Movies / Comics Movie Reviews

Thor Movie Review

By Andy Frisk
May 6, 2011 - 00:40

Back when it was announced that Kenneth Branagh, the superb actor and director who has brought us some of the greatest cinematic interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays, was directing the silver screen debut of Marvel Comics’ god of thunder, I promptly commented on how I hoped that Branagh would bring Thor to life. I also commented on how Shakespearian J. Michael Straczynski’s run on Thor the comic book was. I’m happy to report that my wish came true. With Straczynski as one of the film’s writers and Branagh crafting a stunning visual spectacle while coaxing superb performances out his cast, Thor is nearly everything that this comic book and literature fan could ask for.

Outside of the sheer fun that was the first Spider-Man movie and the heady intelligent social commentary that The Dark Knight exuded, we haven’t seen as powerful, and at times humorous, a performance by a cast in a comic book based movie. No one character is as powerful a standout as Robert Downey Jr. was as Tony Stark/Iron Man, a role that Downey Jr. was almost born to play, but Hemsworth comes close as Thor, and the cast surrounding him is each equally as strong. Where Iron Man was very easily a Downey Jr. vehicle, Thor boasts a strong ensemble, again much like the many Branagh produced, directed, and acted Shakespeare films do. Branagh has a much broader canvas on which to paint his tale, and the characters, situations, and family dynamics are much more varied and poignant than what Downey Jr. and John Favreau had to work with. Thor is the story of sibling rivalry, heredity, diplomacy vs. war, vanity, redemption, insanity, and sacrifice. Are you getting the Shakespeare references yet? The performances that Branagh gets out of his actors are impressive. Natalie Portman (Black Swan) obviously is solid and lovable as the inspired scientist Jane Foster. Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek, A Perfect Getaway) demonstrates that without a doubt he is leading man/hero material. His range, which goes from petulant man-child to humble hero, is commanding and believable. Idris Elba (Takers, The Losers) turns in a wonderfully understated and quietly powerful performance as Heimdall. As for Anthony Hopkins, what else can be said about him at this point that hasn’t been said already? He’s the consummate actor, even if he does go slightly over the top now and again. In Thor he is as quietly commanding, intimidating, and caring as we’ve seen him in some time. His thunderous bellow is balanced with his soft spoken words of endearment. The standout performance belongs to Tom Hiddleston (Conspiracy, The Gathering Storm) though. His turn as Loki, the adoptive son of Odin All-Father, is at once touching, frightening, compassion stirring, and diabolical. Out of all of the relative newcomers showcased in Thor, Hiddleston is the one to watch. This man is going to deliver some great performances in the years to come.

Hiddleston as Loki

Thor isn’t a plot and acting tour de force only though. It is an action packed adventure on an epic scale. When I say epic, I don’t mean it in the overused and trite way that it is employed these days to describe everything from baseball games to video games. The film truly opens in medias res (“into the middle of things”). By beginning in the middle of the action and looping back around into the narrative, it really does do justice to the literary term “epic” by employing the defining narrative characteristic of the epic. Again, what else should we expect from Branagh? Also like most epics, Thor is packed with action. From the battle with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim and their king Laufey, to Thor’s rousing battle with the Loki controlled Destroyer, Thor boasts some fantastic visual effects and action sequences. This long term Thor comic book fan’s favorite visual touch is how Branagh and his visual effects team capture Thor’s spinning of his hammer Mjolnir in battle and while hovering. It brings back memories of the great Walter Simonson images of The Mighty Thor in battle in the pages of The Mighty Thor. Asgard and Jotunheim both look wonderful, majestic, awe inspiring, and imaginable. Asgard, and the Asgardians themselves, are the perfect amalgamation of Kirby-esque space-god sci-fi and Peter Jackson Lord of Rings medievalism. Their realms reflect this aspect of their characterization beautifully. Thor tells Jane, “Your ancestors called it magic. You call it science. Where I come from they are one and the same.” Asgard and Jotunheim, as visually imagined in the film, capture the pure essence of these words.

Simonson superbness

 

At its heart, Thor is the coming of age tale of a powerful man whose ego is nearly as boundless as his strength. In a brilliant turn of events for a superhero story, the superhero wins his greatest battle, not by beating his foes into submission (although Thor does do this repeatedly), but by making a selfless choice. By doing so he truly becomes worthy of the power invested in him by Odin, and makes Thor worthy of the sacrifice of our time and attention, as a film and as an epic tale.  

Rating: 9 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12