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Thor's identity and brutish nature raises the eyebrows of Jane's colleagues Dr. Selvig (Stellan Skargard) and intern Darcy (Kat Dennings), but she finds herself intrigued by this stranger. Thor's presence on Earth also puts him on the radar of the ...
Marvel's grand movie scheme had me a tad nervous about a year ago with the release of their sequel to Iron Man. The film was an entertaining and engaging follow-up to the 2008 original that established Marvel as a bona fide movie studio. It not only made star Robert Downey, Jr. a commodity in Hollywood, but initiated a plan where various comic book characters would be brought to the silver screen in separate yet interconnected films. The sequel wasn't as well made a film as the original, with its weak plot and rather poor story. It felt more like Iron Man 1.5 rather than a second chapter designed to take the series to the next level and that may be due in part to the fact that it was made so quickly. With Marvel's latest release, the thread that interconnects the films of past, present and future is as thin as silk, but yet so very strong. You can see how the small puzzle pieces are slowly coming together and the plan is indeed working.
Nearly fifty years ago, the comic book character of Thor was dreamed up by the godfathers of Marvel, Stan ?The Man? Lee and Jack Kirby. After achieving great success with their creation of several fictional superheroes, they turned their sights to Norse mythology, fashioning the story of the young and arrogant God of Thunder who is taught humility, honor and patience by being stripped of his power by his much wiser father. Lee and Kirby's back-story for their version of the Norse God Thor was that his father, Odin, King of the realm of Asgard, transformed his son into a frail human, taking away his supernatural abilities and knowledge of his otherworldly heritage. Thor became a hero not through strength and might, but by living a humble existence amongst mortal men as a healer or doctor, if you will. After regaining his power and identity, Thor would become a protector of man, forging an alliance with Earth's mightiest heroes.
This live action version of Thor isn't completely faithful to its comic book origins, but the essence of the original story is there. At its heart is a very human drama amongst humans, Gods and even monsters. Even the villains of the piece aren't outright evil and there is often justification for their horrible actions, something very rare for comic book films. The many characters involved are not only well written, but given dimension. That's not only due in large part to the guidance of the powers that be at Marvel, but the fact that the film's story originated with Thor comic book scribe J. Michael Straczynski and was directed by Kenneth Branagh. Yes, that Kenneth Branagh. Although the actor-director is best know for bringing many of Shakespeare's works to the silver screen, he is also a master at dramatic story telling. It just so happens that he's made a really good drama disguised as an action comic book film.
The Thor presented to us may be played by flesh and blood actor Chris Hemsworth, but he is still the arrogant, thrill seeking God of Thunder many comic book fans love. As the first born son of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), ruler of the realm of Asgard, Thor is next in line to inherit the throne. Proud father Odin is about to literally hand the keys to the kingdom over to his son when the ceremony is interrupted by an enemy of the past. The Frost Giants, deadly war-like creatures from the realm of Jotunheim (pronounced Yo-ton-hyme) have made an attempt to steal back a weapon inside Odin's protected armory. Centuries before, when mortals and Asgardians both walked the Earth, the Frost Giants tried to conquer our realm, igniting a brutal war. With Odin and his army emerging the victors, he confiscated from his enemy a weapon that would enable them to spread the very cold that nourishes them. Offended that the Frost Giants have broken a centuries old truce, Thor defies his father's orders, leading several of his friends to Jotunheim looking for answers.
Thor gets more than he bargained for when he lets his pride get in the way, engaging the Frost Giants in a bitter battle and leaving Asgard open to war. His actions not only enrage Odin, but cause him to doubt his son's worthiness of ascending to the throne. Painfully passing judgment on his first born son, Odin strips him of his power and banishes him to the realm of Midgard or what we call Earth. His legendary weapon, the mighty Mjolnir, a hammer forged from a dying star, is sent along with him, only to be wielded by one who is worthy. As a mortal man, minus his enchanted hammer, Thor find himself in New Mexico, ?the land of enchantment?. His violent arrival on Earth puts him directly in the path of astrophysicist Jane Foster who was studying the heavens when she saw him literally fall from the sky. Thor's identity and brutish nature raises the eyebrows of Jane's colleagues Dr. Selvig (Stellan Skargard) and intern Darcy (Kat Dennings), but she finds herself intrigued by this stranger. Thor's presence on Earth also puts him on the radar of the government agency know as SHIELD, who have built a temporary research facility around the crash site where Mjolnir landed several miles away. But the power within his hammer won't be enough to prepare him for the betrayal that is at hand.
