Another Marvel Comics hero finally breaks his way out of the Hollywood prison known as development hell! Getting us increasingly more pumped up for the long promised “Avengers” movie, “Thor” makes its presence known with thunderous abandon. Now like many comic books, “Thor” is yet another I haven’t read, so I can’t say how true it is to its origins. However, judging from the great Kenneth Branagh’s handling of the material, I imagine it’s very respectful and true to its source.
Heeding closely to classic Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder and heir to the throne of Asgard. But on the day of his ascension, the Frost Giants end up invading the planet’s deeper regions to retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters, their source of power. They are easily defeated, but their violation of the truce put together between them and Asgard seriously pisses off Thor. Against his father’s wishes, he and his fellow warriors journey to the Frost Giants home planet of Jotunheim to keep some frosty ass. Odin however intervenes, and infuriated with his son’s arrogance, strips him of his powers and banishes him to Earth. For a warrior such as him, this does feels like a nasty insult.
First off, I got to say that I really liked the way Branagh handled this material. In the wrong way, this could have easily become high camp which would have been highly enjoyable for all the wrong reasons. But he takes all the characters and places they inhabit seriously, and infuses all of them with a strong humanity that defines them more than their place in the universe. Even the villains are remarkably complex as their corruption results not so much from a need for power but for a father’s love and approval. Of course, with Branagh directing, you can count on many Shakespearean references throughout (Iago from “Othello” and “King Lear” come to mind), and they are a perfect fit for this story.
I was also very impressed with how well Branagh handled the visual elements of “Thor.” The last time he made a movie heavy with special effects was “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein,” but he seemed a bit out of his league there. Perhaps we should not be impressed as this movie of course has a budget that’s at least $100 million (not counting advertisement costs), but they key thing here is that effects succeed in being an extension of the characters instead of just dwarfing them completely. Then again, that giant creature the Frost Giants unleash on Thor immediately had Liam Neeson screaming in my head:
“RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!”
As Thor, Chris Hemsworth (who played Captain Kirk’s father in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek”) owns the role right from the moment he walks onscreen. He clearly revels in portraying the great power he possesses, and he is a gentleman when the situation calls for it. Seeing him as a fish out of water on Earth also makes for some splendid moments which are slyly comic. I’m also glad that Thor is not just another character who doesn’t want to be “the one,” conflicted about the things he is destined to do. With Chris, you know from the get go that he is fully aware he’s “the one” and owns that knowledge to where you feel his impatient eagerness to prove it to the universe. Instead of Anakin Skywalker as a whiny teenager, Chris gives us a powerful warrior worth cheering for and who learns from his mistakes.
As scientist Jane Foster, Natalie Portman’s casting in the role seems like such a no brainer. We know from her off screen life that she is a remarkably intelligent human being, so she doesn’t have to prove to us that she can be believable as a scientist. She sparks instant chemistry with Hemsworth (damn those six pack abs!!!), and that shy smile of hers kills me every single time. Right now, she appears to be overexposed since her deserved Oscar win for “’Black Swan,” but I’m not complaining about that in the slightest.
Then there’s the great Sir Anthony Hopkins whose portrayal of Asgard’s king and father to Thor, Odin, is in a word gallant. This is especially the case with the opening narration which he recites with such depth that it makes all other actors who’ve done it before him sound like they were sleepwalking their way through it. While many may think that this is one of those roles that Hopkins could do for an easy paycheck, it’s really one of the best performances he’s given in awhile and is a step up from such dreck like “The Rite.”
Tom Hiddleston plays Loki, Thor’s brother and the movie’s other main villain. What I liked about Tom is that he does so much more than give us a one-dimensional character. Much like Joaquin Phoenix’s character from “Gladiator,” Loki feels slighted by his father as he prefers another man over him, and he becomes eager to prove himself in the worst way possible. Hiddleston makes Loki into a character that is more spiteful than hateful, and this makes his eventual fate seem all the more tragic in retrospect.
There are other strong performances throughout this blockbuster affair to enjoy as well. Rene Russo, where have you been? Idris Elba makes a memorable Heimdall, and it never seems like a small part with him playing it. Kat Dennings steals a few scenes as Darcy Lewis, Jane’s co-worker whose science is more political than astronomical. And Stellan Skarsgård remains a dependable actor as always playing scientist Erik Selvig, a character who may play a more important role in the future.
Having said all that, “Thor” felt like it could have been more exciting than it was. It doesn’t quite have the same invigorating sweep as some of Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptations like “Hamlet” or “Henry V,” and it does feel like it takes longer to get to the action than it should. It’s not quite as entertaining as “Iron Man,” but I would rank it above “The Incredible Hulk.”
Still, there is much to like about “Thor,” and Branagh has done the best job anyone could have to bring this comic book hero to the big screen in such respectful fashion. It also benefits from excellent casting, especially Chris Hemsworth who looks like he came out of the womb a warrior with a heavy hammer in his hand. This is one of the few times where “getting hammered” will sound more like a threat than an embarrassing state of drunkenness.
Word of advice, be sure to stay through the end credits. I’m sure many of you already planning to do that knowing how the “Iron Man”’ movies and “The Incredible Hulk” ended, but I do feel the need to remind you. Also, don’t’ bother seeing this in 3D. Once again, the image is frustratingly dark and there’s no real need for an extra dimension. Save yourself some money and see it in 2D instead.
