Thor (2011)

Release date: April 21, 2011
Comic by: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby 
Director:
Kenneth Branagh
Screenplay by: Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård, Kat Dennings, Jaimie Alexander, Ray Stevenson, Joshua Dallas, Tadanobu Asano, Colm Feore, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Clark Gregg, Adriana Barraza

As part of the blockbuster films of this year and in preparation for the eventual Avengers film, Marvel Studios unleashes the god of thunder into the big screens. Thor is an American superhero film based on the comic book by the same name, starring Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek) as the hammer-wielding warrior.

Thor is a powerful, yet arrogant warrior. During his crowning ceremony to become King of Asgard, it didn’t went as planned due to an invasion from the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. Thor, along with his brother Loki (Hiddleston), Sif (Alexander) and the Warriors Three (played by Stevenson, Dallas and Asano) strike back in retaliation, reigniting once again a war between Asgard and Jotunheim, ruled by King Laufey (Feore). Due to Thor’s actions at Jotunheim, his father Odin (Hopkins) strips Thor from his powers and exiles him to Earth as punishment along with his hammer Mjolnir.

In Earth, he meets and befriends scientist Jane Foster (Portman), who works with her co-worker Darcy (Dennings) and her mentor Erik Selvig (Skarsgård). Meanwhile, Loki becomes King of Asgard after Odin falls into the Odinsleep and has full intentions to continue with the war, which is something Odin never wanted to see happen. During Thor’s stay in Earth, he has to deal with the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization (previously seen in the Iron Man films) in order to retrieve the Mjolnir, help Jane recover her research items and put an end to the war he started.

Thor is an action/adventure film with kickass fighting scenes, but it also features its share of humor during Thor’s stay in Earth thanks to Thor being unaware about how things are done in Earth and comes across as being unintentionally funny and Darcy is also funny to watch. Despite that, Thor is actually enjoyable to watch due to its great visuals, humor, good selection of cast members, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and the Avengers set-up here wasn’t tedious to watch like in Iron Man 2. Australian actor Chris Hemsworth did a very good performance as the god of thunder throughout the entire film and the rest of the cast are great enough to keep you hooked to the film from start to finish. Natalie Portman plays a great romantic interest to Thor, Anthony Hopkins serves as a soild Odin and Kat Dennings stands out among the cast thanks to her comedic lines.

The Thor character may not be a well known superhero when compared to the likes of Spider-Man and Wolverine, but Thor is a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe nonetheless.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

P.S: There’s a post-credits scene in this film, but I’m not gonna spoil it for you.

Rodrigo

YAM Magazine contributor, has a B. Sc. degree in Science/Pharmacy and is a very lazy person.

16 Responses

  1. Julili says:

    I don’t know…. I mean why is Hollywood messing with my Nordic mythology? Well more Marvel I guess.
    When I heard that Natalie was going to be in this I was all O.o…. so I might see it? I’m not sure. Maybe I can take my little brother with me….

  2. Mirella Snape says:

    Yeah Thor! As a heterosexual woman I also must mention half-naked Thor in form fitting jeans XD

    • Julili says:

      @Mirella Snape, WOHOO! HALF NAKED THOR!

    • Juan Barquin says:

      @Mirella Snape, HIS BODY IN THAT SCENE. AND HIS SMILE. AND THAT BEARD. GOD JUST LET ME DROWN IN YOUR HANDSOME LOOKS PLEASE.

      • Mirella Snape says:

        @Juan Barquin, Yes, a thousand times yes. I know for a fact that many of my girlfriends went to see that movie to watch that particular scene (and because they are kinda geeky too) XD

  3. Castor says:

    Looking forward to see this maybe this weekend ;) The trailers really put me off but all the positive reviews must mean something ah

  4. Dan O. says:

    Part of what I wanted from the film was a guy in armor with a giant hammer smacking frost giants in the face…and so I got that. It was a good time at the theaters, and that’s all I asked for. Good review!

  5. Juan Barquin says:

    I also totally want to add that Tom Hiddleston was fantastic in this, and I can’t wait to see his future performances this year – specifically Spielberg’s War Horse.

  6. Julyssa says:

    Saw it. It was really, really meh. I don’t even get why Natalie was in this but oh well.
    Thor was at least very hot.

    • Rodrigo says:

      @Julyssa, Aww… but Thor was surprisingly fun. I know you hold on dear to mythology, but it’s not like Thor was as weak/boring like Clash Of The Titans.

      • amy says:

        @Rodrigo, I LOL’ed a lot. I was really into it at the beginning, and come on – we never get to see galaxies and cosmos visuals in films, so bright lights were really pretty to look at. But the last act once Thor got his powers back – especially on point with Portman’s OMG scene – turned pretty cheesy.

        And… is it me or does every Marvel film turns into a battle between Superhero vs. Antihero V2.0 (Iron Man, Hulk, Cpt. America – Spiderman 3) xD

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