The story of Thor is also the story of Loki (Tom Hiddleton), his younger brother. The youngest of Odin's two sons, Loki has always lived in the shadow of Thor and has always sought their father's approval. Despite Odin's best efforts, Loki has always felt he had something to prove and it is a character flaw that spreads within him like a cancer. With his brother now banished from Asgard for his rash actions, Loki stands to support his father to protect their realm from the threat of the Frost Giants. But just as Loki begins to question his true heritage, Odin falls into ?the Odinsleep? a rejuvenating slumber that could last several days or years. With Thor gone, he is the only son left to inherit the throne and its absolute power. And as they say absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Some of the most powerful story elements in Thor involve the family dynamic between Odin, Thor and Loki. You have a King trying to balance the responsibility of ruling and protecting nine realms while serving as a father to two sons. Then there is one son, with a chip on his shoulder living in the shadows of his father and resenting his older sibling. And finally, there's the other son, too arrogant to understand the weight of power that comes with being a ruler and too self-absorbed to notice his younger sibling is suffering. It's a dynamic that's common in even the most basic family and its the true heart of the film that Hopkins, Hiddleston and Hemsworth make work.
We know playing a man of great honor and power with gusto is something Hopkins excels at, but its the moments where we see him trying to be a father where he truly shines. Odin may be a God, but Hopkins also portrays him as a man, a flawed one, trying his best not to fail his two sons even though at times he does. Hemsworth truly makes the role of Thor his own. We don't like him when he is initially introduced and we're not meant to. He may be a badass on the battlefield, but he storms headfirst into trouble, endangering his friends and his people. His experiences on Earth with Jane and her friends humbles him in time, giving him insight into an existence he never could have imagined. The evolution of his character is gradual, which makes it all the more believable.
The strongest performance in the film no doubt belongs to Hiddleston, who manages to make Loki more than just a sympathetic villain. In fact, this is probably the first Marvel film where the bad guy is so well written, he feels more like a soul who has lost his way rather than a simple villain. There's a lot of pain behind Hiddleston's eyes in even the simplest scenes. Early on during the film its easy to tell that there's something not right with this troubled young man. The actions he takes aren't out of hatred or a lust for power, but just to be seen as a good son in his father's eyes. Loki is considered the God of Mischief and although Hiddleston appears to relish his dark deeds at times, he doesn't give Loki a mischievous streak. Its a character that I look forward to seeing evolve even further in the future and make no mistake, we will.
Thor is probably the first action film Branagh has helmed and he and his team have handled those sequences brilliantly. When Thor engages the Frost Giants or the Destroyer sentinel that Loki sends to destroy him, we see many of the characters signature moves; from the way he flies, to the various methods in which he wields Mjolnir and even how he summons lightning. Many of these signature moves feel fresh off the comics page and will no doubt please die hard fans. It is a bit of a shame that there are many gaps between action sequences, but its in service of a story which has many events transpiring between Earth and Asgard.
The weakest element in Thor is unfortunately the developing love story between he and Jane. It takes up too much of the time devoted to Thor's experiences on Earth making what's happening up in Asgard all the more interesting. Their characters basically court each other over a period of a few hours, making the romance feel rather weak. Portman doesn't fare well in this film and her romance with Hemsworth is even weaker than that with Hayden Christenson in the Star Wars films which has heavily criticized. Her performances are all starting to feel the same, which may be due to the fact that she's appeared in too many films within the last twelve months. Skarsgard and Dennings don't fare so well either, but there is some memorable work from Jaimie Alexander, Ray Stevenson, Joshua Dallas and Tadanobu Asano respectively as ?Lady Sif and the Warrior's Three?, allies and fighting partners of Thor who follow him to Earth. Even under heavy latex make-up, Colm Feore has an intimidating presence as Lafrey, lord of the Frost Giants and Idris Elba stands apart as Heimdall, guardian of the Rainbow Bridge which connects the nine realms. Elba gives a very minimalist performance as this sentinel, but it gives him power, making him a character that all others hold in high respect. There's a reason his eyes appear so strange. His gaze can literally span the galaxy as he sees the nine realms and all its inhabits from the Rainbow Bridge.
Bringing aboard production designer Bo Welch was a stroke of genius on Branagh's part. Asgard is a unique and fascinating realm of beauty that doesn't resemble other kingdoms we may have seen in films such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy or the Star Wars saga. The Rainbow Bridge is also uniquely designed; a suspension platform made of colored glass that leads to a spinning observatory that literally projects travelers through a beam of light to other realms. This is the stuff dreams are made of.
