Review – The Thor movie… Have at thee!
Tonight we checked out The Thor movie at the Bengies Drive In just up the road from us with a couple of friends. For me this was my first ever experience of a drive in, as we don't have them in the UK, or in any of the other countries I've visited. Fun place, a very different way to view a movie and something to look at again once the weather really does warm up.
Out of all Marvel's pantheon of Superheroes The Mighty Thor is perhaps the hardest for people to relate to. He is after all a god, and his books seem to always being cancelled and then re-released. His one constant was his membership of the Avengers, being in the team made him more relatable, even as a straight man and a seriously heroic front line heavy hitter.
The movie by Director Kenneth Branagh does a good job of bringing Thor down to earth, while explaining who and what he is. Using the old adage that magic is science we don't understand yet, even the fantastic godlike nature of Asgard doesn't feel to unearthly.
While I feel the movie is not Ironman, which I believe is still the most perfect comicbook movie made so far, it is good solid fun. The ending feels a little Donnar Superman, with the fight in a midwestern town.
Chris Helmsworth brings Thor to life on the screen, while he maybe a little on the small side to be Thor from the books, he brings a toughness and that devil may care side of Thor into the role. To me that is enough, and we get a believable Thor out of him, and some fun light moments too. Anthony Hopkins chews the scenery up as Odin, and his conflict scenes with Chris show what an actor he is, and its a credit to Chris that he kept up. Natalie Portman had little to really do except simper in her role as Jane Foster, but she makes a cute science nerd and isn't lost on the screen.
Loki played by Tim Hiddleston was the most understated role in the movie, the trickster, the god of mischief puts a lot of things into action, with a wheels within wheels plan, that almost brings Thor down and gains him the throne of Asgard. Sneaky, a little snide and perfectly done… I can only hope we see more of this actor playing Loki in future Marvel movies.
Final cool observations; Hawkeye puts in an appearance, even if he is using a compound bow. The Warriors Three are fun and bombastic, Sif is the Warrior Woman even though she should of been a little more Xena like, and Heimdall was seriously bad ass. We also see an interesting side of SHIELD as they deal with all this new superhero weirdness, almost a casual offhandness.
Overall a good solid movie, a great step toward The Avengers and we got Thor that wasn't to unearthly, whilst being unearthly. Have at thee!!!
3.5 thumbs up out of 5
