Thor

Another outstanding effort, Marvel does it again! It's hard to believe that a movie with this subject matter can make you think and challenge all your movie viewing skills but it does so and more. It's very artistic and you would expect no less from Kenneth Branagh. He presents the entire film in a way that can be savored. Many aspects are classical drama and yet other aspects are just plain old fun kick-butt action scenes. It's a perfect blend and this movie is far deeper then I would've thought. The pacing was perfect as is the link to the Marvel movie Universe... I can't wait to see what Captain America brings us. Overall, a summer movie that's superior to everything else that I've seen in years.

The director's background in Shakespearian themes comes in to play right from the beginning of the film and run throughout. Thor is a super-strong "god" and can travel through space with supernatural powers yet the story is paradoxical and contrary about those elements instead choosing to focus on the human elements. THAT elevates this film far beyond anything I was expecting but I should have known better considering the source material and the director.

The genuine and relatable qualities of these characters are what make it a great film. Sure, the action and fantasy are incredible but the story works so well. The family dynamics between fathers & sons along with sibling rivalry and the price of vanity and lack of humility all resonate. The choices made and the relationships on display are as wonderful as the brawling and action... which are as good as any summer movie that I've seen in years.

The Marvel magic continues with Thor, as they create yet another throrouly enjoyable, fun, action packed and humourous adventure, where we're introduced to a bigger universe extending far beyond Earths realm.

What this movie does perfectly is ground the characters, and link them to our reality so that even though we're dealing with the mystical Frost Giants or the humoungous Destroyer, the characters do not appear other worldly or over powered to the existing superheroes.

The visuals are captivating, whether it be the splendours of Asgard or the chilly Jotunheim, the CGI is excellent. The story is crisply told, fast paced and simple, taking us across the realms and giving us a background to some really interesting, well written and well portrayed characters.

Chris Hemsworth nails the role of Thor with this charm, comic timing and of course good looks. He brings across the carefree, impulsive Thor while also showing a compassionate, gentle side to the character who'd otherwise have been all brawn and no brain.

Antony Hopkins is brilliant as ever, playing Odin Allfather with all the gravitas that the ruler of the nine realms should possess. He shows his steely, ruthless side, as well as his soft, wise nature with elan.

With Tom Hiddleston Marvel have struck gold when it comes to antagonist. His portrayal of Loki is by far the best negative character in the Marvel universe thus far. The God of mischief oozes charisma and brings out his underlying conflicts to perfection.

Natalie Portman and Stellan Skarsgard play important roles in helping Thor in his transformational journey, and we get small bits and pieces of Idris Elba and Jeremy Renners Heimdall and Hawkeye with a hope that they'd play meatier parts in future movies.

The action sequences are frequent and fun, there's a lot of humour, especially as Thor adjusts to the ways of the Earth and it keeps you engaged from the start to the end.

All in all, this film provides a perfect introduction to other worldly elements to be incorporated later in the MCU while managing to hold its own as a spectacle.

It may not be on par with Iron Man when it comes to a deep, rich story line, but it's the closest a movie in the MCU has come so far in touching those grand heights.

This is a throw-off piece of Marvel fiction that is packed full of cliché and predictability...to a point.

I found myself cringing at a lot of the scenes of heroism and there's a definite stink of pure cheetos-stained fanboyism in many of the scenes in general, with the usual over-the-top "glory" of this old four-color trope.

But certain things caught my attention as well-done.

First, Asgard is absolutely beautiful. They went all out in making a realm of metallic and elemental grandeur. I had no trouble in buying this as the realm of Asgard, the ultimate land of beautiful heroism. In particular, the rainbow bridge, the weaponry, and the interior scenes were very fitting in general style and specific detail. Very impressive visually and even thematically.

Second, Branagh's touch can be seen with Shakespearean flair in the family of Odin the AllFather. Odin himself is brimmed with both the rime of age and the wisdom that comes with it and yet his voice can instantly summon fearful authority. Hopkins does well with that balance, even through some cheesy scripting.

And the brothers... the sibling rivalry here is very very potent in that it is nuanced and fully realized by both actors. There is love there, but also a lack of understanding, envy, and hate. Loki is far from a cardboard villain, in that we see, all in one package - a fighter who protects his allies, an honest counselor, a liar, a cautious thinker, a smooth tongue, and an awkward one. He loves and reveres his father, but comes to almost fatally doubt him and even hate him...but it's all very real and very stirring. And even when it's clear that he's done very grim deeds, you can actually understand and accept his motives...and his last scene in the film brings all three of the family men together in a very poignant moment of utter loss.

I was pretty surprised how moving this all was, especially when put in the middle of some otherwise-uninspiring hero pablem.

So in summary, this movie both met my negative expectation of disappointment and surprised me with some purely moving content. See it to see if it surprises you at all as well, and forget the whole comic-book hero thing, since that's been done far better.

Thanks for reading.

Great movie! Has a comic book feel to it. The storyline is very well done! I love how they show Asgard and explain how everything fits into place. The humor is very tasteful, but can be oddly quirky in places. Lots of fun action. The only thing that could have used some improving was the way they filmed the movie. The shakey camera and weird angles are a little annoying, but the rest of the film makes up for this. Very good choice in the cast, could not have picked a better actor for Thor or Loki. Natalie Portman's part isn't the best. She has cheesy lines and her acting doesnt flow right, even though she is a talented actress. She does better with serious parts inatead of light and comical. This movie is very clean and makes a great fun movie for the entire family.

Thor is a film that takes risks - and they pay off wonderfully. The movie grounds itself in reality while keeping a mythological and fantasy-esqe tone, and it never loses sight of the humanity within the characters, with elevates this above standard superhero fare.