Thor (2011)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Released: May 6, 2011


My Rating:  
(Click here for more info on my rating scale)





A bit bland and formulaic, and could have used a better story, but it has enjoyable characters, humor, and action, and is not bad overall.  It's a bit meh, but it's a bit entertaining, although it's not something I'd want to watch more than once.

Thor is one of the "prequels" to The Avengers - the "prequels" are Iron Man, Iron Man 2,
Thor, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk.  I still have yet to see The Incredible Hulk, but I have seen the other four films.  I personally think that Thor is the worst of them.  However, despite it's ultimate shortcomings, it does have its positive aspects.

The story is about Thor of Asgard.  This arrogant Thor recklessly travels to another world called Jotunheim with Loki and some other Asgardian warriors and attacks the Frost Giants there, stirring up tension and possible war between Jotunheim and Asgard.  As a result, Odin, Thor's father, strips Thor of his powers, and his mighty hammer, and banishes him to Earth.

On earth, in New Mexico, astrophysicist Jane Foster is researching a phenomenon in the desert (which turns out to be associated with Asgard-related activity, in this case Thor's banishment).  Thor arrives and is discovered by Jane and her partners, and pretty soon he begins to learn the error of his arrogant ways, and he even falls in love with Jane.  Meanwhile, Loki has taken over the Throne of Asgard, and he plans to send the Destroyer to earth to kill Thor, and Thor must retrieve his hammer and his powers to save both earth and Asgard.

The film has both its ups and downs.  I'll start out by talking about the effects.  The visual effects are pretty good.  The mythical words are pretty well designed, and the actions scenes are good.  As for the script, it does have its flaws, but it's an acceptable script.  The story isn't the best, and it's a bit bland and formulaic, but again, it's acceptable.  It even has some creativity in it.  Unfortunately, however, despite its creativity, it's a bit bland and formulaic.  The first act of the film (the first half hour) is, in my opinion, the weakest part of the film, and it felt to me that the movie was relying a bit too much on effects, but it does establish the characters and basis necessary for the story.  It's also where most of the film's creativity is.

Weak as the first act is, I did find some things a bit interesting, and some things were introduced that had a lot of potential to get even better and more interesting and creative.  But unfortunately, at the end of the first act, right after Thor arrives on earth, the movie abandons a lot of its creativity and resorts to a formula.  Some of the things in the first act (which had a lot of creative and interesting potential) are even abandoned and not brought up again in the film.  This, and the film's bland-ness, and a few other flaws, are the main reason why I only gave this film two and a half stars instead of three or higher (it almost got three, but it just missed it).  Also, I felt that the Thor/Jane romance was a bit rushed.

However, despite this, the film does get going a little bit more after Thor's banishment.  This is where the heart and characters begin to shine.  That brings up what I liked most about the film: the characters.  I found them somewhat likable and interesting.  The film even has a surprisingly good sense of humor; there are a lot of good comedy moments.  These things are not strong enough to bring the film up to a higher rating, but they are still somewhat enjoyable.  I especially liked Loki, even though he's the villain, and I was glad to see him and Thor return for The Avengers.

So, overall, I think Thor is a so-so movie.  It is a bit bland and formulaic, and could have used a better story, but it has enjoyable characters, humor, and action, and is not bad overall.  It's a bit meh, but it's a bit entertaining, although it's not something I'd want to watch more than once.




Cast and Credits:
Thor: Chris Hemsworth
Loki: Tom Hiddleston
Jane Foster: Natalie Portman
Odin: Anthony Hopkins
Erik Selvig: Stellan Skarsgard

Paramount Pictures presents
a film directed by Kenneth Branagh

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence