Branagh's background with Shakespeare's works is immediately evident as Thor is clearly the most theatrical film of the Marvel bunch so far. We're introduced to Thor(Chris Hemsworth) early on, a cocky, war hungry braggart soon to have the mantle of King bestowed upon him by his father, Odin(Anthony Hopkins). Thor's brother, Loki(Tom Hiddleston), is always at his side, a smooth talker and master manipulator. They live in Asgard, a regal realm that looks like a mix of Krypton and Star Wars' Coruscant. On the day of Thor's coronation, an intrusion by the dreaded Frost Giants spurs Thor into rash action. Eager for battle and wielding his mighty hammer Mjolnir, he defies Odin's orders and attacks the Giants' home, breaking a truce and risking all-out war. As punishment, Thor is stripped of his godly powers and banished to Earth, or Midgard as the gods call it.
Crash landing in the heart of the New Mexico desert, Thor is discovered by Jane Foster(Natalie Portman), Dr. Erik Selvig(Stellan Skarsgard), and Darcy(Kat Dennings) who literally run his butt over. His hammer gone, Thor is forced to walk the path of mortals for the rest of eternity. Or until daddy forgives him, which isn't likely to happen because Odin has fallen into a coma-like trance known as the Odinsleep. Loki has taken the opportunity to claim the throne for himself, striking a deal with the Frost Giants to put an end to Odin once and for all. If Thor is ever to get back home, he'll need to earn the wisdom his father tried desperately to impart, and become worthy of wielding Mjolnir once again.
Thor jumps between the big battles and soap opera family dynamics of Asgard, and Thor's comical fish out of water time on Earth. Mjolnir rests embedded in a rock like the sword Excalibur in the middle of the desert, bringing in SHIELD agent Coulson(Clark Gregg) to investigate. This scene will be familiar to folks who hung around for the closing credits of Iron Man 2, but now we get to see the full picture. I was surprised by just how much fun the earthbound parts of the film were, since traditionally this has always been a weak point of any Thor story, but with Portman, Skarsgard, and a phenomenally charismatic turn by Hemsworth there is very rarely a dull moment. We don't get to see Natalie Portman in supporting roles like this very often, but she's perfect as the flighty scientist trying to wrap her brain around the god standing before her. Watching her try to figure out if he's real or insane is hilarious. For his part, Hemsworth nails my idea of what Thor should be. It's not just that he's arrogant, this is a god who comes from royalty. He's always been better than anybody he's ever faced, and so it's only natural that he have something of an attitude, especially when in the midst of a deadly fight. But his experience on earth and the changes he undergoes are believable and a pleasure to watch.
The steal of the show has to be Tom Hiddleston as Loki. I've never seen the Brit actor before, although I've heard raves about how good he could be in the role, and he knocked it out of the park. Loki is the most obvious character of the bunch. We know he's evil. He's not called the "trickster" for nothing. These are immortals, and Loki in particular sees himself as something more than human, but he's racked with the same petty emotions as the rest of us. While I'm raving, can I go ahead and petition for Kat Dennings to show up in The Avengers somehow? Portman won't be there, but Skarsgard will. Maybe somebody can nudge Joss Whedon into writing in a few quips for her? She's just fantastic in a mostly thankless role. The same goes to Idris Elba as Heimdall, the stoic guardian of the Bifrost Bridge, the gods' means of planetary transport. You might recall some uproar over the casting of an African-American to play the very Caucasian Norse deity, but hopefully after seeing him in action that corner of the peanut gallery will quiet down.
Marvel made a shrewd move in bringing in Branagh to oversee the film. Since he's not really an action director, and I know nothing of his comic book background, he takes a fresh approach to telling the superhero's story. Branagh avoids the stuff that might not translate too well on the screen and focuses on the stuff that obviously does, huge special effects-laden wars sprinkled well with placed humor to lighten the mood. The story itself might be a bit thin compared to Spider-Man or even Iron Man 2, but I promise you'll never feel cheated. There probably could've been a little more time spent with Thor and Foster together, but it's a minor complaint. Thor has the added burden of being the most clear cut prequel to The Avengers, and we get all the geek moments people like me having been salivating for. Those of you dying for a glimpse of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye will get your wish, and by now everyone should be trained to hang around during the closing credits.
The 3D doesn't add a lot to the experience, to the point that I lifted my glasses up a few times and just watched it normally. What surprised me is just how well staged the action was, and how special effects heavy the film turned out. It's not what you'd expect from Branagh, but again he's pulled out all the stops. The New Mexico stuff is pretty flat, but Asgard is a wondrous place to behold.
We'll be getting Captain America: The First Avenger next as the race towards The Avengers continues. While it looks like a solid pic, Thor has set the superhero bar ridiculously high, and I'm not sure anybody else, whether it be Green Lantern or the X-men, will be able to reach it.
Trav's Tip: Star Chris Hemsworth very nearly lost out on the role of Thor to Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki in the film. Hemsworth was even taken out of consideration at one point, before ultimately winning the job. Kenneth Branagh decided that Hiddleston's look and background made him a more suitable choice for Loki.
