Over the past bunch of years, Marvel has enjoyed a good deal of success on the movie front. They successfully brought the likes of Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, Punisher, and Ghost Rider, among others, to the big screen. No, not all of them have been runaway blockbusters, but they have all entertained a certain level of success.
Now that the comic publisher has fully entered the big-picture arena, moving beyond being a development partner, Marvel has been working on a delivering a complete universe on film. Although its projects each have their own unique flavor, they all share similar aesthetic, and it would be believable to see a crossover amongst a few characters. Thor is one of the most recent to hit the big screen, and while it may not have been as big as Iron Man, it does prove to be better than I was expecting.
The character of Thor has never been a particular favorite of mine. I never really looked into his history; he simply bored me. He was fine as a member of the Avengers, but on his own I generally couldn't be bothered.
So, as the movie release approached I was not as excited about it as I was for, say, X-Men: First Class. Still, the movie was next in the build up to the Avengers movie, and I was curious to see how it would play out. In particular, I wondered about the blending of Earth-based scenes with those set in Asgaard. The end result was a satisfying blend of superhero and mythic fantasy.
As the movie opens, we are introduced to Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). She is working on a weather study and believes she is seeing some sort of pattern in a series of storms. As she and her partners drive in to investigate they hit a man who appears out of nowhere. Any idea who this may be? That's right, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has appeared out of nowhere. As Jane and the others race to see if he is still alive, the story flashes back to Asgaard where we learn how Thor came to be on Earth.
We meet his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins, his step-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), and other brothers-in-arms. We are also introduced to their sworn enemies, the Frost Giants. As we learn about the family dynamics and the truce with the Frost Giants, we also learn that Thor has been chosen to succeed Odin as the ruler of Asgaard. Of course, plans are put on hold when the Frost Giants unexpectedly attack, are chased away, and then confronted by Thor.
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1 - Luxembourg
This film not only represented, but represents to this day, the very best of what it means to be a sci-fi epic. Though revolutionary in the realm of special effects, groundbreaking in other areas and breathtakingly creative, it does not rely solely on its original themes or new quirks to achieve acclaim, as many "good" sci-fi films do. This film, combines the best of science fiction with a story and a spirit that has meaning-- an underdog struggle, a coming of age tale, a morality play, behind an incredibly rich backdrop and a timeless cast of characters that fits it perfectly.