The latest in the 'Avengers' series of movies, Thor continues on from the two Iron Man films and The Incredible Hulk, and precedes Captain America. The Avengers film itself is due out in May of next year. Sadly Thor, is the weakest link in the chain so far.
That's not to say it's a bad film but lacks the excitement of Tony Starks adventures and even those of The Incredible Hulk (who has since been recast as Mark Ruffalo.)
After being banished by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) from Asgard for inciting war with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is sent to Earth where he immediately runs into (or is hit with a car by) scientists Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) and assistant Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennnings) and with their help tries to regain his hammer, whilst his brother, the treacherous Loki (Tom Hiddleston) plots Thor's downfall, as well as his fathers for his own selfish means.
The story is a bit much to get the casual cinema goer (or even non comic book readers) head round, with all its Norse mythology, but there is a welcome injection of humour. Avid comic book readers (or nerds), will (and have) probably get quite wound up about the jokes and one liners that occupy the first half of the film, but let's be honest a deadly serious and straight faced retelling of the Marvel tale would not good cinema make. Just the way it is.
That isn't to say all the humour hit the spot with me. Whilst Kat Dennings had most of the good jokes to herself, Natalie Portman was pretty dreadful as scientist/love interest Jane Foster. The nadir of the entire film being her "Oh my God" line, which was excruciating. It's alarming how one actress can be so jaw-droppingly brilliant in a film (Black Swan) to making you want to face palm several times like in Thor.
Likewise, Tom Hiddleston isn't the strongest villain I have ever seen in a comic book movie, but as the film nears its end, his character does improve somewhat. The problem is with Loki is that his reasons for turning on his brother are never really put across very well. A scene with Odin where a revelation about his childhood may cause argument, but the wheels for his "turning" had already been set in motion at that point. Of course the reason Loki "goes bad" could be explained in the comic books, but not everyone reads them and could be left in the dark completely.
Fortunately, Chris Hemsworth as the titular character just nails it in my eyes. Brash, bold and deadly serious where he needs to be, I thought it was some top notch casting. I was totally on board with him from the outset.
Of course, Thor has a strange choice for director in Kenneth Branagh, but I found he was quite at home with the aforementioned Norse mythology, although there is a limit to how many times you can turn a camera sideways for shots, I mean it kept happening. The action sequences were also good, proving Branagh is as adept with them as he is with epic dialogue.
Being part of the Avengers series, you get the usual references (to Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and series newcomer Hawkeye, played by Jeremy Renner), and you get the usual 'stay behind after the credits' bits that continue the story line that will be continued in Captain America: The First Avenger.
As a side note, I saw the film in 3D and yet again, there was no point to it. The point of 3D for me is to immerse yourself in the world a movie occupies. When there are two worlds in a movie (Earth and Asgard) it doesn't really work. Sure it looks nice, but I'm sure it would in 2D (an option sadly unavailable when I went to the cinema.) Shame so many film insist on 3D at the moment, let's hope it's a trend like it always was in the past.
Overall, Thor is worth a watch, if only for continuing the Avengers series. Enjoy the action, and the humour, but just try and ignore Portman the best you can. Oh. My. God. Truer words never spoken...
***
The very definition of the ever ambiguous "It's alright". Fun when it's on, and serves it's purpose. But a few plot holes for non comic book fans, and a stinker of a performance from Portman drag things down a bit.
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