With the vast amount of powers that comic book superheroes have been able to tap into, they've practically become godlike entities whose stories exist within comic books and their adaptations. But while many are godlike, there's at least one superhero who is a literal god: the mighty Thor.
Based on the god of thunder from Norse mythology, Thor was created in 1962 by Stan Lee, Larry Leiber, and Jack Kirby. He's been an enduring character ever since, though he's never quite had the same mainstream notoriety of other heroes in the Marvel Comics pantheon. But he's finally been called up to the big leagues, starring in his own live-action movie. Sure, it's part of the build towards Marvel's Avengers movie next year, but let's take a look at how Thor's movie holds up on its own merits.
Beyond our universe exists a realm known as Asgard, a kingdom populated by the Norse gods and ruled proudly by Odin (Anthony Hopkins). But Odin's health is ailing, forcing him to temporarily step down as the king of Asgard. His son Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is next in line to the throne, but his coronation is interrupted by Asgard's longtime enemies, the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. Despite Odin's demand that he do otherwise, Thor picks a fight with Jotunheim's king (Colm Feare) and severely damages the fragile truce between Asgard and Jotunheim. As punishment for his arrogance and recklessness, Odin exiles Thor to Earth along with "Mjolnir," Thor's mystical hammer and source of his godly powers.
Thor lands in the New Mexico desert, where he is found by astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), her assistant Darcy (Kat Dennings), and her mentor, Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). Mjolnir, on the other hand, is discovered and confiscated by agents of the government agency SHIELD. Thor storms their facility and tries to reclaim his hammer, only to find he cannot lift it due to an enchantment placed upon it by Odin to prevent the unworthy from wielding it.
Thor resigns himself to exile, forging a relationship with Jane as he begins accustoming himself to the town he's landed in. But little does he know that his adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has set into motion a plan to make Asgard his. With Thor out of the way and Odin in a regenerative coma, Loki usurps the throne and forges a pact with the Frost Giants. And to make absolutely sure Thor doesn't return to Asgard, Loki dispatches an invulnerable metallic golem called "the Destroyer" to eliminate his brother before Thor's Asgardian compatriots can bring him home.
I wasn't sure how to initially approach Thor, since even as a comic book fan I didn't have much in the way of familiarity with the character or the fantastical world he occupies. I also went in with a bit of trepidation, due to a slight fear it would follow in Iron Man 2's footsteps and be mostly buildup for the Avengers movie. But Thor surprised me by not only working excellently as a standalone movie but being a wonderfully entertaining fantasy and action movie. It is flawed, but not so much that it detracts from the entertaining ride that is Thor.
Sitting at the helm is Kenneth Branagh, whose work as a director consists mostly of film adaptations of William Shakespeare's works. That doesn't exactly sound like the kind of filmmaker who'd be directing a big-budget superhero movie based on the Norse gods, but he did an amazing job with Thor. The movie looks absolutely fantastic, with gorgeous cinematography and visual effects, awe-inspiring set design, and great costumes. The movie is absolutely stunning, a real visual treat. Combining it all with Patrick Doyle's beautiful music, and Branagh makes Thor one hell of a ride.
I also thought the 3D added a lot to the movie. Most movies that are filmed in 2D and converted to 3D in post-production don't always look right, as evidenced by the ugly 3D conversions done for The Green Hornet and the Clash of the Titans remake. But Thor's 3D conversion not only looks really good, but it adds quite a bit of atmosphere to the movie. Asgard looks more majestic, Jotenheim is more desolate and intimidating. I didn't like the fact that the 3D jacked up my ticket price to almost 10 bucks, but outside of that, Thor was a fun 3D experience.
Where the flaws start to creep in, however, is within the script. Written by Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, and Don Payne from a story by J. Michael Straczynski and Mark Protosevich, the script feels rushed. Branagh must have cut out a bunch in the editing room, because even at two hours, the movie doesn't afford us a lot of time to get to know some of the characters. There's not enough time on Earth to really connect with most of the human characters, and there's not enough time to let us connect with any Asgardians beyond Thor, Loki, and maybe Odin. And I can't speak for anybody else, but I would have enjoyed seeing more of Sif and the Warriors Three, because their moments were some of the most entertaining parts of the movie. I wouldn't have minded seeing more of Thor's "fish out of water" experiences in the town too. Maybe when Thor is released on DVD in a few months, there'll be a deleted scenes feature or an extended cut of the movie that'll help fix that.
But the script succeeds in giving us a hero worth watching. Thor's road to redemption and his relationship with his dysfunctional family are written extremely well, creating a movie that is at times quite captivating. The dynamic between Thor, Odin, and Loki is probably what drew Branagh to the movie, as it feels almost Shakespearian. There's the ailing king with two sons competing for the throne. One of them is cocky and stubborn, while the other is consumed with jealousy for his brother. Put it in medieval times, and it'd be pretty damn close to Shakespeare. It's actually some well-written stuff, which is helped by how good the acting is.
And oh man, is the acting good. Everyone in the movie puts forth their absolute best efforts. I absolutely loved everybody in the movie. Playing the title role is Chris Hemsworth, a relatively unknown Australian actor whose biggest prior claim to fame was playing Captain Kirk's father in the first ten minutes of J.J. Abrams's reboot of Star Trek. Casting Hemsworth proved to be a very wise decision, because he's perfect in the role. He's got not only the looks but the talent to pull off Thor. Hemsworth makes Thor's personal evolution believable every step of the way. As Thor's brash immaturity gives way to wisdom and humility, Hemsworth never once lets his performance become bland as he gives one of the most entertaining cinematic performances I've seen in recent memory.
Tom Hiddleston appears as our resident villain, playing Loki in a way you wouldn't expect from a typical villain in a movie like this. Hiddleston approaches Loki almost as if he were a child trying to cope with his problems. Loki feels like he's second-best, stuck in the shadow of a brother who he feels is taking all of their father's attention. It's a very passionate performance, one that practically makes the whole movie better.
And the rest of the cast isn't bad either. Natalie Portman is especially good, despite the role not being as strong as it could have been. She and Hemsworth have a convincing romantic chemistry, though their relationship is anemically written. They have a few cute scenes together, but it's another thing that could have benefited from the movie being half an hour longer. But Portman's performance is amusing, giving Jane a giddiness that makes her fun to watch.
I also thought Anthony Hopkins did a fantastic job with his meager part. Not much is asked of him beyond playing a stern father and king, but Hopkins is so good at it that you don't even think of any of the flaws in how the character is written. The same can be said for Kat Dennings, who's cute, quirky, and downright charming in her tiny role. Stellan Skarsgård also puts forth a fun performance as a purveyor of both some of the movie's exposition and some comic relief. Among the Asgardians, Idris Elba's cold stoicism makes his character look very cool, while Jaimie Alexander plays her part with a tomboyish charm. And as the Warriors Three, Joshua Dallas, Ray Stevenson, and Tadanobu Asano are quite entertaining. Stevenson is particularly funny and likable, stealing more than one of the scenes he's in.
Thor might not be a perfect movie, but as a piece of pure entertainment, it's a success. I enjoyed the movie a lot, which I'm sure was the reaction they were going for. It is an exciting, entertaining, enjoyable ride that is satisfying even if it felt like it should have been longer. At this point, I'm actually willing to skip The Avengers if it means I can go see Thor 2. I want to get in line for Thor 2 right now. As for this particular entry into the "Marvel Cinematic Universe," If you're into superhero movies with a touch of fantasy, it might be right up your alley too.
Final Rating: ***½
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