The Avengers: Orgins - THOR

Before watching Marvel’s Thor, I contemplated re-watching all the predecessors to this movie that lead to the culmination film The Avengers. I decided against it because I just finished watching the entire Fast and Furious franchise. So, I entered the packed Mega Screen in Chesterfield for a bright and early Saturday morning screening of Thor. I felt that Marvel took a few risks with Thor, like casting an unknown to the US actor to play Thor (Chris Hemsworth). They cast an even more obscure actor to play Loki, the villain. But a quick look into his filmography shows how he got the gig.   Tom Hiddleston has worked with the director, Kenneth Branagh a few times prior to Thor. But the biggest risk they took was even trying to bring Thor to the big screen. His character falls heavily into the realm of science fiction. Thor is based on the Norse God of Thunder. I was curious to see how they brought it to life on the big screen and how grounded in reality they were going to make it.

On the other hand, I felt they did a few things right. They took a page out of the Christopher Nolan book of filmmaking and filled supporting role of various size and importance with veteran actors like Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgard, and recent Oscar winner Natalie Portman. They also got a seasoned director in Branagh, though this was his first real attempt at directing a non-Shakespeare movie, and using and relying heavily on special effects to make the movie. Another thing Marvel did right was to make the focus of this movie the origin of Thor. With the impending Avengers movie in production, they could really focus on Thor and who he is, and show him becoming the superhero we knew he would eventually become, à la Batman Begins. There was no need to shove his origin in the first thirty minutes and move on, à la Superman.

Thor opens with Jane (Portman) in an RV with two co-horts, Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Erik (Skarsgard) waiting for an atmospheric phenomenon. What they got was Thor.  We then go back to the beginning to see how Thor ended up in our world. We are told the story through the narration of Odin, King of Asgard (Hopkins). He tells of the Frost Giants and the Casket. The former are the bad guys who are  a race of people that live in another realm. The later being a box that contains some serious mystical power, taken from the Frost Giants by Odin and the Asgardians in a war that costs Odin one of his eyes.   We jump to the present day and see Thor as he is about to be named King. As he walks up to the throne currently inhabited by his father a disturbance causes Thor to lose his cool. He is not only denied the crown, but ends up banished to Earth to get himself straightened out. Odin also sends Mjollnir to Earth, but only a person worthy can possess the hammer, giving him the power of Thor. A hillbilly in a pick-up cannot pull the hammer from its stone, even if it is Stan Lee himself.

So, Thor is on Earth, trying to convince Jane that he is from another realm. She is a scientist trying to believe him while falling for him. Thor also tries to get his hammer back from S.H.I.E.L.D., the elusive group recruiting heroes to join The Avengers. Clark Gregg reprises his role as Agent Coulson, and is running the operation. In a scene that looked like it was filmed after the rest of the movie, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) makes a quick cameo while Thor beats up a huge guard in the muddy rainy pit containing his precious hammer. It was cheesy, but entertaining nonetheless to see Hawkeye, who will appear in The Avengers movie.

Back on Asgard, Odin falls ill.  Loki steps up in the absence of Thor to assume the crown.  Finally, Thor’s four warrior friends Volstagg, Sif, Hogun and Fandral come to Earth to bring Thor back. A quick note, Ray Stevenson plays Volstagg, one of the friends. It is interesting to note that he was in the failed Marvel reboot Punisher: War Zone. Anyway, from here, battles rage in multiple realms, truths are found out, heroes rise, and all is well. Or is it? Stay after the credits for another scene.

Thor was not as witty as Iron Man. Hemsworth does a good job as Thor and is a likeable character, but he is no Tony Stark. The chemistry was not all there between Thor and Jane. But, Tom Hiddleston was great as Loki. He was absolutely amazing. This was where Thor did have a stroke of genius, in the villain.

The overall feel of Thor was a bit lacking. The epic feel it tried for was a bit out of reach which might be due the fact that Branagh was outside his comfort zone. I don’t think he failed as the director but I think that someone else could have done better. The visual effects were stunning though. I was surprised by that.

So, the bottom line, I had moderate expectations going in, and they were met. I was hoping, Marvel and Branagh would really “WOW” me. They just didn’t. If you are a fan of the comic book movie genre, you are going to see this no matter what I say. If you aren’t but find yourself looking for a fun way to spend a few hours and few dollars, this would be a good use of both. I would not recommend the premium price to see Thor in 3D, but it was a nice touch in a few scenes. It was a solid movie to add the Marvel family, right behind Iron Man and Iron Man 2. In July, the final “origin” movie will debut, Captain America: The First Avenger, with Chris Evans in his third comic book role.

7.5/10