Good movie, but kind of dorky ad campaign. Social Network much?

As you may have surmised from the title, this is my review of “Thor”, the latest in a series of films centering around the members Marvel’s Avengers. I’m going to try and avoid spoilers in this review, so I won’t delve too much into the plot. Suffice to say, Thor is a being of god-like power that ends up trapped powerless on Earth until he can earn back what was taken from him. Romance, epic battles, loss, redemption. All the things that make a good superhero movie.

Overall, I was highly impressed with the film. So far, none of the recent Marvel Studio’s films have managed to disappoint me, but “Thor” can truly be judged on it’s own merits and needn’t be held up for comparison to “Iron Man” or “Hulk”. While it exists in the same universe, it is a movie that can stand on its own two, heavily armoured feet.

I have to admit, of the four lead Avengers (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and Captain America), Thor is the one I knew the least about. I knew he carried a kick ass hammer and that he was from Asgard, but that was about it. For this reason, I’m glad the film spends quite a bit of time giving us the back story on where he came from and how the realms outside of Earth are laid out.

I could see this film coming off as a bit daunting to those also unfamiliar with the comics as it has a lot of elements and can be complex at times. However, it manages to keep from being confusing or disengaging. This is thanks in part to some very wonderful performances, especially from Chris Hemsworth as the title character. Prior to this, I’d only seen him briefly in “Star Trek” and worried about his ability to carry a film. My fears were unwarranted. He manages to achieve the kind of humour you’d expect from someone who is essentially a god that is now stuck in the mortal realm. There is also a depth to his performance that makes the character very likable and believable.

I also really enjoyed the performances of Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Kat Dennings and a host of other actors. (I could have done with seeing more of Sif and the warriors three.) Hopkins has been accused a lot lately of phoning in his roles, but I think he was an excellent choice for Odin. He brings a weight and wisdom that the role required. On the flip side, my personal pick for weakest link would have been Natalie Portman. However, I’m admittedly not her biggest fan.

The other thing that makes this movie a little weaker than I’d like were some elements of the character development. As the movie already weights in at two hours, I’m sure sacrifices had to be made. A smoother romantic buildup would have been appreciated though. Also, Thor’s character arc seemed a little stilted. It makes me wonder just how much might have ended up on the cutting room floor.

I must say, one of the things that really sold this movie for me were the effects. As much as I am into strong character development and a stable plot (both of which this film has), the overall look and feel really blew me away. The first time we see Asgard amounts to a truly stunning sequence. (Warner Brothers better make damn sure they do at least as good of a job with Oa in “Green Lantern”.) The film is also careful to seamlessly mix in practical and special effects so that there is a tangibility to everything. The movie really captures the beautiful and mythical feel it needed to do the story justice; all the way from the tops of the towers of Asgard, down to the beautiful costume designs.

While I did mention that this film can stand alone, it is still a part of the Avenger’s buildup and has references built in accordingly. (It may even take a few viewings to catch them all.) Also, there is a particularly funny cameo from Stan “The Man” Lee. They were even so bold as to give him a line this time.

I’ve heard a lot of positive and negative murmurings about this film, but honestly, many Marvel films haven’t been to everyone’s liking. For what it’s worth, I think “Thor” is a fun and exciting movie worthy of the Marvel label. In fact, I’m going to celebrate Thor’s Day tomorrow with my third viewing.

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