Now up our fourth film in the Marvel Movie Universe to date,
Thor. One of the more classic Marvel
characters is the take on the Norse myth that probably is for a lot of people
is the version of Thor they have even if they’ve never read a comic book. This film was hotly anticipated when it was
released last year in 2011 because of the fact that they went against type with
hiring director Kenneth Branagh. Branagh, mostly known at this point for
directing Shakespeare film adaptations took some by surprise for heading up a
big time superhero action movie. For some long time fans though it seemed as a
perfect choice since for a lot of Thor’s comic history he’s always been written
in a Shakespearean style of dialogue.
Thor starts in the past with seeing his father, Odin defeat
the frost giants in a war to control the nine realms. We then are taken to the
present where Thor, an arrogant prince is about to be crowned the new king of
Asgard. The ceremony is attacked by three frost giants and against his father’s
wishes Thor along with his brother Loki and his friends go to the frost giant’s
home to counter attack. Things go well at first but they are then overwhelmed
and Odin must come to save them breaking the truce with the frost giants that
has kept the peace in the realms. As punishment Odin sends Thor to earth
without his power and puts an enchantment on his hammer, Mjolnir so that only
when one is worthy that they may have the power of Thor. Thor now mortal and on
earth meet a young professor Jane Foster and her assistant and mentor. His goal
is to get his hammer back which followed him to earth which is now in S.H.I.E.L.D.
custody led by Agent Coulson and to return to Asgard.
Thor is overall a really fun and enjoyable movie. It’s
pretty light hearted even for a Marvel movie which has been light in comparison
to some other superhero movie takes or super heavy Nolan Batman series. The best parts of the film is the family dynamic of
Thor, Odin and Loki; Branagh really shines here as he captures all the big
thematic tones that are like that of a Shakespeare play but with magic and
giants and sells it to the audience. Some of the romantic plot points of Thor
with Jane Foster does get kind of sappy but it doesn’t detract much from the
overall big fun of movie.
Now to the nitty gritty of this post. Thor is pretty much
the main film that sets up The Avengers.
Thor gives us it’s villain in Loki,
who going by the comic is supposed to the first villain and the reason why the
Avengers exist in the first place. The outcome of Loki in this film and his
want of revenge against his brother and his love of the humans of earth might
be the reason Loki attacks. The film also shows us Hawkeye for a quick moment that
will probably have some big parts in Avengers. The end credit scene where we
see another Nick Fury moment is also a key moment for what it shows an item
that is important, the Cosmic Cube. Loki’s interest in this item is big because
it’s this all powerful item that can change reality at a whim. But that also
sets up Captain America: The FirstAvenger which was shortly after that same summer. The Cosmic Cube is very
important in many Captain America
stories and lore, especially with his main foe the Red Skull but more on that
in the post for that film.
