Review 45: Thor
Based on the Marvel Comics character Thor by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. As the crown prince to Realm of Asgard, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) will soon inherit the throne from his aging father Odin (Anthony Hopkins), king of the Norse Gods.
However, on his coronation day, Thor reacts with brutality when the Asgardians’ enemies, the Frost Giants, enter the palace in violation of their peace treaty. To punish him, Odin banishes Thor to Earth.
While Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor’s brother, plots mischief in Asgard, Thor, now stripped of his powers, builds a relationship with astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and faces his greatest threat.
The plot is great, more so than other Marvel heroes, the Thor comics draw there inspiration from Norse mythology (A subject that I happen to know nothing about) but that does little to prohibit my enjoyment as it opens up this whole other side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We're thrown into this expansive world where Norse Mythology exists, full of Norse Gods and Ice Giants it's brilliant. It's all another world.
Thor isn't a superhero in the traditional sense, he's a superbeing who just happens to exist in world full of superheroes and fighting alongside those other heroes is the best way for him to fit in amongst the mortal of Midgard. It also allows him to do the thing that he discovers he loves most: Using his Godhood to protect those who can't protect themselves.
At it's core Thor is a story about someone who goes from thoughtless man to a thoughtful man. It's very much a Superhero origin story in a sense, but not a traditional one where an ordinary person gaining superpowers, but about god realising his true potential. It's a story about an Old Testament God who becomes a New Testament God which is an uplifting
It's also superhero origin story but within the trappins of a Royal Family drama.
Where Thor does faulter though is in it's second act, where Thor is banished to Earth, that's where it becomes Crocodile Dundee in New Mexico. It's integral to the plot as Thor has to learn a lesson in humility and seeing him grow as a character but it feels protracted and is very reliant on fish out of water humour, mostly due to Thor's lack of familiarity with Earth conventions. It's very hit or miss and can weight the film down.
It also clashes badly with all with the more serious matters at hand e.g. the reignited conflict between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants as well as Loki's devious plans.
However what does make it work is it's portrayal of Thor and Jane's relationship.
They are almost opposites of each other yet they share certain similarities, Thor is hot-headed and arrogant whilst Jane is caught up in her work and kind of uptight and through each they become better people, Thor asgardians Jane whilst she umanises Thor. Through Jane, Thor learns humility and Jane becomes more spiritual and the chemistry between Hemsworth and Portman makes their relationship all the more believable.
At times Thor can feel a little bit like a Pilot for a Thor tv series as it mostly serves as a very expansive introduction to a world we'd hope to see really fleshed out in future seasons/sequels now that we've been though the Asgard 101 lecture.
Thor's hammer Mjolnir is a prominant MacGuffin as well as a motif in the film. It's very much a character untoo itself. During Thor's initial coronation ceremony, Odin describes it as "a weapon to destroy or a tool to build." Mjolnir is the embodiment of the choice all people in authority have: To be benevolent or molevolent.
Director Kenneth Branagh's direction is impressive, tackling both the epic scope, drama, with a twinge of his Shakespearean touch. The production design is outstanding (the depictions of Asgard, Jotunheim and New Mexico is very eye catching and gives these very different worlds look distinct and different) the costume design is gorgeous, the special effects are tremendous, the score by Patrick Doyle is mighty and catchy, the humor as stated before is hit and miss, the cinematography is beautiful and captures the beauty of Asgard as well as the barren, desolate feel of Jotunheim and the sunny, bright vibe of New Mexico,) the scenery is breathtaking, the props are miraculous, the make up is rich and the ending was superb.
The acting is tremendous, Chris Hemsworth (in a breakout performance) just nails it as the titular hero, playing both the hotheaded, arrogant crown prince at the beginning of the film to a fish out of water on Earth as well as, but not limited to, the noble and honourable hero he eventually becomes.
Thor starts off as being a spoiled, arrogant, hotheaded, but when he reignites the conflict between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants he's banished to Earth to learn a lesson in humility and is given a chance to see the error of his ways.
But the journey isn't as smooth as one might hope as he ends up getting hit by Jane Foster's car, smashing coffee cups in restaurants, attempting to resist health care, attempting to purchase a horse from a pet shop and generally acting like a huge moron.
When he first arrives on Earth, Thor starts by treating Jane, Darcy and Dr. Selvig as a means to an an end and doesn't see or regard them as people with lives of their own, but only as people who can help him get Mjolnir back or just being in the way.
But, at the same time, he's also extremely noble, very respectful towards women (as shown in his interactions with Sif and Jane), loves his family and friends and always keeps his word.
What makes Thor such an endearing character, from both a comics and movie perspective, is that he's a god who finds a balance between being a god and a man, not too disimilar from Superman. He acknowledges his power and doesn't hold it back just because it'll make people nervous or jelous and he uses it to help people without power.
