Thor review

This will really just be a fairly brief review of the movie, as I'm doing this quickly whilst having a coffee or two depending on long the whole thing takes. I saw the 2-D version rather than the 3-D one, Clash of the Titans put me off the whole action in 3-D idea, as did the additional cost. Even though I didn't see the 3-D version I can't imagine that it would be worth it, there wasn't a whole lot of the movie when I was thinking 'man I wish this scene had an extra dimension.' So unless you're really into the whole 3-D experience skip it and go for the 2-D, buy a drink or something with the money you saved. Anyway onto the review.

Well I guess story is a good a starting part as any, it was on the whole enjoyable, but not much more than that. Overall the plot is solid, if a little generic, this is an origins film so you can forgive it that. There are a few wtf moments that really don't make sense; nearly all of these are centred on Loki. The pacing was poor, there was never really any tension or suspense, and it just plods along at the casual pace of a morning stroll. The result was a film that felt overly long and bloated, yet it never touched the 'epic' status that it should have.

The main problem was there was never a sense that the conflicts in the film actually mattered, any consequence never seemed significant enough for the viewer to really care. Nor was there a clear sense of what the peril was, or what was really at stake. One moment Asgard is at risk, then it's suddenly saved, at one point Odin is in peril, then it's over, yet you're never releaved when the tension passes just confused.

But plot isn't why you went to see Thor, oh no you wanted action, because this Thor after all and you came to see him kick ass. So does the movie deliver on this front? Oh my, no, sadly not, there is action in the film and what there is pretty dam good, if a little repetitive. There is only so many times you can see Thor throw his hammer at stuff before it stops being awesome. I would have liked to have seen more of Sif and the Warriors Three, who were constantly overshadowed by Thor and little more than another way of showing OMG THOR IS TEH AWUSUMURE!!!

The acting is a fairly mixed bag, there are some brilliant performances, mixed in with a good helping of mediocre to the downright awful. Hopkins as one would expect is brilliant, but you come to expect this, so no surprises there. Hemsworth is a fantastic Thor, just a really good solid performance, exactly how you would expect Thor to act, even down to the really minor details. The scene in the cafe is insignificant, yet there is a brilliant moment of characterisation that fully encapsulated what Thor is about. Whilst Portman turns in a good performance you can't help but question her casting as a scientist, she just really doesn't gel with the role.

Loki is the weakest of the main cast, I'm still undecided if this is due to Hiddleston turning in a bad performance, bad casting, or just a poorly written character. The motivation is lacking, there is never any point that you get a clear idea of what Loki is trying to achieve or even why he is trying to achieve it. To this end he never feels like much of a villain, with the frost giants being little more than fodder; the result is a film lacks a clearly defined antagonist.

Thor overall isn’t a great movie, but on the other hand it is not a bad movie, this is not another Iron Man or Dark Knight, but it at least it isn’t another Superman or Spiderman 3. I can’t help but feel this was a fairly rushed movie, one merely released to establish the character of Thor before the Avengers movie next year. Nor can I quiet shake the feeling that Marvel is investing more effort in the upcoming X-Men, Captain America, Spiderman re-boot and the Avengers movies. I can’t say that I would recommend going to see Thor, but if you’re a Thor or Marvel fan you will be seeing this regardless of recommendations , if that is the case just don’t expecting too much from this one.

Stef, be civil!

I'm not much of a fan of super hero films - there's a high chance I won't see this one unless someone drags me to the theater. But I duly agree with what you have to say about 3d, but even on a bit more general level: There are few, extremely few films where 3d would be warranted, or even justified. The glasses are fucking annoying, and the effects ain't that breath taking, they aren't.

my opinion of the movies stands at:

not as good as ironman but as good as spiderman 2, in the full line-up of current marvel movies

It would be hard to beat Iron Man, as far as super hero movies, it is one of the best to date. I'm not really looking forward to the Captain America movie, as a concept it's rather dated and just feels out of place in the modern world. I really can't see it being any good, they should just kill him off and be done with it.

The problem with Marvel is that the universe is to expansive and interwoven, yes this is great for fans and gives an awesome amount of depth. But it leaves the films feeling spread to thing sometimes, as they try to cram to much stuff in, or lacking something as the character hasn't much independent background. Just my 2 cents

It's okay to ogle over Thor, but not Natalie?

Also, just saying: back home we have a saying, which goes like "Lack makes yakaty yak."