There's also nice in-jokes for fans of the comics and the films, such as when SHIELD Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) encounters the Destroyer: ?Is that one of Stark's?? a tech asks, ?I dunno, he never tells me anything.? Coulson responds. Or Selving telling Jane ?there was a brilliant scientist who made a breakthrough with Gamma radiation and when SHIELD got involved he suddenly vanished.? There's also the appearance of one crossbow wielding agent named ?Clint Barton? who I'm sure we'll see more of next year. And yes, of course there's not only another Stan Lee cameo, but a revelatory post credit scene.
There does come a point in Thor where the story becomes a tad familiar and predictable, but the first half is so strong that its a forgivable flaw. Even the film's climax brings us back to the family story with an interesting conclusion. The only aspect of this film that feels unnecessary is the fact that it was converted to 3D. There are a few shots with added dimension, but this really doesn't feel like a 3D movie at all. Post-conversion is still a flawed process and it definitely wasn't needed for a film that's already visually imaginative. Thor isn't a perfect film and I'm sure it won't be the best Marvel film. What is does do is continue that thread which connects all of the Marvel features, culminating in the release of The Avengers next year. It's looking to be a good time for movies and a great time for Marvel fans. ?Excelsior!?
Video: For a bright and optimistic adventure, Thor is a very dark looking film. Converted to 3D during post-production, the use of 3D glasses cuts down light levels and makes a already dark film look even better. This isn't one of the best conversions either. Though the realm of Asgard is impressively designed, Branaugh opted for a moody look for many of the scenes, obviously shot with unnatural light on soundstages. The 3D process looks more "believable" during the Earthbound sequences such as the arrival of the Destroyer. The 2D disc is preferred despite the fact that there are a number of notable 3D shots throughout the film.
Colors favor that yellow/orange tinge, which is reflected in flesh tones, a suitable choice for emphasizing the sun in the New Mexico sequences. Unfortunately, blacks appear a bit too dark and crush is evident in a few scenes.
Audio: Thor's thunderous DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack is exemplary. With the first action scene forward, there's no letting up with this one; intense, engaging, active, and loud, Thor's soundtrack scrambles the brain and pushes even the best of sound systems to their limits with a barrage of sonic action extravaganza that's of reference quality with every thunderclap and explosion. This isn't a disc with a lacking surround presentation; there's almost always something going on in the back channels that make extensive use of action and atmospheric effects.
Extras: Director Kenneth Branagh flies solo with an audio commentary that's energetic and informative, demonstrating his understanding and appreciation of the material. The classically trained actor make numerous comparisons between the story and Shakespearean themes, but it's also obvious that he's a real Thor fan. Branaugh touches upon every technical aspect of the movie making process and manages to be a bit playful rather than boring. A pretty solid track.
Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant (HD, 3:57 mins): This short recently made the rounds online, featuring actors Clark Gregg and Maximiliano Hernandez, tying the Marvel movie universe together through some clever use of footage from The Incredible Hulk.
Assembling the Troupe (HD, 4:44 mins): A look at the casting and respective performances of Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins.
Hammer Time (HD, 6:14 mins): An examination of Thor's legendary iconic weapon and how the filmmakers strove to design it for the silver screen my remaining faithful to it's origins.
Creating Laufey (HD, 5:33 mins): Colm Feore discusses the elaborate make-up process and his hand in creating a dimensional character for the King of the Frost Giants.
A Conversation (HD, 2:23 mins): Living legend Stan Lee, co-producer Craig Kyle, and Writer J. Michael Straczynski discuss Thor on set.
Road to the Avengers (HD, 2:57 mins): Don't get too hyped for this one, it's basically snippets from past and present Marvel films followed by the introduction of the cast at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con.
Deleted Scenes (HD, 24:34 mins): Available with optional director commentary by Branaugh are eleven scenes totaling nearly twenty-five minutes: Thor and Loki Before the Confrontation, Warriors 3 and Sif Turn Over Their Weapons, Thor and Frigga, Rah Rah (Extended), Hospital (Extended), Frigga Confronts Odin, Loki is Made King, Selvig Sings with Thor, Warriors 3 and Sif Arrive (Extended), Darcy's Dog, and Selvig is Saved by Thor.
Trailers (HD): Included are Thor's Theatrical Teaser (2:34 mins), the Theatrical Trailer (2:32 mins), and a promo for Avengers Animated (1:19 mins).
All of the special features are also included on the 2D disc and the set features a DVD version of the film as well as a Digital Copy with iTunes and Windows Media versions.