Thor Review
by Homer Yen (homeryen88 AT gmail DOT com)May 17th, 2011
Thor-oughly Buff
by Homer Yen
(c) 2011
Of course, I'm talking about the lead actor, Chris Hemsworth) and not necessarily the film itself. I can appreciate beauty, and this newcomer to the Hollywood scene is an amazing example of what the male physique can look like. Add in a sexy, dulcet-toned Aussie accent; throw in a Hollywood smile; marvel at his long blonde mane and deep blue eyes; and now you've got eye candy to add to the special-effects laden eye candy that is this summer's first super-hero film. In the 90s, it was Brad Pitt/Tyler Durden taking the covers of men's health magazines by storm. This will be the decade of Thor. As an aside, did you see the 2009 reboot of "Star Trek?" The actor here that plays Thor also played George Kirk. His character played a big part in the first 20 minutes of that film as he was the one who sacrificed himself by piloting his ship into that of the enemy's to give his wife and newborn (James T Kirk) a chance to survive.
I don't know why I mention that. I suppose that it's because it is a strange connection. Strange connections seem to be the theme though, in this film. "Thor" oddly connects Asgard with Earth. Asgard is the mystical realm where Thor lives and his father, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins), rules. It is a fantastic city with towering skyscrapers, dramatic spires, and a quartz-like bridge that lights up as you traverse over it. Thor is exiled and banished to Earth where he must learn the concepts of maturity and sacrifice. He winds up in New Mexico where the most exciting thing seems to be his discovery of coffee. In an interview with director Kenneth Branagh, he said: "the film's biggest challenge was connecting the worlds of Asgard and 20th century Earth. It's about finding the framing style, the color palette, finding the texture and the amount of camera movement that helps celebrate and express the differences and distinctions in those worlds. If it succeeds, it will mark this film as different... The combination of the primitive and the sophisticated, the ancient and the modern, I think that potentially is the exciting fusion, the exciting tension in the film."
Well, it's a good quote but hardly realized. The stuff that happens here on good ol' Earth is pretty thin. Mostly, Thor's time on Earth is a series of fish-out-of-water comedy scenes (he walks into a pet store and demands: "I need a horse!") as well as a whole lot of meet-cute with scientist Jane (Natalie Portman). Jane thinks he's an incredible find in both a scientific and romantic way. After all, how many people do you know that gets dropped on Earth via a wormhole and looks like a Norse God and acts like he majored in nobility?
"Thor" also connects Shakespeare's familiar works (as do most film, in fact). There's a little bit of "Henry V", which tells of a young king who underwent trials and tribulations: fighting a war, courting a girl from another land, and basic character development. And, there's a little bit of "King Lear", in which a prince, who was jealous of his brother, tricked his father into banishing him into exile. If you've ever paid attention in High School English during your Shakespeare lessons, you know where the film is heading.
Yup, the film was THOR-oughly ok, but nothing special. The story and the characters don't really have a lot of room to maneuver and the antagonist can't compete with the likes of other superhero villains such as The Joker or Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, summer crowds expect bigger and bolder effects. Who cares if a 7-11 and a gas station and a convenience store in a town with a population of 2,100 get obliterated? It was watchable, thanks to Hemworth's high level of appeal and the film was enjoyable up to a certain point. But the bar for a summer superhero film is much higher nowadays, you know?
Grade: B-
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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