Thor

It seemed incredibly odd that Kenneth Branagh, known mostly for his 90s Shakespearean adaptations of varying quality, would tackle a comic book property. But Thor based on the Marvel comics series, and very loosely on the Norse mythology that preceded it, has something vaguely in common with the Great Bard in its character archetypes and story machinations. With numerous plot lines containing warring kingdoms, fallen sons trying to regain their birthright, jealous usurpers trying to create general havoc, it’s a wonder that Branagh had enough self-restraint to not go all-out and make something as loud, dumb and inert as his version of Frankenstein.

At some point in time action films forget that the action was supposed to be in service of the story and the characters, and we’ve all become accustomed to carbon-copied grunting he-man’s running away from unnecessary explosions. Even in the current state of Marvel adaptations, they’ve been guilty of this. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was the worst offender to date. Thankfully, mercifully, Thor sidesteps those issues. Every time we’re launched into a battle sequence, which isn’t edited within an inch of its life and filmed so we can clearly see who is who and where they are in relation to one another, it’s a natural outgrowth of the story or the character. In this regard, Thor trumps the noisy but dull Iron Man 2.

It also trumps Iron Man 2 in its casting choices. While Iron Man 2 went for movie stars with little attention being paid to whether or not they could actually play the role or were right for the it in the first place, Thor is happy to fill the screen with little-known actors in some big roles. Sure, Anthony Hopkins is playing Odin, but he’s got the right kind of gravitas needed to carry off the role. And yes that’s Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, a research scientist. But doesn’t she seem smart and warm enough to be a scientist? I’m talking about choosing newcomers Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as the anchors for your (hopeful) new comic book/action franchise. And both of them are sensational in their respective roles. Hemsworth, for whom the term ‘beefcake’ seems to have been invented, injects some much needed humor into the Viking warrior prince. It’s also a testament to his performance that he manages to say such faintly ridiculous and make you not want to die of laughter. And Tom Hiddleston as Loki is a richly complicated character. He’s not a villain in the traditional comic book movie sense, he’s got far too many identity and daddy issues to be truly evil. He’s damaged and only wants to bask in the same glory that his older sibling gets so easily.

But Thor does suffer greatly in the story department. It can generally overcome its shortcomings, but its speed bumps are highly pronounced. For one, the love story between Thor and Jane Foster is rushed and practically anemic. It’s a nice addition to Thor’s rehabilitation on Earth, but it’s artificial and forced. Not every superhero needs a damsel-in-distress to fall in love with. And generally, the story lines on Earth aren’t given as much time and attention as the Asgardian family drama. This should come as no surprise since the Asgardians are a far more interesting – visually and plot-wise – than the dull earthlings. With the presence of SHIELD, certain moments in Thor recall the same problems in Iron Man 2, that this is just an extended trailer for the eventual Avengers movie. And, I know I’m in the minority on this, but I just don’t like or care for Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. And Thor’s friends, the Warrior’s Three and Sif are also given little to no real development. They’re played mostly for laughs, which is fine, except that we’re consistently told how great, valiant and tough they are as warriors and they get taken out so easily.

As a whole, Thor is fun and enjoyable. It’s got a sense of humor about itself, which is nice in these times of mirthless super heroics on the big screen. It never truly achieves greatness, but it’s a very fun and well-crafted introduction to the character and his mythology. Here’s hoping that the inevitable sequel will flesh things out more properly since it won’t be shackled down to an eventual crossover film. I say bring on the Enchantress and the Executioner in Thor 2.