Posts tagged Chris Hemsworth
Marvel seems to be slowly introducing us to the heroes we never knew. They started us out with Iron Man, Marvel’s King of Cool. Then they followed up with the Hulk, a classic we had sought to forget after a disastrous 2003 effort to revive him that was fortunately atoned for in 2008. With Captain America on the way, it seems that we will be seeing each Avenger alone before we get to see them all together. Good luck making money on Ant Man and Wasp (Hawkeye makes an uncredited appearance in Thor, but only geeks and imdb-users would notice or care). In all actuality, I feel like Thor represents the line at which the average American can be made to care.
I’m a fan of rebooting old myths. I think it can be done well (see Gaiman’s American Gods). But a comic book adaption of an old Norse myth makes me skeptical. If you’re in the boat with me, let me encourage you to climb out and pillage your local movie theater. Because Thor is worth the trip. I won’t lie to you and say that it’s incredibly clever or unpredictable: it’s a superhero movie. Those tend to be pretty by-the book. It lacks the wit of Iron Man and doesn’t quite reach the narrative value of Hulk, but it’s far from a waste of two hours.
Thor is your typical hero. He has a lot of power, which is important because it helps him hold up his giant ego. He can fly and summon lightning and he carries the mythical Mjolnir (shout out to HALO fans who now understand the moniker of Master Chief’s armor): an incredibly heavy but relatively unimpressively-looking hammer that can pull off boomerang-like maneuvers and summon lightning. I now have to point out the difference between Thunder and Lightning and wonder why they seem to be synonymous in pop culture. I blame Pokemon.
I know this review seems harsh. Mostly that’s because it’s easier to be funny if you’re being a bit mean. In all honesty, Thor has its moments. Every actor and actress pulls their weight, there are several scenes that are breath-taking to behold (shout out to people who aren’t yet sick of 3D), and comic-book fans are sure to enjoy the incredible effort at referencing everything the Marvel universe has to offer.
So, for bringing the Thunder but not the Rain, I give Thor a 6 out of 10.
Written by: Steven Jones
