Thor
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Colm Feore, and Jamie Alexander.
Backstory
Man o man, superheroes have dominated the box office for the past few years, and because I’m a sucker for all the superhero stuff, I try to see them all. And now we have issue 2 of Marvel’s big crossover event. Issue 1 was Iron Man 2 last year, issue 2 is Thor, issue 3 is Captain America coming out this July, and issue 4 is going to be The Avengers, the gigantic superhero team consisting of Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, coming out next summer. So, does Thor work on its own, or does it have the same problem many had with Iron Man 2, which was too much set-up for The Avengers?
Plot
In the mystical realm of Aasgard, the gods of Norse mythology reside. As Thor is about to be crowned king by Odin, Frost Giants attack, and Thor decides to wipe out all the Frost Giants. This leads to a new war with the Frost Giants, and for this insolence, Odin strips Thor of his powers and banishes him to Earth. On Earth, Thor experiences a bit of culture shock as he gets used to being de-powered and this simple Earth-dwellers, but with the help of the three astrophysicists studying the wormhole he fell out of, he begins to adjust. He even falls in love with one of them, Jane Foster. Meanwhile, in Aasgard, Loki takes advantage of the situation to seize the throne. But Loki knows that, should Thor ever return, it ruin his plans. Can Thor regain his powers, save Earth, and then reclaim the throne of Aasgard?
What I Liked
Aasgard looks amazing. I’m constantly blown away at what computer animation is doing these days to create these otherworldly realms. The acting, too, is incredibly good, with Chris Hemsworth being wonderfully boisterous and then very sorrowful as Thor. The comedy, I’m glad to report, is not as stupid as the commercial play it out, and it does provide some very good laughs. And Loki is a very intriguing villain, but that does lead into…..
What I Didn’t Like
Loki is a very complicated villain, and as such, it’s tough to get a handle on what his evil scheme is. The film does drag a little bit when it comes to Earth. And the romance between Thor and Jane…well, it just happens so fast that it’s almost unexpected. It’s almost one of those, “We have to, I guess, because it happens in the comics” kind of things.
Final Assessment
A very satisfying, if somewhat clichéd, superhero yarn. A friend asked where this ranks with the other Marvel films, and I’d say it’s on par with The Incredible Hulk.