with a “Play All” option or individually.
- The God of Thunder and the Sorcerer Supreme (2:25)
- Extended Scene: Thor Meets the Grandmaster (2:13)
- Extended Scene: Stupid Avengers vs. Tiny Avenger (2:07)
- Extended Scene: Grandmaster and Topaz (1:24)
- Skurge Finds Heimdall (0:44)
- Hulk Chases Thor through Sakaar (0:55)
- Travel to Asgard (2:19)
- Race to the Wormhole (1:16)
- Execution Interrupted (0:58)
- Commentary (2:10:27) – Director Taika Waititi leads this hilarious commentary track, making it obvious where the film gets its silly humor from. He points out hidden cameos and the inspiration behind many elements in the film. His daughter makes a cameo and asks to change to Moana. It would have been hilarious if that actually happened mid-commentary.
Video
Using an Apple TV with a 1080p stream of the film, the Digital HD release of Thor: Ragnarok looks spectacular. The film’s zany color spectrum is dazzling, with contrasting deep blacks that look rich and deep. Heavy action scenes occasionally look softer than they likely will on Blu-Ray, but for a digital stream it’s an excellent video presentation.
Audio
The film is available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese on iTunes. The English 5.1 surround mix does a nice job of filling the sound field with score, sound effects, and crowd voices.
Final Thoughts
The Digital HD release of Thor: Ragnarok gives serious fans the chance to own the film one week earlier than its disc release. There are some insightful and hilarious bonus features, including deleted scenes and a new short. The bonus features also take a brief look ahead at Avengers: Infinity War.