Thor – Movie Review (Second Opinion)

The Story: I’m not surprised Thor loves super-unhealthy, diner breakfast food— it’s awesome.

The Review: As a god, Thor’s not really threatened by much, and certainly not by the majority of villains in the Marvel universe.  Besides his loyalty to the Avengers, his connections to Earth lean more on divine fondness for the planet and its people as a whole, with few links to its non-superhero-related mortals—especially as his Donald Blake identity saw less use over time.

Straczynski brought back Thor’s human persona to prominence in his relaunch of Thor, so it’s fitting that in his and Protosevich’s screenplay, they try very hard to give the banished god a personal relationship with Earth.  But actually the time Thor spends exiled on the planet is pretty short—about a few days, film-time (which is about 20 minutes, screen-time).  It limits Thor’s exposure to modern mortality, and makes his intimacy with Jane Foster et al seem rushed/forced.

Helmsworth and Portman are both very likeable, and they definitely have a warm chemistry, but really, they only get several minutes-long scenes alone together, and the moments feel friendlier than romantic.  It’s disappointing Thor gets hauled out of the mortal realm so fast, because it feels like his human relationships have just barely begun.  Which is too bad, because they offer some of the funniest moments of the film (KOing Thor in various ways never gets old).

Aside from wearing a desert small-town outfit for, like, a day, and one funny cultural snafu where he smashes his mug (of coffee?  Hot chocolate?  Whatever it is, he really likes it.) on the floor of a diner, Thor doesn’t get a real mortal life experience.  His heroic actions at the film’s climax are more motivated by his innate nobility than a personal investment in Earth.  He would’ve done the same for any planet of innocents.

Thor – Movie Review

SPOILER ALERT!

So came a Thursday—I apologize—THOR’s Day Night in a crowded IMAX theater when through the entrance lo! Thor appears and bellows his name to the masses awaiting his big screen debut… Seriously, some guy dressed as Thor burst into our theater before preview and yelled “THORRRRRRRRRRR!” with a Mjolnir knock-off held high. He even had a cape. That’s the kind of excitement these Avengers movies ignites in people.

Even if Iron Man 2 wasn’t what we were all hoping for, it did nothing to quell the anticipation for Thor. And it isn’t because Thor was fresh. Marvel has been promoting universe-building from day one. So every film that comes out is not exactly the sequel to the last, but too connected to call it something new. Sibling sequels? Whatever you want to call it, people aren’t going to these movies going “Thor? Sounds like a cool superhero movie,” they’re going saying “Oh, Thor! That’s what they hinted at after the credits of Iron Man 2, right? Awesome!”

But most people were disappointed with Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk got mixed reviews. On paper, Marvel Studios’ movies are not the most stable foundation for the biggest superhero film ever. But then I bring you Thor, sitting a little further down my row and drinking Milk Duds from a carton. Thor could be a disaster; Captain America: The First Avenger will still get people showing up with their shields in hand. Captain America could be god-awful… But next summer, there will be more people dressed as Avengers than in regular clothing when it comes to that midnight premier.

All because Marvel’s done something incredible… They made us excited for a movie. Doesn’t sound like much, does it? Okay, they made us really excited. Excited in the way people were for Return of the King. Excited like people were for Episode 1… Even if it was the worst of all the Star Wars films, was there anyone on the planet not freaking out for it? That’s the kind of excitement I’m talking about. I don’t even think the Harry Potter films tapped into that (or there’s been so many, the excitement’s been replaced by routine).  But The Avengers? It’s getting there. For Thor to sell out at midnight screens all over the place means that people believe in this superhero team. And they trust Marvel, for better or for worse.