2D version: * * * out of * * * *
3D version: * * out of * * * *
Heeding closely to classic Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder and heir to the throne of Asgard. But on the day of his ascension, the Frost Giants end up invading the planet’s deeper regions to retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters, their source of power. They are easily defeated, but their violation of the truce put together between them and Asgard seriously pisses off Thor. Against his father’s wishes, he and his fellow warriors journey to the Frost Giants home planet of Jotunheim to keep some frosty ass. Odin however intervenes, and infuriated with his son’s arrogance, strips him of his powers and banishes him to Earth. For a warrior such as him, this does feels like a nasty insult.
First off, I got to say that I really liked the way Branagh handled this material. In the wrong way, this could have easily become high camp which would have been highly enjoyable for all the wrong reasons. But he takes all the characters and places they inhabit seriously, and infuses all of them with a strong humanity that defines them more than their place in the universe. Even the villains are remarkably complex as their corruption results not so much from a need for power but for a father’s love and approval. Of course, with Branagh directing, you can count on many Shakespearean references throughout (Iago from “Othello” and “King Lear” come to mind), and they are a perfect fit for this story.
I was also very impressed with how well Branagh handled the visual elements of “Thor.” The last time he made a movie heavy with special effects was “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein,” but he seemed a bit out of his league there. Perhaps we should not be impressed as this movie of course has a budget that’s at least $100 million (not counting advertisement costs), but they key thing here is that effects succeed in being an extension of the characters instead of just dwarfing them completely. Then again, that giant creature the Frost Giants unleash on Thor immediately had Liam Neeson screaming in my head:
“RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!”
As Thor, Chris Hemsworth (who played Captain Kirk’s father in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek”) owns the role right from the moment he walks onscreen. He clearly revels in portraying the great power he possesses, and he is a gentleman when the situation calls for it. Seeing him as a fish out of water on Earth also makes for some splendid moments which are slyly comic. I’m also glad that Thor is not just another character who doesn’t want to be “the one,” conflicted about the things he is destined to do. With Chris, you know from the get go that he is fully aware he’s “the one” and owns that knowledge to where you feel his impatient eagerness to prove it to the universe. Instead of Anakin Skywalker as a whiny teenager, Chris gives us a powerful warrior worth cheering for and who learns from his mistakes.
As scientist Jane Foster, Natalie Portman’s casting in the role seems like such a no brainer. We know from her off screen life that she is a remarkably intelligent human being, so she doesn’t have to prove to us that she can be believable as a scientist. She sparks instant chemistry with Hemsworth (damn those six pack abs!!!), and that shy smile of hers kills me every single time. Right now, she appears to be overexposed since her deserved Oscar win for “’Black Swan,” but I’m not complaining about that in the slightest.
Then there’s the great Sir Anthony Hopkins whose portrayal of Asgard’s king and father to Thor, Odin, is in a word gallant. This is especially the case with the opening narration which he recites with such depth that it makes all other actors who’ve done it before him sound like they were sleepwalking their way through it. While many may think that this is one of those roles that Hopkins could do for an easy paycheck, it’s really one of the best performances he’s given in awhile and is a step up from such dreck like “The Rite.”
Tom Hiddleston plays Loki, Thor’s brother and the movie’s other main villain. What I liked about Tom is that he does so much more than give us a one-dimensional character. Much like Joaquin Phoenix’s character from “Gladiator,” Loki feels slighted by his father as he prefers another man over him, and he becomes eager to prove himself in the worst way possible. Hiddleston makes Loki into a character that is more spiteful than hateful, and this makes his eventual fate seem all the more tragic in retrospect.
There are other strong performances throughout this blockbuster affair to enjoy as well. Rene Russo, where have you been? Idris Elba makes a memorable Heimdall, and it never seems like a small part with him playing it. Kat Dennings steals a few scenes as Darcy Lewis, Jane’s co-worker whose science is more political than astronomical. And Stellan Skarsgård remains a dependable actor as always playing scientist Erik Selvig, a character who may play a more important role in the future.
Having said all that, “Thor” felt like it could have been more exciting than it was. It doesn’t quite have the same invigorating sweep as some of Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptations like “Hamlet” or “Henry V,” and it does feel like it takes longer to get to the action than it should. It’s not quite as entertaining as “Iron Man,” but I would rank it above “The Incredible Hulk.”
Still, there is much to like about “Thor,” and Branagh has done the best job anyone could have to bring this comic book hero to the big screen in such respectful fashion. It also benefits from excellent casting, especially Chris Hemsworth who looks like he came out of the womb a warrior with a heavy hammer in his hand. This is one of the few times where “getting hammered” will sound more like a threat than an embarrassing state of drunkenness.
Word of advice, be sure to stay through the end credits. I’m sure many of you already planning to do that knowing how the “Iron Man”’ movies and “The Incredible Hulk” ended, but I do feel the need to remind you. Also, don’t’ bother seeing this in 3D. Once again, the image is frustratingly dark and there’s no real need for an extra dimension. Save yourself some money and see it in 2D instead.
2D version: * * * out of * * * *
3D version: * * out of * * * *
0 comments
Post a Comment