This week the general public of Britannia have been too busy dusting off their Frisbees, stoking up their b-b-q’s and wondering whether they can pull off a pair of jelly shoes to notice that the forecast for next week is stormy…very stormy!
No not the weather silly (although it probably will rain) we are talking of course about Thor, Marvel Studio’s latest comic book movie due for general release on 27th April.
In light of the uber ‘real world’ movie treatment most superheroes receive these days, presenting a mythical deity from Norse legend who wields a magical hammer, commands the elements and can travel between dimensions was never going to be an easy feat. As such Thor has had the Internet abuzz with much debate and snarky cynicism as to how in Odin’s name it might come together. Last week The Hollywood News traded in it’s sunglasses for 3-D specs to find out.
For all the potential complexity this is a simple origins movie – basically Thor: or how I learned to stop being a dick and get my hammer back. It is a fun and lavish action-er that successfully blends the feel of a fantastical Saturday morning space serial with the essential stylings and plot of a Marvel movie. One of the greatest challenges of bringing such an outlandish character to the screen was to simultaneously present Thor’s back story and home-world alongside our own earth and this is done for the most part with great success. Asgard (Thor’s Alien/Parallel dimension home) is solidly and vividly imagined in a blend of Flash Gordon and Lord of the Rings, the minute attention to detail is key to drawing the viewer into the film and a hearty pat on the back should go to Director Kenneth Branagh and his art department.
Surprisingly it is the scenes set in the flamboyant fantasy realm that present most of the movies real drama. Branagh keeps the tone suitably melodramatic and only occasionally drifts into hammy-ness due in part to some clunky scripting and a couple of choppy expositional cuts between worlds. The believability of the fantasy element is actually bolstered by keeping the tone of the real world light and breezy – there is a brilliant pithy wit to Thor’s fish out of water antics as his godly brashness conflicts with the ways of mortal men. Even scenes without Thor are neat, pacey and genuinely funny – with an especially great turn from Kat Dennings (Defendor, 40 Year Old Virgin) who shines through with the vast majority of the laughs. Thor also includes (probably) the best ever yet Stan Lee cameo in a kind of sword in the stone strong man competition.
In the titular role, Chris Hemsworth is gallantly perfect – from his first appearance on screen he does a great job of making us dislike him. His cocky swagger and a smug grin of Affleck proportions is clearly not the Thor we were expecting…have no fear though as it is all a narrative rues as these dickish qualities lead him to be banished to earth where he must learn the great responsibility of great power. This aspect of the movie is a bit scant and aside from a fleeting loss of identity, squirting a few tears and a bit of selflessness it’s not really clear what great lesson Thor has learned. Hemsworth does however do a brilliant job at mellowing from douche-bag to hero and by the end of the film its near impossible not to be swayed by his charm and cheeky grin.
After an immersive first half the film does drag slightly as sappy sentimentalism creeps in via the shallowness of the two leads blossoming relationship. Whilst an increasingly respected actress with talent and range Natalie Portman doesn’t really do much in this film and your kind of left to wonder how she and Thor fall so in love after spending only a few scenes together – who says love is blind eh? Like a few other origin flicks you may also feel a bit cheap sided on the action front – although there is plenty to wet you whistle, it just feels like theres not enough smashing and bashing of Thor’s mighty hammer. Whilst Loki as the films main villain is a genuinely treacherous and well thought out character he’s a kind of boring baddie and this coupled with a luke-warm climactic battle means your left a little wanting. Hopefully this whole will be filled in upcoming sequels as well as the Avengers movie (2012).
S.H.I.E.L.D feature pretty strongly is this movie – fortunately no tenuous appearance of Sam Jackson’ PVC pants wearing Nick Fury. Instead Clark Gregg’ Agent Coulson steals the limelight as the security agency’s increasingly featured representative . Clearly relishing the role Gregg exquisitely portrays a ‘don’t mess with me badass-ness’ wrapped in a misleading chirpy politeness, and is a firm anchorage for the larger Marvel universe continuity. The bigger picture of which is kept refreshingly subtle with the exception of Hawkeye’s dismally disappointing and needless cameo – at least let one arrow fly!? Branagh! you cock tease!
Overall Thor is an enjoyable movie and any small failings are forgivable in light of the big successes – namely the look and feel, blending the two worlds in a believable fashion and Hemsworth owning the role with a distinct charisma, which in the hands of a lesser actor could’ve easily drifted into smarm.
What is most frustrating is there will inevitably be a whole hoard of movie goers who don’t have the horse sense to know their own taste and won’t enjoy the fantasy element leaving the cinema complaining at how camp and rubbish it was. To enjoy Thor – you have to indulge a little nerdy suspension of disbelief and embrace the fantastical – it’s not a movie with any grand ideas – just good godly fun that gives a tantalising taste of what could be to come – Kudos Branagh for his imagination and balance – hugs and kisses to that hunk of a man Hemsworth and well done Marvel for the having the sack to take a mythical gamble. Bring on Captain America!
Our friends at LOVEFiLM have a huge back catalogue including THOR, which you can reserve,you can also now watch movies online as well as rent them.
