The mighty Thor has had a checkered past in comic history. For many years, he was known only by the most hardcore of comic book fans, but his fortunes slowly changed over time. From appearances in tv shows, to games and movies, Thor climbed the ranks to become one of Marvel’s more iconic characters. As the legendary God of thunder, he is known for his might, as well as his movie trilogy. While I’d like to rank the films all evenly, the list calls for them from best to worst, so without further ado, here are the Thor movies ranked from worst to best.
3. Thor: The Dark World (2013)
The term sophomore slump is ubiquitous for good reason and Thor: The Dark World is no exception. In the second installment of the Thor series, the titular Thor must team up with his brother Loki to stop the malevolent Malekith. Can the two brothers properly work out their differences, or will the world be plunged into darkness?
The Dark World is as generic a movie as one can possibly expect. The stakes never feel as if they are particularly high and any character development feels as if it has barely been earned. Without a plot that justifies its existence, The Dark World is best left in the dark.
2. Thor (2011)
The early Marvel Cinematic Universe films were given the arduous task of setting up the stories that we all know and love nowadays. However, the hero who had the rockiest start probably was none other than the God of Thunder himself; Thor Odinson. Indeed, Thor’s first outing on the big screen was not quite as good as his third, but it at the very least was superior to the second film.
After Thor’s arrogance and recklessness gets him banished to the earth, he must adjust to life as a mortal while his brother Loki has larger, more nefarious plans. After he learns the value of humility, Thor must stop his brother and reclaim the throne rightfully. Can Thor use his newly acquired lessons and save Asgard?
Thor isn’t the most ambitious of starts, nor is it the most original either. It has some issues with execution and the script sometimes veers into generic territory, but this doesn’t matter, because there is much fun to be had at the end of the day. Sometimes, that’s all that’s necessary for a film to be good.
1. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
After the debacle that was The Dark World, it was pretty safe to say that Thor was on thin ice. He was the least popular of the core Avengers and not many were thrilled to see his next installment. After Ragnarok, that all changed.
Having returned from his latest misadventure, Thor finds his life at a crossroads after his long lost sister Hela returns to claim her birthright to the throne. After being exiled to another planet and forced to compete in gladiator duels, Thor has to return home to save his people from his sister. Can he win out?
Ragnarok is an utter delight. The characters are substantially better developed, the stakes are higher, the dialogue lands and there is an air of fun that permeates the film. As such, it’s the best in the series.