In the pantheon of comic book heroes, Thor is likely the one hero that the mainstream populous fails to recognize. With no distinguishable story line or villain that has penetrated pop-culture, the chances of Thor succeeding as its own film, and not merely excelling as Marvel’s attempt at setting up the Avenger’s movie, seemed slim. Surprisingly, through the charming performance of Chris Hemsworth and the direction of the Shakespeare loving Kenneth Branagh, Thor is a film that stands on its own merits, albeit on a shaky ground.
With a mish-mash of mythology and comic book convention, we come to know the creation of the super god known as Thor (Hemsworth). He’s a man of intense physical stature. Aside from his chiseled abs, Thor wields a hammer that is not only massive, but one that appears to be light as air when in his hand. Thor’s blonde locks, devilish grin and penchant for destroying enemies at will have placed him in line to become the ruler of Asgard, his hometown. Thor’s father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), is finally ready to relinquish the throne to his Aryan son and bestow upon him a great responsibility. Much to the chagrin of Thor’s quiet brother Loki, Thor has acquired the crown outright. That is until his fight first attitude forces his father to banish him and strip him of his power. Where is Thor sent? To New Mexico of course! The destination for all exiled gods! It’s always tough for a comic book film to tread the choppy waters of the ‘origin story’, but the origin is especially pertinent for Thor considering his character’s birth is one that escapes non-comic devotee’s minds. I’ll say Kenneth Branagh does an admirable job of trying to streamline the mythos that surround Thor’s life, but our introduction to Thor is one that feels like it could’ve been trimmed down. In some respects, the intro to Thor and his kingdom feel like a showcase for the film’s grand effects (which are quite stunning) more than establishing the persistent nature of Thor.
Once on our measly Earth, Thor comes across a group of scientists. Actually, he meets two scientists and their intern. The former consists of Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her mentor Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), while the latter is the snarky Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings). The script and Branagh would like us to believe that when on Earth, Thor transforms from a spoiled, royal brat into an altruistic, selfless warrior. In some cases his transformation works, but his experiences on Earth aren’t convincing enough to fully buy his sudden evolution. The same can be said for the expected relationship that develops between Jane and Thor. Aside from a trace amount of exposition revealed between the two, the relationship and chemistry that develops between Jane and Thor doesn’t exist beyond sexual attraction. Or at least that’s the way it seems considering the film doesn’t offer us any kind of insight that would find the two becoming star crossed lovers. Instead of using Earth as a jumping point for exposing Thor’s deficiencies as a god, Earth is a springboard for fish out of water jokes. In some ways this is disappointing, but the film’s humor ends up being its savior. With all of the grand mythos and unique creatures that follow Thor, humor is a terrific way to disarm the viewer to the film’s absurd and otherworldly moments.
Whether it’s Kat Dennings silly one liners or Hemsworth’s inescapable charm, the film has a silliness that is irresistible. Counteracting Hemsworth’s moxy and the script’s lack of character development is Tom Hiddleston as Loki. He’s the obvious villain for the film and his arc is predictable, but Hiddleston fills Loki with a reserved volatility that lurks in the darkness of Asgard. It’s in his turn that I feel Branagh’s direction shines through, as he crafts Loki in the vein of a Shakespeare tragedy. Despite my slight disrespect for the film’s screenplay, Branagh does a commendable job trying to keep the drama, the laughs and the action energized and worthy of our time. Because of this, Thor is a wholly enjoyable movie, but without more emphasis on Thor’s transformation and subsequent love, this comic book adaptation will leave the mind once the theater lights turn up.
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