Movie Review: Thor

In the Marvel comic based action/adventure, “Thor”, there is a world that exists beyond Earth’s “realm.” This world is called Asgard, and it is ruled by King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) who, along with his sons Thor (Chris Hemsworth) & Loki (Tom Hiddelston), maintain their world as a peaceful kingdom. That is, until an unprovoked attack from an old enemy propels the arrogant and mighty Thor foolishly into a battle that sends Asgard to war. For his reckless behavior, his father strips him of his powers and banishes him to Earth to learn about controlling his anger. On Earth, he meets a cute scientist (Natalie Portman) and her team as they try and retrieve Thor’s weapon (a hammer containing the source of all of his powers) before sinister forces threaten to destroy both Asgard & Earth.

I realize that if you are not familiar with the Thor comic book (created by Spider-man creator Stan Lee) this movie might look kind of, oh lets just say, cheesy as all getup! The image of a Viking warrior swinging around a hammer while Anthony Hopkins chews the scenery in his gold-plated armor made me unsure what to expect (I was also not familiar with the comic book.) Having said that, “Thor’ is a LOT of fun! Sure, it has its cornball moments (hearing Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins warn about the dreaded “freeze giants”, the sworn enemies of Asgard, is quite comical) but what really makes the movie sizzle is director Kenneth Branagh’s (known for his Shakespearean epics & for playing Gildaroy Lockheart in “Harry Potter”) ability to find just the right tone in mixing action & spectacle with a surprising amount of heart and humor.

There are a lot of genuinely funny moments in this movie, particularly Thor’s fish-out-water behavior when he gets to Earth. He finds himself truly surprised as, being a mighty warrior like himself, he is taken down by an Earth-bound taser. In addition to the humor, there is a love story between Thor and Portman’s characters in which Thor slowly begins to understand the nature of human compassion but, don’t fret! There is still plenty of room for him to smash his enemies with his hammer all the while flashing a devil-may-care grin as he prepares to battle hordes of bad guys (wait till you see him take out a giant death-ray firing robot!)  And ladies, & gentlemen too, wait until you get a look at Chris Hemsworth when the armor comes off! Even a hereto-sexual male like myself had to admire (and reconsider that Lifetime Fitness gym membership.)

Branagh is also given some nice assists from a good cast. The aforementioned Hemsworth as Thor does a great job portraying what could’ve been a very silly character. One can only boast, "I am the mighty Thor!" with a straight face for so long, but Hemsworth manages to bring a real warmth and humor to the role (in addition to making him truly badass in the action sequences.) He is a hero that most men will want to be & most women will just want! Also, Tom Heddelston does an excellent job as the villainous Loki. He portrays a man whose jealousy of his brother inspires a scheme to rid Thor from Asgard so that he may take his place as the King. His deceptive nature doesn’t stop there, either! Throughout the movie, I was never quite sure what he was up to; this is a testament to Heddelson's ability to bring both subtlety and grandeur to the role. In addition, Portman, Kat Dennings, Stellen Skarsgard, Idis Ebra, and Clark Gregg all bring something to the table as well. 

Overall, I had a great time at "Thor"! It has everything I love in a good popcorn movie: action, spectacle, humor, and, most importantly, heart. When all of the hammers and swords have been swung (and the “freeze giants” and robots have been fought), “Thor” is a story about a young man who refuses to let his reckless temper be his downfall. Only when he discovers the value of compassion and wisdom, through love and honor, is he then able to unlock his true potential as a leader, and successor to his father’s throne. Unlike a lot of big action adventures, in which sparks ignite during the action, but not the human interaction, the dramatic sparks in this movie are allowed to fly between lovers, brothers, and a father and his sons. "Thor" is a lighthearted action/adventure that should please kids of all ages. Finally, it is no secret that Marvel Studios is planning an "Avengers" movie for next summer which will team up Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, and Thor (among others.) After seeing "Thor", I cannot wait to see how Marvel pulls that off! If you are also anticipating the upcoming “Avengers” movie, be sure to stay through the end credits!