23 Marvelous Movies: Thor
Thor came out in a time when audiences were starting to accept the fact that a certain group of Marvel heroes could exist in the same cinematic universe. Iron Man and Hulk were two characters that fit neatly in the science-fiction genre, albeit the former being somewhat more practical than the latter, so the idea of them teaming up wasn’t that big of a stretch to moviegoers. But there was another hero on the horizon, one that belonged in the fantasy genre in a way few other Marvel heroes did, so much so that his creators weren’t Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, or Jack Kirby, but the Norsemen of centuries past: Thor. It didn’t help that Marvel’s depiction of the god of thunder was extremely goofy, with all the insane worlds he visits via a rainbow bridge while donning his flying helmet.
So how were they going to incorporate this already outlandish character in a way that audiences would take seriously and gravitate towards? With a director that knew his way around operatic and grand storytelling.
Kenneth Branagh, best known for his takes on Shakespearian plays like Hamlet, Henry V, and Much Ado About Nothing, was brought on board to bring humanity to this epic character and help him stand out among past and future characters in this franchise.
The first thirty minutes of Thor makes it very clear that this is an entirely new angle in the MCU, with its grand and epic tone more akin to Lord of the Rings than to Flash Gordon (ironically what the Thor films as a whole would become more similar to), complete with a stoic monologue that conveys the movie’s backstory.
It also doesn’t hurt that Branagh is surprisingly good at directing action sequences, appropriately with more sweep and grandiosity than what was seen in the Iron Man films and The Incredible Hulk. The battle in Jotenheim itself is a great example of multiple characters fighting without being confusing. And it doesn’t stop at that either. The battle sequences that follow have moments that caused some real fist-pumps out of me upon watching this movie again for this review.
Even when Thor is banished to Earth for dooming Asgard to war and destruction and ends up in a small town in New Mexico, the fish-out-of-water jokes are toned down and don’t overshadow the core story. It helps that the jokes they do make are genuinely funny, like when Thor struts into a pet store asking for a horse, and when he smashes a coffee mug at a restaurant to declare he wants “another”. Though the movie inevitably becomes less interesting when it becomes earth-bound, the scenes in our world are still fun and exciting in their own way.
Branagh also makes the right move in conveying the movie’s themes of “worth” and “honor” in easy-to-understand ways for the audience. Thor’s quest to get it back is natural and fits well into him having to be humbler. Shen he breaks into S.H.I.E.L.D’s camp surrounding the hammer, he realizes that it no longer belongs to him once he tries to pull it out. Only when he gives himself up to Loki’s destroyer does he become worthy of that weapon. While it’s an obvious allusion to King Arthur and the sword in the stone, it brings the point across in a familiar way perfectly.
It’s also a good thing that Branagh brought the right star on board to convey the emotions needed for the story to resonate.
Chris Hemsworth is a truly amazing find as Thor, coming across as incredibly likable despite his arrogance and recklessness. He also never winks at the camera or says any of the silly lines he is given with a sense of irony. He has all the charisma and sincerity needed to be a great movie star. His love for the people around him shines through too when he has to be serious and self-sacrificial. Despite his flaws as a person, Thor truly is worthy of the power he was born with.
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, while not being much else but to be the one who brings Thor down to human-level, is a very endearing love interest with her wide-eyed curiosity for this beefcake that fell right out of the sky. She and Hemsworth have terrific chemistry together, the best scene between them being when Thor is describing her how science and magic merge in his world, a great way to introduce this character to a franchise that so far has only dabbled in sci-fi.
The main flaw with her character is that she makes Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings as her science partners far less compelling than she is. While Skarsgard does have a nice, childlike demeanor (and even has a great talk with Jane about what is and isn’t scientific), Dennings is just annoying with almost no funny lines and even less charisma.
In terms of other side characters, like so many other MCU movies, it’s a mixed bag. Thor's friends, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, barely have any presence on screen and the only one of them that seems to have any personality is the one who eats a lot. Phil Coulson, a S.H.I.E.L.D agent from the Iron Man movies, is good as an obstacle for Thor and Jane when he takes her research away, but not much of him is seen after he redeems himself. Renee Russo is also sadly absent for much of the film as Thor and Loki’s mother. On the other hand, their father Odin, the god of gods, has all the dramatic weight and screen presence you would expect from a character played by Anthony Hopkins. Idris Elba as the guard of the rainbow bridge, Heimdal, is an excellent player himself, due to his stone-faced coolness and deadpan wit. Colm Feore as King Laufey of the frost giants, however, is practically non-existent as a villain, which is a good thing that Branagh sets his eyes on another antagonist.
For the first time, Marvel had a villain that both fits well into the story and its themes and is compelling in his own way: Thor’s mischievous and controlling brother, Loki. His motivations may look basic at first: get Thor out of the picture so he can rule Asgard, but his reasoning behind them gives him depth and even a sympathetic side.
Loki was born a frost giant who was taken by Odin when he was abandoned by their Laufey, to maintain peace between Asgard and Jotenheim. When he discovers his true origins, he feels like an outcast among true gods and warriors and unloved by the man who is supposed to be his father. This makes his ascension to the throne more fueled by bitterness and a desire to belong. He is also a genuinely intimidating villain, thanks largely to Tom Hiddleston nailing it as a master manipulator whose actions and words can never be predicted or understood at first, which makes the fact that he originally auditioned for Thor even more unbelievable.
While some audiences were disappointed that Thor’s big debut in the MCU was so earth-bound, I don’t think it was a bad decision, as it does help the mighty god fit more into the approaching Avengers movie more naturally than if he just hopped from one universe to another. Also, what better way to make a literal God more relatable and human than to have him mingle with literal humans? It has its flaws, but none more so than other installments in this Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s still a mighty good time that, like the first Iron Man, promises a thrilling future for a franchise that so many were unsure of at the time. And, as the post-credits scene indicates, we won’t be seeing the last of Loki any time soon.
