Thor Shakes Up the Big Screen

Thor retained the top spot at the box office for the second straight weekend, bringing its two-week take to just under $120 million. Surprised? Don’t be. Thor has become the first true summer blockbuster by appealing not only to comic fans, but to anyone looking for a fun, action-packed – and slightly romantic - experience at the movies.

For the uninitiated, Thor brings us up to speed rather quickly. As a battle rages between a ragtag bunch of 9th-century Vikings and a race known as the Frost Giants, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), king of the celestial realm of Asgard, appears in front of the outmatched Viking forces and hurls the Frost Giants back to their ice-laden homeworld. The rest, as they say, is history (or, rather, Norse mythology): Odin returns home and Earth-bound humans worship Odin and his family as gods.

For a brief time all seems well on Asgard, a beautifully rendered world that feels futuristic and a bit Old-English at the same time. Odin’s sons, the hotheaded Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and scheming Loki (Tom Hiddleston) are being primed for the crown. Thor’s disobedience, prompted by Loki, results in his banishment to Earth, as well as the loss of his powers and mighty hammer. On Earth, a group of astrophysicists, including Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), are chasing a space distortion through the desert when they run into the newly-arrived Thor. With a van.

The film really gets rolling from this point, as the redemption of Thor and a burgeoning romance between Thor and Foster are fleshed out. Genuinely funny moments are also found as Thor’s self-important, medieval personality collides with the present day (he awakes in a hospital bed demanding to know, “Who dares lay hands upon the son of Odin?!”).

The cast of Thor is superb. Hemsworth nails the title role, with a physique (ripped), accent (courtly) and demeanor (belligerent, yet inviting) that are perfect for a comic-book god. He really seems like he might be Thor. Hopkins also performs up to his standards as the aging, troubled, all-seeing Odin.

Portman is a fantastic counterpart to Hemsworth, even though much of her time on-screen is spent stealing lust-filled glances at someone she assumes is a homeless man. You can’t overstate the importance of a quality leading lady - who also happens to be smoking hot – to a comic-book movie. Without that, do heroic deeds done for her sake make any sense (think Maggie Gyllenhaal’s drab frumpy-ness in The Dark Knight)?

Another crucial element of a good comic-book movie is a villain whose story can hold its own with the hero. While the Frost Giants might be one-dimensionally evil, Hiddleston’s Loki is a believably conflicted and ambitious son and brother whose motives actually make sense and whose actions are both unexpected and understandable.

The special effects in Thor are captivating and unique, especially if you see it in 3-D. Asgard doesn’t look anything like the worlds we’ve seen in other comic movies, and you won’t mind the chance to see it again in the inevitable sequels. The fight scenes are as good as they get for a PG-13 movie, and the characters are just right.

Thor is a tightly wound 114 minutes that never lets its foot off the gas or confuses its viewers with too many references to the comic-book canon. A lot of loose ends are left, so be prepared to see these characters again around this time next year. Can’t wait.

Written By John Fritz

Tags: Thor, Chris Hemsworth