movie review
Thor
Chris Hemsworth Makes Inter-Galactic Headlines
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Before seeing ‘Thor,’ I had only passing knowledge of Stan Lee’s Norse God of Thunder. Really, most of what I know about Iron Man, Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The X-Men and other Marvel superheroes has come from the movies.
But that’s ok. That fact that I’m not a comic-book reader and know little about the characters doesn’t hinder my movie enjoyment. That’s how it should be, because otherwise, the films would have a somewhat narrow fan base.
‘Thor’ begins in the mythical realm of Asgard, with the mighty and arrogant Thor (Chris Hemsworth) about to take over for his father, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins). But the ceremony is interrupted when the Frost Giants of Yodenheim unexpectedly attack Asgard. The two realms have had an uneasy peace for eons, so this attack comes as a complete surprise to Asgard.
Odin wants to keep the peace and back away, but Thor is more aggressive and decides to storm Yodenheim against his father’s wishes. Because of this, Odin banishes Thor to Earth to live among the humans. He wants his son to learn that violence isn’t always the answer.
On Earth, Thor meets Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), an astrophysicist researching important intergalactic phenomena with her team, Erik (Stellan Skarsgard) and Darcy (Kat Dennings). If I have one complaint about the movie, it’s that Jane’s character is portrayed as a giggly schoolgirl when it comes to Thor. Even though she’s brilliant and sensible when it comes to her job, Jane crumbles into a mess at the sight of Thor’s rock-hard abs. There’s no doubt that Thor and Chris Hemsworth are amazing to look at, but I wish they’d given her a little more substance.
When Thor is banished to Earth, Odin also tosses his hammer along with him, although with his strength taken away, Thor is unable to move the hammer from where it landed. Meanwhile, the government sets up an elaborate site around the hammer and proceeds to study the thing, since no one else can move it either, not even with heavy machinery.
Back in Asgard, there’s a storm brewing. Thor’s brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) rises to power as Odin lies in a restless sleep. The Frost Giants are out for revenge and alliances shift.
‘Thor’ is surprisingly entertaining and has something for everyone – family politics, a budding romance, government conspiracies, comic relief and Anthony Hopkins! When I heard that he was cast as Odin, I knew there’d be at least one character with some depth, but I was rewarded with layered characters among the cast, thanks, I’m sure, to Kenneth Branagh’s directorial magic. I also have to mention Idris Elba, whose imposing Heimdall makes a great gatekeeper.
‘Thor’ is a must-see for Marvel fans, but even if you’re not familiar with the superheroes and their backstories, it’s a fun popcorn movie with great special effects.
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