It is Day 3 of my Marvel Movie Marathon, with today's entry being Thor, which Iron Man 2 oh so cleverly set up. With the last two days being completely Iron Man-centric, what happens when a Norse God is thrown into the equation? Does it work like in the comics, or does it come off as too campy?
Luckily, while Thor does have a couple of speed bumps, his introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is more than welcome, and still as entertaining as it was when I first saw it in theaters a year ago. I have to start this review by saying that I love mythology. While I've always been partial to Greek myths, I find Norse myths just as fascinating. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were really onto something when they came up with the idea to take ancient Norse gods and put a comic book spin on their extensive mythology. All of the creativity they displayed in making those comics is on full display here in movie form. It never comes off as campy, but at the same time never takes itself too seriously. Kenneth Branagh, who mostly directs Shakespearean adaptations, was a perfect fit for this freshman franchise. At its heart, just like all the myths of old, Thor is about family, and boy do we have a family here.
Chris Hemsworth is excellent as the God of Thunder. Having only known him for his brief role in the Star Trek reboot, I was at first hesitant that he could play the buffed up Asgardian with a magic hammer. Luckily, he plays the role exceptionally well. He's cocky and arrogant towards the beginning but really learns how to be humble once he gets to live among the mortals. More on that later. Anthony Hopkins, ever the boss, is magnificent as Odin, even if he is only on screen for a short time. His very presence demands attention. You see this guy riding an eight legged horse coming down from a rainbow bridge, and you crap your pants. He simply is Odin, plain and simple. The rest of the supporting cast is good, although we don't get much insight into their characters. I would have loved to see more of Thor's mom Frigga, as well as the comedic Warriors Three and the beautiful yet badass Lady Sif. I do have to call attention to Idris Elba's Heimdall, who plays the role as Asgard's gatekeeper with such conviction you can't help but be in awe of his badassery. The mortals do well, for what it's worth. Natalie Portman seems the most developed, and Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgaard are good as well, but they never interested me as much as the Asgardians. Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson is still a treat to watch, and I did enjoy seeing Jeremy Renner's cameo as Hawkeye, despite how brief it was.
But honestly, in terms of acting, the real star of the show is Tom Hiddleston as Loki. He truly is a tragic character. The way his arc played out, it seemed his jealousy of Thor motivated him to play a simple prank, but it snowballed into Thor's banishment and then Loki found out who he really was. His descent into madness was brilliant, and what happens to him in the end is a perfect set up for the Avengers. I can't wait to see more of him and how ruthless he has become between then and now.
Getting back to how the film conveys the feel of the early Thor comics, what I found really impressive about the movie was their whole take on Norse mythology, bringing a science fiction aspect that ties it in perfectly with the other Marvel films but never removes the mystical aspect entirely. The Bifrost as a wormhole? Brilliant. The Nine Realms as planets? Also brilliant. I recall the scene where Jane is explaining to Selvig that advanced beings could have crossed over the wormhole to Earth and were worshipped as deities, and they get into this argument about how magic is just science we don't understand and that furthermore, science fiction is a precursor to science fact. I really thought that was an excellent way to justify how Norse gods can play around in the same universe as Iron Man (that Stark reference was hilarious, by the way). I was completely enchanted by all the scenes on Asgard, especially the fight on Jotunheim with the Frost Giants. It was a perfect way to showcase Thor's power and really created the sense that this was all happening on a cosmic scale.
Unfortunately, the rest of the film doesn't really show the promise of the opening act in Asgard. Yes, in the comics Thor was banished to Earth to become mortal and learn humility. I'm completely fine with that. I'm also fine with him falling in love with Jane Foster, and not being able to lift the hammer until he was deemed worthy to wield it. But in all honesty, while the Earth scenes do have some great fish-out-of-water comedy, they feel too rushed to really have any dramatic impact. In Iron Man, Tony Stark began the film as a jackass as well, and it was being captive in a cave for THREE MONTHS that changed him. Thor has been cocky for thousands of years, and yet he is humbled by being on Earth for only three days? And, at the same time, I'm expected to believe that he could begin a romance with a mortal while his dad falls into a coma and Loki gains the throne while going insane? All of these storylines had great potential, but the film rushes through them to get to the climax. While Iron Man 2 suffered from having too many storylines that were underdeveloped, Thor has an appropriate number of storylines that feel so rushed we never have time to believe they are genuine. Once again, I'm criticizing for something the film is not, but if Thor was on Earth say, a month, that would not only make his newfound humility and romance with Jane more believable, but it would also give Loki enough time to cement his rule over Asgard and descend into madness. I'm not knocking the story so much as the decision to tell it over the course of a weekend instead of a few weeks.
But, with that said, the story does still carry weight despite being rushed through thanks to the acting by the characters. Like I said before, Hemsworth and Hiddleston's portrayals of Thor and Loki are legitimate. They act like brothers, and both of them make their arcs of humility and insanity feel real and in character. When they finally face off on the Bifrost towards the end, it was heart wrenching to see Thor refuse to fight Loki. I would attribute this to Branagh, as his Shakespeare experience obviously came into play here in presenting the complicated relationship these two have with each other and their father. It is the strength of the character interactions that saves this movie, that and some truly great set pieces. I just wish that the story had more time to play out so it could be more effective. As it stands, Thor is a flawed yet fun entry in the Marvel canon, still entertaining a year after I first saw it.
I must also mention both the end credits scene and the Marvel One shot, "The Consultant". The credits scene was a perfect set-up for the Avengers, as we now know without a doubt Loki will be the villain and what his motivation is. "The Consultant" was an exceptional way to tie the narratives of Thor, Iron Man 2, and the Incredible Hulk together, as it expanded on Tony's new role as SHIELD consultant while putting the Hulk's credit scene in context, all the while having this explained by Coulson and another agent after the events of "Thor" went down. On this note, I have to say that "Thor" did a better job setting up Avengers than "Iron Man 2" did, as it included SHIELD but put its main story first and foremost. It was more concerned with its characters' development than doing the Avengers storyline, and in that respect I think it did much better with its easter eggs than Iron Man 2 did, even if its flaws put it behind the first Iron Man in terms of its ranking in the Marvel canon. It was great sitting down to experience this film again, and with its completion I look forward to reviewing the next film, "The Incredible Hulk", on the road to this Friday's premier of "The Avengers".
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