Natalie Portman is delightfuly quirky as Jane Foster, because she's an astrophysicist, she's very intelligent, she grounds Thor and humanises him and he Asgardians her in way, they rub off each quite a bit.
Casting Anthony Hopkins as Odin was just inspired, he just slips into the role as if he were wearing a a pair of gloves that just fit him perfectly. He's just the type of actor who just commands that type of authority to rule a kingdom as grand and prosperous as Asgard. He practically is an Asgardian!
This is simply a Match Made in Heaven!
Odin is a stern man at heart, but he's also man with purpose. It's evident that he has patients but only for the people and ideas that deserve it.
He banishes his son from the kingdom because he screws up so to speak. He recognises Thor as the temperamental young man that he is and as a result decides he's not ready to take over as King. He's ruthless that way, take it or leave it, that's how he sees it.
Josh Dallas, Tadanobu Asano and Ray Stevenson all make for likeable, interesting allies to Thor as Frandel the Dashing, Hogan the Grim and Volstagg the Voluminous who although capable and interesting, are generally interchangeable.
Jaimie Alexander is simply splendid as Sif, she and Thor have been friends since childhood, he's stood by her side and supported her desires to be a warrior in spite of her gender. Because of this, she's very loyal to Thor and cares a lot about protecting him and Asgard.
Another actor who I thought was very good in the film was Stellan Skarsgård as Dr. Erik Selvig
Tom Hiddleston, however, steels the show as Loki. He is such a trickster, so devious and mischievous and yet so charismatic you can't help but love to hate him. Due to him living in Thor's shadow all through his childhood, he's grown jealous of him and never really been given the same love that Thor has. He's also grown up not knowing his true heritage and discovering that in fact he was adopted from an enemy race sends over the edge and on a path to prove himself to Odin however insane it may be.
Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Kat Dannings, Clark Gregg, Maximiliano Hernandez and Colm Feore round out the massive cast all of whom deliver top notch performances.
With Elba & Russo playing Asgard's guard to the Bifrost Bridge and Thor's mother Frigga and Gregg returning as Agent Coulson and Hernandez portraying fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell.
Thor is Mighty Marvel Enterainment, 4/5
The Anonymous Critic
But, at the same time, he's also extremely noble, very respectful towards women (as shown in his interactions with Sif and Jane), loves his family and friends and always keeps his word.
What makes Thor such an endearing character, from both a comics and movie perspective, is that he's a god who finds a balance between being a god and a man, not too disimilar from Superman. He acknowledges his power and doesn't hold it back just because it'll make people nervous or jelous and he uses it to help people without power.
Natalie Portman is delightfuly quirky as Jane Foster, because she's an astrophysicist, she's very intelligent, she grounds Thor and humanises him and he Asgardians her in way, they rub off each quite a bit.
Casting Anthony Hopkins as Odin was just inspired, he just slips into the role as if he were wearing a a pair of gloves that just fit him perfectly. He's just the type of actor who just commands that type of authority to rule a kingdom as grand and prosperous as Asgard. He practically is an Asgardian!
This is simply a Match Made in Heaven!
Odin is a stern man at heart, but he's also man with purpose. It's evident that he has patients but only for the people and ideas that deserve it.
He banishes his son from the kingdom because he screws up so to speak. He recognises Thor as the temperamental young man that he is and as a result decides he's not ready to take over as King. He's ruthless that way, take it or leave it, that's how he sees it.
Josh Dallas, Tadanobu Asano and Ray Stevenson all make for likeable, interesting allies to Thor as Frandel the Dashing, Hogan the Grim and Volstagg the Voluminous who although capable and interesting, are generally interchangeable.
Jaimie Alexander is simply splendid as Sif, she and Thor have been friends since childhood, he's stood by her side and supported her desires to be a warrior in spite of her gender. Because of this, she's very loyal to Thor and cares a lot about protecting him and Asgard.
Another actor who I thought was very good in the film was Stellan Skarsgård as Dr. Erik Selvig
Tom Hiddleston, however, steels the show as Loki. He is such a trickster, so devious and mischievous and yet so charismatic you can't help but love to hate him. Due to him living in Thor's shadow all through his childhood, he's grown jealous of him and never really been given the same love that Thor has. He's also grown up not knowing his true heritage and discovering that in fact he was adopted from an enemy race sends over the edge and on a path to prove himself to Odin however insane it may be.
Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Kat Dannings, Clark Gregg, Maximiliano Hernandez and Colm Feore round out the massive cast all of whom deliver top notch performances.
With Elba & Russo playing Asgard's guard to the Bifrost Bridge and Thor's mother Frigga and Gregg returning as Agent Coulson and Hernandez portraying fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jasper Sitwell.
Thor is Mighty Marvel Enterainment, 4/5
The Anonymous Critic
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