Against his father Odin's will, The Mighty Thor -a powerful but arrogant warrior god -recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment....
WHAT I LIKED: People praise today's Marvel Studios for choosing interesting directors and giving them the space to make the films that they want to make, but back in 2011, they did just that with Kenneth Branagh and 'Thor.'
Yes, if you read the story (or indeed the eventual dialogue) for this movie on paper, it becomes very evident that it's the perfect movie for this Shakespearean director and writer, as it winds up following two brothers contesting for the throne and the approval of their difficult father, but when the arrogant heir does something reckless and stupid (spurred on by his ever-manipulative brother who's really pulling the strings of the whole thing) he's cast-out by his father and subsequently begins to learn some humility within a blossoming romance. It's a story of family, jealousy, greed, love and betrayal, and it makes for the perfect way to introduce these potentially difficult comic-book characters to the big screen.
But it's only brought to life so well because the execution is so perfect too, and on the one hand that's down to the fact that Branagh never allows the core character conflicts to be overwhelmed by action or universe-building, but it's also because he provides ample room for the masterful central performances to shine Seriously, the whole cast here are on top form. Hemsworth not only sells the physicality of the character, but also the longing for family affection, the arrogance, and the eventual humility and charm absolutely perfectly. Hiddleston plays his tortured, confused and jealous character wonderfully too with all of the sly mystery needed without ever fully losing the vulnerability, and then of course the brilliantly grand-standing Anthony Hopkins delivers every Shakespearean line with the utmost royal grandeur and bite.
Couple that with the fact that it's also a film which has a lot of fun with its concept with the hilarious fish out of water Thor on Earth and all of the unashamedly goofy costumes and world-building, and in the end you've got yourself the perfect Shakespearean blockbuster which is ultimately made by its brilliant story and the way Branagh and the performances bring it all to life. I really love 'Thor,' and I think it deserves a whole lot more love than it gets.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Some of the camera work is jarring, and the little action that there is isn't always particularly well done and often feels like a distraction from the main narrative.
VERICT: Effectively a smart Shakespearean character-study from Kenneth Branagh that's both very human and unashamedly charming, 'Thor' deserves more love than it gets, and it still sits right near the top of the Marvel tree as far as I'm concerned.
