And so, the extravagant summer of comic book movies has begun. Though, technically, DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT was the first release but nobody cares about that film. Instead, all the attention is on THOR, which is yet another great adventure into the world of Marvel Comics. It can't reach the same pillar as the IRON MAN movies but, for the lack of a better word, shockingly it is probably the most accessible and interesting standalone superhero film released right before the much-anticipated team-up in THE AVENGERS.
In the land of Asgard, the Norse god Odin, king of the realm, has kept the kingdom safe from the dangers of the Frost Giants of Bifrost. During this peacetime, he has raised his two sons Thor and Loki to take over the responsibilities as king. The expected successor Thor, played expertly by newcomer Chris Hemsworth, ruins his big day and future chances thanks to an unauthorized attack on the Frost Giants, his braggadocious persona and his mindset for all-out war. Odin strips him of his power as the god of thunder and exiles him to Midgard, a.k.a. Earth. There, he is followed along by a group of scientists, led by Natalie Portman, while he searches around for his mighty hammer Mjolnir and seeks redemption in his father's eyes. Meanwhile, Loki has his own plans up his sleeves. Gee, that's a surprise to see, a lying backstabbing brother.
Now I'm actually joking with that last statement because the script of THOR, written by a team of five, actually does feature some surprising things throughout it. It brings three-dimensional characterization to its Norse super gods and human mortals. No wonder the famous rainbow bridge to Asgard has a lot of gray color to it in the film. Thor always comes off as a lovable macho man, someone whose threats are both scary yet at the same time hilarious. But some viewers might forgot that his likable bravado masks his racist and genocidal nature in the opening scenes. Loki, however, is the best example; He is a god who believes his evil and selfish actions are right. Even for the proclaimed god of trickery, Loki goes through a lot of devastating pain and anguish thanks to his father's actions and it is not hard not to root for him a little. Meanwhile, all of the human characters, especially Portman's, keep a careful balance between fear and acceptance when interacting with Thor. In one scene by an open fire, Portman breaks her character's train of thought repeatedly when Thor tells her of the nine realms.
Of course, all of this intrigue might rub the viewer the wrong way. I mean really, who wants to listen to the existential dilemmas of the antagonist? That's not entertainment. Well, for those who seek explosions and violence, THOR does deliver but you'll be surprised the small amounts of it. The film has only three big action set pieces, each well made but with more doses of drama and comedy than visceral spectacle. The violence is so tame that I'm surprised this wasn't PG. I don't mean any of this in a bad way; Frankly, I like having this tone where the thrills come from the characters' mouth instead of their fistcuffs.
The overall cast is quite good, especially in the leads department. Chris Hemsworth is looking to have a bigger film career thanks to his expertise handling the titular character. Loki's Tom Hiddleston is more concentrated on the theatrical but brings true emotions when the time calls for it. Some might neglect to see the tear falling from his right eye when he taunts Thor in the film's climax. The supporting cast is adapt at bringing the humor to the forefront but I felt Stellan Skarsgard was lost in the proceedings. All of this acting is greatly handled by director Kenneth Branagh but it seems he forgot to give notes to the cinematographer. Haris Zambarloukos's camerawork is a mixed blessing; For every beautifully conceived shot, we get a lot of "Dutch angle" shots. The film is campy and hilarious but that doesn't mean that you need to constantly callback to the Batman television series.
THOR has unexpectedly lived up to all of its expectations and even more so. Even with its brilliant and peculiar ideas, the film can still be described simply as ENCHANTED for boys. It is very funny and entertaining in its casual manner but might disgruntle the hardcore fans with its lack of violence and dark tones. Of course these same fans will still go see it just for the stinger at the end. Yes, there is a stinger and unless you know your Marvel history, you'll scream out the same "WHAT?" that someone shouted out loud at my theater. No hand-holding as we move closer to the grand finale.
FINAL REVIEW: 4 / 5
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